2nd Life could be new teaching tool

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - Second Life is a virtual world that has created everything from controversy to constructive collaboration. Now Ball State University is using it to teach.

"Right now we're still at the edge of this, but the Internet will increasingly become more 3D and perhaps avatar-driven," said Ball State Professor John Fillwalk.

Second Life is a virtual world and for some, a 3D next step to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

It's a world that has attracted some attention because of bizarre stories like the London couple divorcing because the husband was committing virtual adultery. On the other hand, some businesses are using it as the next step to video conferencing. And for others it serves as higher learning over great distances.

"With virtual worlds like Second Life there are buildings that can use the expertise of architects," said Guillermo Vasquez de Velasco, Dean of Architecture Ball State University.

And Ball State has led the way for architecture students from universities as far away as Guatemala and Chile to collaborate and communicate in a virtual design studio.

"Voice instant messaging, public type chat, we also designed the building with a lot of pin up surfaces where students can take their images and their designs and drag them up to those surfaces for feedback and critique," said Fillwalk.

It's critique by virtual professors that can give very real grades.