PublicDecisions Online Mini-Conference

Using Virtual Reality for Stakeholder Engagement: An Online Conference in Second Life®

Conference Agenda, Thursday 16 July 2009

All times are SLT (Second Life Time, equivalent to Pacific Daylight Time). For EDT (Eastern Daylight Time), add 3 hours. For GMT/UTC (Greenwich Mean Time/Universal Time), add 7 hours.

08:00 - 08:15	Welcome and Special Instructions
	At this initial session, you'll receive key information to ensure a seamless and successful conference experience throughout the day. Following a brief review of the day's program, you'll receive detailed instructions about and for teleporting to the day's sessions and activities.
	Led by Conference Facilitator Corwin Howlett of Learning Times.
08:30 - 09:30	Group Deliberation on Global Warming
	This exciting session features a demonstration of a deliberation on global warming in Second Life, using interactive technology. You'll learn what a deliberative forum in virtual reality "looks like" as compared to an in-person deliberation and experience how cellphone polling technology, web surveys, and IM/chat features can be integrated into "virtual" deliberation for participants who can't attend in person or who prefer to participate "in world." Pre-conference reading assignment: "Facing the Challenges of Climate Change: A Guide for Citizen Thought and Action."
	Led by Chris Haller of Public Agenda.
09:45 - 10:30	Field Trips - Round 1
	Take the first of two immersive experiences in Second Life to see how other organizations are using virtual reality for stakeholder learning. You'll tour a "sim" or island in Second Life where stakeholders are being actively engaged on issues related to land, air, or water quality. Hear directly from organizational representatives who use Second Life for stakeholder education efforts. Plenty of opportunity to ask questions, too!
10:30 - 11:00	Break
11:00 - 11:45	Field Trips - Round 2
	Your second chance to tour a "sim" or island in Second Life, where stakeholders are being actively engaged on issues related to land, air, or water quality.
12:00 - 12:45	Panel Discussion: Best Practices for Using Second Life
	Field trip hosts will discuss best practices for effectively using Second Life, including:   • pointers for planning and hosting activities in Second Life (do's and don'ts)   • tips for preparing stakeholders to have a good experience "in world"   • how to access existing "islands" for virtual stakeholder engagement activities, and     what it takes to create your own
	Panelists include:   • Justin Hollander, Tufts University   • Megan Keane, Tech Soup   • Delia Lake, Centre for Water Studies
13:00 - 14:00	World Café: Using Second Life for Stakeholder Learning
	Using a World Café format, participants will engage in a dialogue about when Second Life is appropriate, efficient, and effective—and when it's not. The reporting out from this session will serve as a basis for a set of guidelines on using Second Life/virtual reality for stakeholder learning that will be included in our post-conference report.

 

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