KJ mentioned a Boston Globe article about this sim and the controversy (?) surrounding it. Here's the comment I left there:
As someone interested in utilizing Second Life to help students and
teacher experience history in a new and intriguing way, this is exactly
the type of sim I’m interested in exploring. It sounds similar to what
has been done with the Shakespearan era and the more modern Capitol
Hill spot. I hear that there is a Harlem Renaissance project under
development also.
Just like in-class simulations do or, better yet, taking students
and teachers to a Boston or a Colonial Williamsburg, many forget that a
large number of people may never be able to get there.
On the other side of the coin, experiencing these sims may actually get them there.
From a pedagogical angle, having the opportunity to interact with
historic characters who not only look like the historical figure -
which in RL is only sometimes possible given how different people look,
clothing available, etc., (not to mention funding) - but can act and
interact like the historical figure - is exactly what I am hoping for
the potential of Second Life.
These “two sides” of Second Life can co-exist quite easily - if you don’t like a representation of RL, just don’t go there.
We’re taking a group of history grant teachers to Boston in 2 years
and this will be another pull to get them into Second Life. As can be
expected, the younger ones jumped right in, the older teachers are
trying to figure out what the point is (social interaction doesn’t seem
to be enough at this point).
We took a different group to Boston earlier this summer and the
types of things they noticed such as historical figures walking around
and experiencing the places where history happened is part of the great
experience SL can bring to their world in Kansas. Folks who do not
travel a lot do not always know it is possible and/or are concerned
about the unknown. This Boston sim will bring the rest of the world one
step closer to them.