Week 3

This week seemed to fly by before I had a chance to breath. Virtual reference is one of the more interesting, but harder, classes I have taken for FSU. I am stuggling my way through orientation on Second Life. I realized I finally learned all I could from the island, and have started to explore the world. It is an interesting place. From the list of favorite places I landed myself on hippie island (or something like that) where I supposedly could earn money taking surveys. Instead I am just wandering. I will check out info island next, and hopefully have a message back from Dr. Mon.

I think that Second Life is facinating, and really want to explore the concept of alternate worlds, social networks online, and how the growing virtual world will impact the lives of people in the real world. How will it effect people emotionally, physically, and developmentally, when we no longer need to leave the house to have a life, and there is less expectation of truth and honesty when you are using online systems that require a user to have a different name, allow them to look like anything they want, and explore a world where anything goes (or so I hear). I talk with my middle school students about social network sites, and many have them, and think nothing of lying about their age, name, and location--they are even encouraged to do this by thier parents. I love the internet and all of the opportunities, connections, and communities we can have because of the internet, but I also fear that we may become a society that relies on the internet for communication, friends, and fun rather than actually experiencing life.