ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions. ***************************************************************************** List members, we could use your help with an upcoming issue of ASTC Dimensions. Here's the premise: The 2-million-member online world Second Life now features 'Splo, a virtual version of the Exploratorium. Online and on-site visitors to history and art museums "stroll" through three-dimensional re-creations of Egyptian temples, an 18th-century Mandan village, or ancient Rome. Nintendo can't keep up with demand for its whole-body-movement Wii machine, and an eagerly awaited new videogame from Will Wright, creator of the Sims series, purportedly allows players to build entire galaxies populated by artificial life forms. What does the virtual-reality explosion mean for science centers? Should we be investing in these new technologies? For the November/December 2007 issue of ASTC Dimensions, we are looking for examples of ways that science centers and museums are exploring virtual environments and other immersive technologies as learning tools. If you would like to share with the field what your museum is doing in this area, or if you know of a promising program elsewhere that we should include, please e-mail a brief description to me off-list at the address below by August 7. Also welcome are suggestions on related educational research. Many thanks! Carolyn Sutterfield, Editor Association of Science-Technology Centers 1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005-6310, U.S.A. 202/783-7200 x130 Fax 202/783-7207 [log in to unmask] *********************************************************************** For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org. Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org. The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html. To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to [log in to unmask]