It's exhilarating and addictive. It's immersive and social. And yes, it can also be perplexing and intimidating, clunky and slow. One thing is clear: It's not your father's two-dimensional e-learning course. Think Web 2.0 in 3D. It's the convergence of social media, simulations, and gaming. Learn why Second Life is all the rage in the learning community and why IBM is investing millions of dollars in 25 islands in Second Life to reinvent learning. Companies like Sun, Dell, BP, and Intel are not far behind in moving their training to this "metaverse." Hundreds of colleges and universities are already teaching in Second Life. INSEAD and scores of other universities have entire campuses in Second Life, and Harvard is teaching classes for credit "in world." Second Life is the fastest-growing online community on the Web. And, if you believe the latest Gartner research, 80 percent of active Internet users will be in non-gaming virtual worlds like Second Life by the end of 2011. This session will feature examples of how you can take your skill training to new levels by modeling objects in 3D and letting students fly around a network or a city. But, for all the visual appeal of slick 3D graphics, the real appeal of the virtual world is the potential for transforming social interaction. You'll see how students role-play sales skills or interviewing techniques. Second Life brings people together and breaks down hierarchies and geographic boundaries. Whether your avatar looks like Superman, Wonder Woman, Darth Vader, or simply a stylized version of the real you, you can energize training with this sprawling, vibrant 3D online world. Discover why some people think "virtual world" means the end for dreaded webinars and videoconferences. This session will demonstrate the state of the art in virtual world learning from companies like Sun, Dell, IBM, and Intel and show how you can give your learning program a Second Life.