Several colleges and universities are exploring a new method for online learning by setting up classrooms in Second Life. Ball State University went so far as to buy Second Life land to build a virtual campus, including dorms. The avatars, virtual representations of the lecturer and students, then appear to be present together in the same virtual location.
Having the avatars meet, Ms. Nesson says, "really changes the way the classroom conversation proceeds because you have a sense of all of these people being there participating in one way or another.... It somehow gives people a sense of community that they're not by themselves doing this."
