Objective: To review the effectiveness of various strategies for community building in an Second Life island founded by an academic health sciences center and the impact of these on real life campus collaborations.
Methods: Second Life, the most famous multiuser virtual environment, is increasingly utilized for education in various types of learning curricula. A medical school in a major academic health sciences center purchased a Second Life island to develop instructional alternatives for standard didactic instruction as well as innovative approaches for instruction content not possible in the real world. To maximize effectiveness and acceptance of these educational innovations, it was necessary to first create interest, generate excitement, and build skills among a cohort of faculty and students. The health sciences libraries took an active leadership role in this process. Approaches used for building learning communities included real world presentations, podcasts, orientations, tutorials, private meetings, and face-to-face classes, as well as web-based email groups, videos, and social technologies blended with in-world brown bag discussions, tours, lectures, and treasure hunts. The engagement with Second Life facilitated new connections, opportunities, and learning communities between medical, dental, and public health schools across campus.