Harvard on the cutting edge: A virtual Law School/Extension School class

I've criticized Harvard for falling behind on online initiatives relating to video and audio, but I am proud to say that Harvard is actually a leader in an emerging, interactive online medium: Virtual worlds. The combined Harvard Law School/Harvard Extension School class CyberOne: Law in the Court of Public Opinion is really pushing the envelope with an emerging technology that has grown out of the 3D gaming and "modding" field -- creating 3D worlds that allow ordinary users to "mod" their own environments and personae.

Check out this Crimson article, which explains how a HLS/HES class has a virtual component in Second Life:

Although at-large participants earn no accreditation for the course, they are invited to view lecture tapes and discuss class materials with professors and other students on Berkman Island, a space in Second Life that resembles Harvard Law School. The island is named after the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, of which Professor [Charles R.] Nesson is a founder and co-director.

Clinical Professor of Law John G. Palfrey VI '94, executive director of the Berkman Center, applauds the project. He says, "one thing we don't do enough at Harvard or as teachers anywhere is to introduce people to new technologies, and the medium is the message to a certain point."

There's a lot more information about this class available online. Click here for the video promo on YouTube. Even better, go to the class website. Besides the Second Life component, the class is also embracing Wikis, blogging software, and even a software tool that's still in development -- "Scratch". There's at least one student blog by "lawgeek" which talks about the class content. (BTW: Any HES or HLS student that starts a blog and wants a link from Harvard Extended, just let me know.)

This initiative is very exciting, and it ties into my research and professional interests. I am fully convinced that interactions and events within 3D worlds like Second Life will become part of the mainstream media world. We've already seen a massive virtual protest in a 3D world, as well as the first (undeclared) presidential candidate (Mark Warner) giving a press conference in Second Life. Classes, lectures, even business transactions can take place virtually. Virtual worlds are hardly mainstream, but once the tools become easier to use, the graphics improve, and people become more comfortable interacting in 3D worlds (which shouldn't be hard for members of the video game generation) this will really take off.