Maastricht University starts a Second Life

for the Course Brand Management the department of Marketing of Maastricht University started a Second Life

Category:

Education

Tags:

• maastricht
• university
• department
• of
• marketing

[tvanlaer]

Dear Gotrektom,

I am afraid that you misunderstood who we are. We are not the university's student recruitment office. We are the department of marketing science and we provide innovative research and education to students in business. We think a project in SecondLife is an excellent way for students to get hands-on experience with the material they study in class.

[tvanlaer]

Dear Gotrektom,

Recently the Department of Marketing - Maastricht University opened its virtual campus in Second Life. In order to design and test their own brand positioning strategy all students in the 3rd-year bachelor course Brand Management had their own private parcel on the departments island to start up shop. To make it as realistic as possible, students offered their products for sale.

Through this video, the Department of Marketing wants to show you our Island in Second Life.

[ipgharrisburg]

Wow - what an interesting project for students to do! I'm impressed this was done in 2008 - kind of ahead of the game. In the United States, major companies are investigating marketing in Second Life; this was a very applicable project for your students to undertake.

I'm just starting to learn about the educational uses of SL in U.S. middle schools and high schools, and find it interesting to learn how it is being used in universities, too.

[gotrektom]

Dear T van Laer,

I agree with you. As you could understand, I am rather questioning the 'content' (or course material) "offered" to your students. I am also quite concerned about the 'form' it takes but this is of less interest. I guess we will not reach any consensus here so I better leave it as it is. Maybe later ... Who knows :D

[gotrektom]

It still doesn't change anything of what I have just said ...

What is the interest of it all? Setting worthless projects and showing it up. Well freedom of speech, it's your right to put it on the internet. My right to criticize it. I am making sharp value judgment but still. In this perspective, one can also question the utility/value of Marketing Department (from all Universities, Institutions ...)

[gotrektom]

I am really ashamed of such an initiative. It is not a surprise that a Marketing department suggests such a project (A life for yourself and a life for your dreams) but still ...

Nonsense comment (I know) since selling dreams to people without a real understanding of the words "authenticity" and "reality" is the most logical "response".

"Does the end justify the means? That is possible. But what will justify the end?" (Albert Camus)