Companies and institutions using a learning management system may be impressed by the possibilities virtual worlds have to offer. However, there’s also reason to stick with what’s working for now.

David F. Carr, speculating on whether or not businesses are ready for virtual worlds, describes a typical Second Life Town Hall meeting. Avatars show up hours early–among them a lizard man, a robot, a floating ball of energy, and dragons. But when the meeting is about to start, the simulation software starts to fail, since so many avatars are filling the same virtual space. They move at an incredibly slow pace; some people begin to disappear or sink into the floor; finally the whole system crashes.

Despite its many problems, companies such as Toyota, IBM and American Apparel are exploring whether Second Life can be adapted to serve business needs–some of which were met with a learning management system in the past. But will companies implement virtual worlds as quickly as they integrated learning management systems for training and communication? See the next post.

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