I know that some people create animations in SL using poser, and was wondering if there are any tutorials or idiots guides for doing this--or is it something you really would need to study in a college setting to learn how it is done.

I'm not an active member of SL, but the process for animations sounds really simple : http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Create_Animations_with_Poser 

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/How_to_create_animations

http://www.bing.com/search?q=create%20animations%20in%20SL%20using%20poser&sc=0-35&form=WLETLB&pc=WLEM&QS=n

The animations (gestures, walks, etc) in SL are imported BVH files.
There is material SL wiki that covers this.  Also check out videos on YouTube by "Tori Linden"

There is a tut on using BVH files, just do a search on BVH and it will pop up. Plus there are all kinds of free files that are out on the net for you to grab. 

heyas;

   it's 99.9% as simple as 'export as bvh' from poser.  but there are some things you should know about setting it up for SL.  such as starting from a T-pose (or other pose), how to get the SL importer to recognize which limbs are active in the animations -- or to get it to ignore some limbs (for animation layering).

let me check my notes....

     the first frame has to be a 'base' frame.  it's usually the default T pose, but it doesn't have to be.  for example, if you are making animations for a folded ao (tinies), you can start with the figure already folded up.
     what you DO need to understand is, that ONLY the limbs that are moved from that first frame's base pose will be given animations when imported into SL.  this is important, if you need to control certain aspects of the avatar, like the head.  if you need the head absolutely still, you have to move it.  if you need it absolutely still in the default head/neck position, change the head/neck position in the first frame to something crazy, like totally folded over, or bent 90 degrees.

   also, no matter how you face the hip in frame 1, it will use the hip's up/down axis.  so, for example, if you are doing a lying down animation, start with the hip standing up vertical, THEN move it.
   as i recall, this also goes for the hip position. if you need to change the avatar's height above the ground, you need to move it up/down from the first frame's position.

   if you do move a limb, but only a tiny fraction, it may not register to SL's animation importer. 

   if you turn the hip during the animation, the sl importer seems to lose track of how high it is (if you are also moving the avatar up and down).  for example, doing a backflip, you may find you have to heave the hip several meters up in the air while going upside down just to get it to move up half a meter in SL.

max length of animation: 30 seconds.  30fps max applicable speed, no matter your fps setting.  (you can make the animations lower speed.)  tip: if you're doing a complex fast animation (light fighting animations), set a lower fps to test it in sl, then you can preview it in slow motion.  go back to 24 or 30 fps for the final.

  best SL animation tip ever:  go to the beta grid for testing.  that way, you can upload your animation umpteenmillion times as you tweak it and never pay any real money to do so.

   if you need information on the SL animation import/upload, send an IM to Bloodsong Termagant in-world, and i'll send you a notecard.

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