The University of Ulster has launched its presence in Second Life – a virtual world populated by over seven million users worldwide.

This exciting project, spearheaded by the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, will see UU join leading universities, such as Harvard and Stanford, in the use of virtual worlds as a research and teaching resource.

The Second Life project, co-funded by the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems and the Intelligent Systems Research Centre (ISRC) at Magee, facilitates the investigation of the potential of online virtual worlds for use as educational and research tools.

Using Second Life, UU students and teaching staff will be able to participate in online classes. Each student will be able to see – and communicate virtually – with every other student and the lecturer in real time.

In addition to initial course offerings, the virtual world will be used to support research needs – and visitors may be able to browse links to the library, admissions and other real-world functions of the University.

Project leader Michael Callaghan said: “The use of virtual worlds represents the natural evolution of e-learning tools, allowing greater levels of student participation and interaction while creating new possibilities for education and research.

“The flexibility of Second Life, as a graphically rich 3D environment and social networking facility, enables an experiential learning approach to topics as diverse as 3D modelling, programming and film making. Second Life also offers new and innovative ways to meet the needs of today’s participatory learners.”

Dr Liam Maguire, Head of the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, added: “This parallel world offers exciting marketing opportunities for our School and courses. It may also challenge our current learning environment, and present new tools and opportunities for our students to study and access information.”

Professor Martin McGinnity, Director of the Intelligent Systems Research Centre, said: “Our participation in Second Life represents an exciting research development for the ISRC. As well as enabling us to showcase our intelligent systems research on an innovative and global stage, it will be beneficial in attracting collaboration for our activities. In particular, it will encourage engagement with the creative technologies aspect of our work, both in teaching and research.”

Currently, users are able to tour parts of the University’s Magee Campus and learn about the teaching and research taking place in the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems and the Intelligent Systems Research Centre.

Online classes for existing students in the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems using the virtual campus will begin at the start of this academic year.

Accessing Second Life requires registration – which is free – and the download of client software to your computer from www.secondlife.com/ All major operating systems are supported.

Individuals may then tour the virtual campus by typing "University Ulster” in the map search feature of the Second Life client and then teleporting or by using the Second Life slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/University%20Ulster%20Magee/250/151/37

For further information contact: Michael Callaghan, School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Computing and Engineering at: 02871 375771 or email mj.callaghan@ulster.ac.uk.

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter