IMVU, Second Life, and World of Warcraft

Last day of blogging about my impressions of social worlds...let's see what it holds!

IMVU

First impressions:  I have seen ads for IMVU across the internet, mostly alongside screencaps of very busty avatars.  However, it does have accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and has been advertised on The New York Times, USA Today, and The Tonight Show.
Age range:  Designed for ages 15 and up.
Pros:  It seems to have the same pros as any other 3D avatar-based site:  connection with individuals around the world, customisability, and so on.
Cons:  As I expected from the advertisements I have seen, sexual content is a given.  They do their best to filter adult content for users under 18, but there are apparently some cracks.  Common Sense Media explicitly states, "IMVU wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning."  Language is not monitored in chat rooms at all.
Overall rating:  2 out of 10

Second Life

First impressions:  This is the only platform I have explored that I have had any recent personal experience with.  So far it has proven to be highly customisable and easy to use as a virtual learning environment.
Age range:  Second Life is designed for users of all ages, but best for those ages 16 and up.
Pros:  In my own experiences thus far, I have seen a lot of ways Second Life can be used as an educational environment.  You can create games, have round-table discussions via chat and voice, and explore new worlds.
Cons:  If your computer doesn't have an advanced enough graphics card or other system requirements, it can be hard to run the program effectively.  It does require a device that is in top-notch condition for effective play.  There is also a fair amount of adult content out there, so users must be very carefully monitored.
Overall rating:  7 out of 10

World of Warcraft

First impressions:  While I have never interacted with World of Warcraft, it is everywhere in pop culture; I have heard references to the game in television, movies, and my daily life.
Age range:  World of Warcraft is best for users ages 16 and up.
Pros:  Clearly this is one of the big dogs in the MMORPG world - well known, widely used, and respected.  It seems like a truly immersive experience; a beautiful world, thousands of users to interact with, quests and battles.  Clearly it is beloved to the point of addiction in some cases.
Cons:  After a free trial period, this is a paid service.  As is implied with the world "warcraft" in the title, it's known for being somewhat violent.  The age range also leads to some sexualization and drinking/drug references.  It is hard for me to visualize the educational uses of the game.
Overall rating:  6 out of 10

Reflections
As an elementary school drama teacher, I am still trying to figure out how any of these platforms might fit into my current teaching practice.  However, it is interesting to reflect on the directions in which education might be moving.  Only time will tell how deeply these platforms will be used in classrooms of the future.

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Currently reading:  I don't usually blog daily - so still the same!  I'll start slamming through books on vacation in just one week :)
Current high:  making scalloped potatoes for dinner
Current low:  the weekends always fly by, thank goodness there's just 5 contact days until break!