Reflection:

     Writing to different audiences was difficult because I had to change each letter to make it more interesting to the person it was for. My classmate Sarah is already familiar with Second Life so I was able to tell her more about my encounters and problems I’ve come across. However, my brother had no idea what Second Life was so I had to briefly describe it and make it sound interesting to him. In my letter to my professor I tried to demonstrate how Second Life is educational and helpful for his class. I also had to change my writing to make it either formal or non-formal.

SL Audience: 

Family: 

Hey Trav,

For my English 103 class we are exploring Second Life, which is an online virtual world similar to the Sims where you create an avatar and have more freedom to do things such as fly or teleport around the world. I recently visited Morocco, Harlem, and the Globe Theatre, which are three places I would never have dreamed of going with the click of a mouse! While visiting these places I was able to look at a different culture and even freshen up on my photography, which shows that Second Life can be both educational and fun.

To be honest, at first I was nervous of Second Life. I wasn’t used to using the computer for things other then the Internet and facebook. I’m still learning the ropes but hopefully when I get back home I’ll be able to show Cody how to use it.

Love, Chels 

Response:

Chelsea,

  It sounds like the game could be used to research places you would like to travel to. I wonder if you would be able to travel to Sydney and see the area I lived in last semester or even to where I visited in Tokyo. It’s great for you to take up an interest in different cultures and this game might give you a glimpse of what an incredible experience traveling is. Maybe if you and Cody develop enough of an interest in travel we can take a trip somewhere during the summer. It’s great to hear your having fun with school and I can’t wait to see you again in a few weeks.

 See You Soon,

 -Trav  

Classmate:

Sarah,

To be honest, I’ve never done anything like this in school. I was able to explore Morocco, Harlem, and the Globe Theatre in a matter of 10 minutes. Second Life is great because it’s educational in the sense that we can learn about different cultures and interact with people from around the world. When I initially visited these places I didn’t encounter any avatars but when I went back I overheard a conversation in a different language and thought it was pretty cool. I don’t know about you but everywhere I visit looks so real that it makes me actually want to go there. However, I guess I could settle for these Second Life spots for now. How was your scavenger hunt? Have you had a conversation yet with another avatar?  I look forward to hearing about everything tomorrow!

Bye, 

Chelsea

Response:

Hey Chelsea.

I feel the same way; Second Life is completely new to me. Did you enjoy visiting these places? I enjoyed visiting all the places in my scavenger hunt, although I found the same emptiness. I have not gotten the chance to go back and explore and try to find avatars though. Because the avatars were talking in another language, could you translate it somehow or understand it? Be careful of the uncanny valley! If you remember, this is when you confuse virtual world with reality. That would not be a good thing…

I’m sitting across from you!

Sarah 

Professor:

Professor Andrews (CORE),

In my English 103 class this semester we are exploring the use of Second Life, which is a fun and educational online virtual world. Second Life provides a 3 dimensional simulation of things, which makes you able to see more detail and get more depth. I was fortunate enough to be able to explore sites such as the Globe Theatre and the Space Museum in a matter of minutes while some of my classmates were lucky enough to visit the Sistine Chapel. Second Life may also help me in your class because I know in October we are supposed to visit the capital so perhaps I will be able find buildings that inspired Jefferson in Second Life. Maybe by next year the state capital will be in second life so your class can visit beforehand. Second Life is also great because I can learn about different cultures without reading a book or visiting in real life. The possibilities in Second Life are endless. Thank you for your time! 

Sincerely,

Chelsea Frenzel

Response:

No reply.  

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