Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds
What are different ways these virtual worlds can be used? What are the pros and cons? Be specific. How do virtual worlds foster creativity? What do you think the future of virtual worlds will look like?
Virtual worlds are worlds that are created with the use of technology. Some ways that virtual worlds can be incorporated into our lives are through education and business. Teachers can use virtual worlds to allow students to experience places and people they might not otherwise encounter and students can use it an a opportunity to learn as long as there are clear objectives (Earle). An example of using virtual worlds in the business world would be companies using IBM's Sametime 3D, Second Life, and Google Wave. All those programs allows people to have virtual meetings in a virtual world.
The pros of utilizing virtual worlds is that it allows people to experience things that they usually cannot. Another pro is that virtual worlds can foster creativity. People can create their own world with the use of many different programs, for example creating worlds in Minecraft. In Minecraft you can build almost anything using the available resources. Virtual worlds are also widely available to everyone.
The cons of virtual worlds is that communicating through them might be insecure. Businesses might stay away from virtual world meetings if the meetings included confidential information that should only be shared in a safe private environment. Another con is that people might incorporate virtual worlds into things that are not necessary. Sometimes what works in a face-to-face environment might not work in a virtual environment (Tutton).
I think in the future, virtual worlds have the potential to become an integral part in the learning process in education systems, since is it rarely used today, while also enabling companies in industry to more effectively work and communicate securely.
Works Cited
Earle, Joe "The virtual world moves into the classroom"
Tutton, Mark "Going to the virtual office in Second Life"
Virtual worlds are worlds that are created with the use of technology. Some ways that virtual worlds can be incorporated into our lives are through education and business. Teachers can use virtual worlds to allow students to experience places and people they might not otherwise encounter and students can use it an a opportunity to learn as long as there are clear objectives (Earle). An example of using virtual worlds in the business world would be companies using IBM's Sametime 3D, Second Life, and Google Wave. All those programs allows people to have virtual meetings in a virtual world.
The pros of utilizing virtual worlds is that it allows people to experience things that they usually cannot. Another pro is that virtual worlds can foster creativity. People can create their own world with the use of many different programs, for example creating worlds in Minecraft. In Minecraft you can build almost anything using the available resources. Virtual worlds are also widely available to everyone.
The cons of virtual worlds is that communicating through them might be insecure. Businesses might stay away from virtual world meetings if the meetings included confidential information that should only be shared in a safe private environment. Another con is that people might incorporate virtual worlds into things that are not necessary. Sometimes what works in a face-to-face environment might not work in a virtual environment (Tutton).
I think in the future, virtual worlds have the potential to become an integral part in the learning process in education systems, since is it rarely used today, while also enabling companies in industry to more effectively work and communicate securely.
Works Cited
Earle, Joe "The virtual world moves into the classroom"
Tutton, Mark "Going to the virtual office in Second Life"
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