Wow, only one more week of class and we’re done! Our group has been working hard to complete our mock-up Hawaiian Hale (house) and learning quite a bit about building an instructional unit in Second Life in the process. Not to mention, we’ve become quite comfortable collaborating both in-world and in the real-world. I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this class – especially the group project that we’re currently working on, and I think it’s because of the dynamics that Second Life affords. I mean, I get to work on a project with two other classmates, one who I know well in the real-world (Markieparkie) and one who I know better in-world (Konaview) than in the real world. Wait, let me think about that one for a minute. Anyway, as I process this a bit more one thing I do know is that I have enjoyed working with both, equally. Okay, here’s what I’m thinking…I would have to say that I know my relationship with both Markieparkie and Konaview are real. It’s just that we happen to be using a virtual environment (Second Life) for class and to collaborate. And this is where the lines start to get blurred for me.
I define in-world and real-world as places – both are real, but different. There are things we can do in-world that we can’t do in the real-world, and there are things we can do in the real-world that we can’t do in-world. How does this shape the relationships we establish – both in-world and in the real-world? Does it matter if we only get to meet someone through their avatar in-world, but don’t get to meet them physically in the real-world? Can we establish deep lasting friendships in-world? Could in-world friendships be even stronger than real-world friendships? If you said no, then I would have to ask, “Aren’t they both real?” I think we’re already at a place where people live in both worlds, have friends in both worlds – basically they invest themselves in both worlds.
I wonder if we’ll ever see a shift where people begin spending more time in-world than in the real world? Okay, I know we can’t physically remove ourselves from the real-world, but we can emotionally. So, I conclude that in-world and real-world are both real places where we can invest ourselves emotionally and with our time, two real and tangible things. So what’s virtual?
Okay, one last thought before I call it a night. Second Life is a virtual world, right? But it does exist, right? So let me ask again, what is virtual? I know, some of you have all these questions answered already, but for me, I need to ponder on these things.