clipped from: chronicle.com Chances are you have at least second-hand knowledge about Second Life, a virtual-reality world created by Linden Lab, in which avatars (digital characters) lease "islands" for real-life purposes -- to sell products, conduct classes, do research, hold conferences, and even recruit for admissions.
About nine million avatars reportedly interact on this digital landscape, in which dozens of colleges from around the world have set up islands.