First Reactions to the Course

When I first signed up for this class I had no idea that it was about virtual worlds, I just remember reading “Advanced Research in Cultural Industries.” Needless to say, I was a little surprised when I heard Professor Kennedy describing the course. I had never heard of Second Life before and was very relieved to read on the course syllabus that advanced technical skills were not required.
Every semester I course shop. Each semester I sign up for 6 classes and drop one of them. I also attend classes I’m not registered in just so that I can determine which classes I am most interested in and would enjoy taking. Although I was initially a little intimated by the explanation of this course, the idea of virtual worlds intrigued me. I was also very impressed with the structure of the course and fascinated by the fact that the presentations would taken place in the world of Second Life.
I have never participated in something like Second Life before, but in class I was hoping that it would be interesting and addictive so that my experiences in Second Life wouldn’t feel like school work. Although I still have some questions about Second Life and how everything will play out, I am really looking forward to see how this class evolves. By the end of the first class I knew that - although I am not at all tech savvy – this was a course I wanted to stay in. I even told students in my next class all about the course and showed them the syllabus (and made one of my friends switch into it!).
Students have commented that a lot of courses in the Communications program can tend to be repetitive and that although you can look at the information from lots of different angles…it still always feels like the same information. That’s what I like about this class. It’s something I know nothing about and have barely even heard anything about. Also, the ideas are modern and developing so it feels like you’re a part of the “cutting-edge” of technology. I am definitely looking forward to learning about virtual realities and seeing how this class unfolds.