The Hub2 initiative started this week in the form of an upper-division class at Emerson College. The community class is set to begin next Tuesday. At this point, we are enrolled to capacity, and are quite eager to get started. The Emerson class is conceived a little differently than the community class. […]

Categories: placeofmedia · boston · SecondLife · hub2 · civic_engagement

Everything is going full speed ahead. The Boston Redevelopment Authority has agreed to fund the first phase of the Hub2 program. They’re going to pay for student tuition, evaluation, TA support and design. It’s great news and we’re thrilled that they’ve taken a chance on this experimental program. Now that the […]

Categories: placeofmedia · boston · citygovernment · SecondLife · phones · hub2 · gene_koo · civic_engagement

As we consider our theoretical justification for using Second Life to facilitate civic engagement, we’ve come up with the notion of placeworlds. Below is a sketch of the concept:
Place is experienced space. It is what happens when geographic space takes on meaning of any sort – as an object of memory, or desire, […]

Categories: placeofmedia · boston · SecondLife · city · hub2 · civic_engagement

As city governments explore their role in burgeoning virtual environments, they should see the creation of engaged and active civic groups as primary to their mission. We recently spoke to a reporter from the Boston Globe, who, after getting wind of the proposed project, was hoping to report that the city was moving into […]

Categories: placeofmedia · boston · citygovernment · SecondLife · city · hub2

Despite the fact that the Boston Globe has declared that the city has plans for a full virtual conversion in Second Life, the truth of the matter is its goals are much more modest. Together with my colleage Gene Koo, we are offering two courses at Emerson College with the goal of guiding students […]

Categories: placeofmedia · boston · citygovernment · SecondLife · city · play · hub2 · gene_koo