SL is [part of] the latest rage in higher ed. Harvard, et al, have all bought islands for virtual universities, etc. There's (IIRC) a Harvard Law prof who teaches one class partially through SL (as a supplementary discussion section to her course), etc, etc, etc.
I'm supposed to sign up and get into it to see if it's something we want to do (first blush is no, but they're not going to let me get away with that recommendation w/out showing them I've actually looked into it).
And then again, with what we presently have to offer our distance students, it'd be a damned shame to not at least look into it.
Dunno if you've ever taken an online class via WebCT or Blackboard, but they leave a *lot* to be desired. I am constantly amazed (or is it "underwhelmed"?) at the [low] level of techological literacy/savvy my "Internet generation" students have, so I'll admit that I'm looking at something a little more intuitive (such as a game environment) to "meet them where they're at".
As to the follow-up question....... they hate me because I'm the second youngest in the dept and [therefore?] relate better to both my students and theirs (I've picked up classes here and there for a few different colleagues who were either under the weather, or away at conference, and apparently the students were sad to see their regular profs back).
Also, I am therefore the
de facto technology "guru". They're at once happy to pawn off anything tech-related onto me, yet at the same time [somewhat] resentful that our Dean and Assoc. Dean usually think of me first when it comes to techstuff.