I have used the same MOO assignment in three different introductory writing classes and in a class called "Computers and Writing," a course about the impact of computers on rhetoric. I ask students to write a standard definitional argument about some aspect of MOO or MUD "society," and require them to research their claims by becoming active participants in the MOO or MUD of their choice. This assignment works well for instructors whose school does not host a MOO and for instructors who do not teach in a classroom that has computers in it.
As an introduction to the assignment, students read selections from Sherry Turkle's seminal book on MOO interaction Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet and Julian Dibbell's article "A Rape in Cyberspace," which is a thorough account of a virtual rape that occurred in LambdaMOO in 1994, and the political upheaval it caused among LambdaMOO players. This useful article brings up most of the key issues surrounding MOO interaction: the nature of virtual identity, the responsibilities of MOO citizens, the difference between on-screen and off-screen life. Turkle deals with the same incident from a sociological and psychological standpoint. Even after reading these selections, most students are dismissive of MOOs as significant social spaces. They scoff at the anger expressed by the "Rape in Cyberspace" victims and shake their head in wonderment that anyone could take a text-based world seriously. (It is worth pointing out that only one or two students in each class I have taught has ever been in a MOO or MUD before beginning this assignment.)
During the next class period, I cover basic MOO commands and etiquette (see David Barndollar's handy Guide to MOOing), then log my entire class of 20 or so students onto LambdaMOO. We visit the same "room" where the virtual rape occurred. Then I let the students wander and explore on their own for the rest of the period. This is invariably a fascinating experience for all of us. Students are eager to interact with more experienced players, and charge off looking for them. Most often, they are greeted warmly and have interesting conversations about MOOing. Sometimes, however, they are verbally accosted, teased, kicked out of the room they are in, or even disconnected from the MOO. Most are surprised at how personally they take this treatment. After their LambdaMOO adventures, they often begin to change their minds about MOO life. I use this experience to open up a discussion of Aristotle's rhetorical triangle. For some reason, my students have always had the most trouble understanding what is meant by ethos and how it works in writing. After MOOing for a little while, they begin to get the hang of it. Players in a MOO, after all, can only present themselves textually. Students form quick opinions of other players and, with a little prompting, are able to articulate what aspects of a player's textual representation cause them to form those opinions. They can then start to apply this analytical skill to conventional writing and their own essays.
Based on their reading and their LambdaMOO exploration, students write definitional paper about MOO life. They select a MUD or MOO in which they think they can adequately research this claim. There are hundreds of environments to choose from, and dozens of lists of these environments. I like to refer students to www.mudconnect.com for a thorough list grouped by category. I require students to spend at least ten hours in their chosen MUD or MOO, to log their MOO sessions (logging is a feature of MUD/MOO software), and to use their MOO logs as a source in their papers.
Reaction to this assignment is always positive. Students become actively engaged in debates about their definitional claims and almost always spend more than the required ten hours researching their papers. Tempers do sometimes flare during class discussions and the topics can get titillating (papers about MOO sex are common), but most students seem genuinely interested in the philosophical issues underlying the discussion. The biggest challenge with this assignment is helping students balance their strong opinions and learn to consider opposing points of view.