The document discusses the emerging technology of Second Life and its potential applications for nursing simulations. It describes what Second Life is, how to access it, and some of the costs and requirements. Some benefits identified for using Second Life include addressing current needs, adaptability, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, student engagement, and fidelity. Potential challenges include faculty and student hesitation and the need for technical support and integration into curriculum. The document concludes that promoting Second Life's adoption for nursing simulations will require addressing issues related to its relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, opportunities for trialing it, and potential for others to learn from its use.
I chose SL as my emerging technology because I plan to do my thesis on some aspect of clinical simulations in nursing education. I was fortunate to attend 2 webinars in January funded by US Dept of Ed. Title III. Attendees included people for universities around the country and also from the United Nations.
