We Built this City

So, the group Jefferson Airplane (AKA Jefferson Starship) never met JJ Drinkwater or visited Caledon. But, if they had, they would know that JJ devotes his heart and soul to promoting good content in SL.

Yesterday, in the middle of class at LAHQ, I received all of my educational materials back from Renaissance Island. I was dismayed but busy, so I couldn't deal with the problem right then and there. Later, when I had the chance to catch up with JJ, I learned that the whole island - the one he and all the cool librarians worked on - was gone. Poof. Up in smoke.

Apparently, the donor of the island couldn't support it, and just got rid of it. There was no warning to the librarians. There was no chance for them to make the money or donate it to save the sim for one more month.

Well, the Desi-Beth machine, albeit down with a terrible head cold, can not stand by and watch people get trampled on. I geared up the ye-old-email-machine, and sent inquiries to Debs Regent at the London sim and to the SLed list.

I am SOOOO proud to be part of this network. Within minutes, emails started to pour in. This place can host this much that place can hold that much. Never fear, JJ and company, there are a lot of people here that want to help.

I am touched by this generous spirit.

Did she Dupe the Desi???

WELL.

I have had one of those days in SL that was both productive and annoying, Fortunately, the annoying part was sandwiched in between two productive parts.

To start the day, I got to see some gorgeous furniture that Adey built. He is such a wiz now at this building, and it is like watching this amazing transformation. I wish I had the talent to build or script, but I don't. I am content to watch others be brilliant, instead :-)

Then my buddy, Rezon, invited me over to take a look at the place where he works inworld. This is an interesting story. Rezon found Literature Alive! on a day of exploring in SL, and was shocked to find that HIS local community college was the one behind it. The rest is history, but it is amazing how this virtual game connected people who live about 2 miles away from each other IRL. He called his boss over, PaulC (both are up there in the pic), and we were ready to start the tour when I decided to invite my educator friends. Well, you KNOW how it is when I stir up trouble (hehehe)!

This Hyperstring (LEWIS) place is amazing. It can run live feed or movies; it has a staff that will take care of everything while all the teachers show off their virtual goodies. It really looks like a REAL conference facility. Now, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING...why create something in SL that already exists IRL? Well, for one...we want our colleges to take this conference seriously, so, we need to host it somewhere "professional." Also, a lot of people have great space, but I think it is best to use a third party vendor. Why? Well, quite simply, it doesn't become one college's conference. I wouldn't even know wh oto pick, to be honest, as there are a lot of great spaces, and surely, someone would get offended. This isn't the Literature Alive! conference; it isn't the LCCC Conference. Since it is not at one college, everyone has equal voice, and I think that is a great way to start a new tradition :-)

My dream has been to hold an in-world conference for educational best practices. Audio Zenith/Chris Hambly inspired me with his ACHUB conference earlier this Spring. So, I tossed out the idea to see if anyone else wanted something like that...Desi should SOOO know better. Within 30 minutes, we had a committee formed (we STILL need volunteers, never fear!) and a date (Friday, May 25th).

We will be hosting the 1st Annual Best Practices in SL Education Conference on Friday, May 25th. The owner of the place, PaulC Beck (RL Paul Clevett of Hyperstring.net), was such a wonderful resource, and even gave us a great discount. We need to raise about 200 USD to cover the rental costs (that is 56K in Linden)...so PLEASE donate (we can exchange shameless promotion).

We are accepting proposals for inworld presentations (just like a RL conference), and there will be the ability to stream live or play MOV files. There are smaller rooms, a huge lecture hall, and a beach party place (we thought we heard Abba...but I was convinced it was the Stones). We will try to make it JUST LIKE a RL conference (with gift bags and registration lines!).

So, that was an EXCITING morning!

Then...drum roll...a reporter from SLNN contacted me...about a woman he thinks is scamming me. While I can't go into details or mention any names, please know that there are people in here scamming us. I am not sure if she really is scamming us; she has never asked me for any money, and all I did was host her content about her cause of choice. And, I refrain from any judgments of any kind about that sort of thing, as I just want to provide space to those emerging in SL. But, if she IS scamming me, I am really disappointed. To take someone's good nature and generosity and jump up and down on it is, well, sucky. Let's hope for the best; let's assume she is innocent. In any case, until she can show some sort of legitimacy, I won't host her content.

The day ended with a lovely and lively group at Lit Alive! talking about creating syllabi in a SL world. WE talked about a lot of issues, and we had no resolutions, but, we did at least start thinking about the ways the world will change. Next week, we will practice with the soap boxes! So, come on over and learn a new teaching tool!

We Got Game in the Humanities

There are some days when I feel very alone in the wide world of SL. I am surrounded by brilliant educators, but they are all scientists, technologists, historians, or librarians.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE ENGLISH PROFESSORS GONE???

I was going to break into a song that would shame even Joan Baez, but then I read this awesome article about Stanford and the Humanities posted on the SLed Listserve. Apparently, there is a magical place called the Stanford Humanities Lab. They say:

With new developments in areas such as biotech, digital culture, global society, SHL believes that some crucial questions — about what it is to be human, about experience in a connected world, about the boundaries of culture and nature — transcend the old divisions between the arts, sciences and humanities, between the academy, industry and the cultural sphere (http://shl.stanford.edu/index.html).

Wow.

Well, I really couldn't find anything about teaching literature in SL, and I think I may be the only person doing that (although there are loads of people doing awesome work with ESL, poetry, women's studies, and creative writing). But, I just may be the only one hammering away at literature. But, it DOES help to know that Stanford is out there getting some game for the Humanities...we certianly can't let the scientists have ALL the fun!!!

With the help of Ligeia Westwick and Eloise Pasteur, I have finally finished the first two floors of the British Literature Classroom. If you have not been there is a while, go forth and explore! I would love some feedback about what you like and what you hate. Just search for British Literature in the SL search buffet, and you will you find the link.

Get Yer Hot Fresh Picayune!

I just sent Milosun the first of my inworld educational reviews for inclusion in the next edition of the Picayune. BE SURE to get yer hands on a hot little copy! The reviews discuss a variety of excellent products that cost a wee little linden. Free tools will be reviewed over at Stingy Scholar.

I am so impressed by watching people learning to build in SL. Adrian, for example, made that egg and the gorgeous solitare inside. He also made the table. He just built us a private house, as well. He has really caught the bug for building, and I love watching him work.

One of my best friends in RL and in SL won the Build-a-Bear Contest sponsored by FxyLdy Moonlight. All proceeds were donated to research for cancer and the focus was on terminally ill children. I have a passion for children with disabilities; my youngest son had a stroke in utero. So, I am happy to watch people like Fxy host events that allow creativity for a cause. All the bears were gorgeous, and every single person should be proud of the work he/she did. Holly and Art raised over 36,000 Linden on this bear:

2007 International Technology Expo

One of my missions in SL is to connect three populations.

First, I advocate for the connecting of academic resources. For example, I just met Fire Centaur today from English Village. Since they offer comprehensive ESL courses, there is no advantage to competing. I am honored to promote them.

Second, I advocate for the residential population as at-large learning communities. While they may not be enrolled in our colleges, they may want to learn all that we have to teach. Thus, all of my course materials are open access. The whole point of Literature Alive! is to break down boundaries; my dream is for every SL resident to find some sort of literature to love.

Third, I advocate for the business community. They have excellent tools out there that educators can use. PixelTrix, Eloise Pasteur's Educational Designs, and Phoenix Designs (laptops) are all examples of excellent technology available inworld. I am learning about more tools by being a part of the International Technology Expo.

Why should all of us go to the ITE Conference? Well, for starters, the creator, Liam Kanno, gave me a a space to set up shop..knowing that I sell nothing...create nothing technological...and can bring no revenue to Silicon Island. But, he still gave Literature Alive! a space to promote the mission of literary content in SL. Satya Murthy is also an advocate of global needs for children; his RL dedication to children in poverty is amazing, and his animation work is awesome. He was kind enough to donate a trailer for play at the Literature Alive! HQ.

There are some AWESOME tools being showcased at ITE, I won't tell you everything, as you are gonna have to come and SEE it...but...here are some teasers...

What would YOU do with some groovy new speech tools?

What would your students do if they could get JOBS inworld?

What would your colleges do with advertising solutions?

What would you do if you information could be stored an accessible to students even when you are passed out from grading??

Really, you ought to mark your PixelTrix Calendar and go to the 2007 ITE. Here is information from their brochure:

INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY EXPO - 2007
April 20, 21,22

HONORING EXCELLENCE IN SL TECHNOLOGY

ITE 2007 is dedicated to showcasing the most innovative in technology products and services created by its residents for your business and personal needs.

FREE ADMISSION
OPEN 24/7

Grand Opening
FRIDAY APRIL 20 at NOON PDT

EXPO SCHEDULED EVENTS* Details on Lectures, New Product Launches, Demonstrations,Discussions, EXPO Concert & Parties to be announced.

• Friday April 20 noon to 6:00 pm PDT 7:00 PM EXPO CONCERT - John Legend
• Saturday April 21 noon to 6:00 pm PDT 7:00 PM EXPO CONCERT - Black Eyed Peas
• Sunday April 22 noon to 6:00 pm PDT

*FREE 100 hours on www.network.com from SUN to all attendees who visit their
booth during the ITE's scheduled events.

SPONSORS
• Sun Microsystems
• S Media 24x7
• Reallusion
• Cattle Puppy Productions
• Second Life Broadcasting Company

HOSTED on
Silicon Island/Silicon City

DEVELOPER
Liam Kanno & the V3 Group Team

Literature Alive! and CCWOB Resources

I am always on the wee look out for goodies to use for Literature Alive! and the Writing Classrooms of the Community College without Borders project.

Obviously, the Gutenberg materials are awesome...but, LO!, there is a new resource!!!

At The Rare Book Room, there are FREE (repeat it.....woooooooot!) FREE images of rare books. There are high resolution photos of every page. I popped over to see the images of Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience. It was incredible to digi-flip pages that no one in her right mind would let my RL popcorn-stained hands touch.

I also added some of Butch Dae/George Kurtz's gaming links to my recent post over at Stingy Scholar. While you are there, scroll down and check out the posts on the top MIT open course wares. You might be able to use some of those goodies in SL!

I am posting another announcement here for the NEW Chem-complex at Second Nature Island! This is complete with a Blue Obelisk Garden, the JCB Center for Open Notebook Science, and The CCwoB Science Writing Classroom. GO VISIT!! Tarry not!

Back in the Saddle!

I'm BAAAAACK!!! Woot Woot!

I had a lovely productive today; Adrian, Eloise, and I built up a science center on the Nature Sim for my good buddy, Jean-Claude Bradley, at Drexel University. He promotes a killer cutting-edge concept called Open Notebook Science where scientists (in his case, Organic Chemists) freely share their live data via RSS technology. Imagine the potential! At Nature, you can find the JCB Center for Open Notebook Science (study orgo chem, learn about the Gene Pool, teleport to the International Space Center, etc.) and the Blue Obelisk Cemetery (a game where 15 people can compete in a map-quiz game involving Lewis structures or some such thing...).

I spoke with my new friend, Satya Murthy, at his office on Silicon Island. His company, SMedia 24X7, is one of the sponsors of the International Technology Expo that I have been drooling about for the past two weeks. Satya is an animator IRL, and has some pretty hefty-cool credentials. But, what strikes me most about him is his passion for helping the poor children of the world.

The potential to meet and share ideas is what makes SL the ultimate experience in teaching and learning. I would never have met Satya in RL, and I could never just build something for Jean-Claude in one day.

Sometimes I do wonder if it is worth it...and I suspect a lot of faculty feel that way. But then folks like Ryan Bretag write nice things, and I realize how important our collective sharing becomes in this, and all, realities.

Jean-Claude can't cure malaria alone. Satya can't save the the orphans alone. Teachers can not teach alone. We all rely on each other; we all make "it" happen.

MacBrilliance

After a buffet of 6 laptops that could not run the graphics of SL, my college coughed up a brilliant MAC!!! Yeah, yeah....Bryan Carter always tells me that I should use one...well, as it is, it works, I can see better than I have ever seen inworld, and I AM HAPPPPPPPY!!!!!

Everyone should send an email to the amazing Beverly Benfer at LCCC for getting me connected. It would absolutely make her day (be sure to say both of my names...as I am not sure she knows who Desideria is...).

I spent some quality time with the neglected Adrian; it was lovely. See the pics :-) Then I had a smashing good time with the brilliant Eloise Pasteur as we played and pretended to work :-)

We are coming out with a new series...The Eloise and Desi Gold Star Standard Review...we will be evaluating 2 educational tools a week and donating the reviews to the Picayune and anyone else standing still enough to catch them. If you have a tool for us to review (ummm....an EDUCATIONAL tool...y'all can keep the Xcite), send it to us inworld :-)

The Good Stuff

My real life friend, Michele, felt soooo sorry for me...she lent me her laptop (customized by her4 year old). In exchange for cleaning up a hard drive customized by her 14 year old niece, I was able to log into SL and move around for the first time yesterday. Then I crashed...and crashed again. I feel like one of those people that is trying to quit smoking and runs around taking puffs off of the used butts of others. Pathetic...I truly am.

Anyway, Lotsa people have sent me good stuff to keep me entertained. Here are the best of the best:

Stan Trevena sent me a nice clip and another one here.

Niki Donburi sent me a link to his musical tribute to SL...what a hoot! I laughed so hard, I was crying.

Kisa Naumova sent me this incredible movie clip, as well. It shows a build from start to finish, and has somne groooooovy music.

Theodore Ubhaus sent a killer link to Nerdcore Rising. While I thought the intro and exit were stupid, I loved the meat of it and think it is a brilliant concept overall.

Someone was kind enough to run a blog with the top 10 hot clips embedded right in there :-)

Art Fossett sent me two slide share thingies: the Second Life in 3600 seconds was great, as was Information Architecture in Second Life.

I will keep adding to the list, so send me your goodies :-)

Friends in Strange Places

I must say that I am OVERWHELMED by the support I have received from my SL friends. My RL husband keeps handing me things like mops, buckets, and frying pans.

First, I need to thank Adrian and Eloise for really pitching in to set up the Student Gallery of Knightsbridge. Rumor has it that KB will be receive some media attention soon, and I couldn't handle the thought of something being left unfinished. Adey and El have set up the loaner display from Caledon. Please go see it!!!! I would SLurl you, but, um, I CAN'T GET ON!!!!

Second, I would like to thank NIKO for his awesome musical tributes to SL...OMG...the best song is called Dear Linden, Dear Linden...followed very closely by the spoof ESCAPE. Niko, you are a genius!!!!! You must leave this blog and go listen.

Finally, I would like to thank the MANY people who have emailed and skype chatted. THANK you for helping me be less lonely out here.

You Know You Are an SL Addict...

And, so, I will keep blogging until I can resume my normal virtual life. Thanks to netopnyrop for having pics of my home on Flickr :-p

I was reading over one of my favorite blog posts by Intellagirl and thought that I would blog about the misery of being off due to technical failure (and, no...I WAS NOT BANNED...smarty pants...what on earth would I get banned for...being toooo nerdy? ROFL).

So, here is my new list...and I welcome additions and links over to your posts.

You Know You are a Second Life Addict When...

1. You are at a meeting with a dean and he makes you laugh, and you accidentally say the letters ROFL...

2. You are at the Gap, and you see a slick pair of jeans that costs 40 dollars and you say, OMG...that would cost 10,000 Linden!!!

3. When people ask how your husband is, you respond with "which one - the real one or the virtual one?"

4. You get up at 5 am to go to a class on making Easter Baskets...

5. You are jealous that your book bag can't carry all your inventory.,.

6. You have no idea what your SL best friend's name is in RL (um, Eloise, really, you can tell me...).

7. You eye up a pair of leather stiletto boots and think, wow, can I get these inworld?

8. Your students call you Desi in the hallways at your RL college...

9. You start to write in paragraphs that will fit on a notecard...and...finally...

10. Your life goes upside down when your machine dies, so you spend all your time blogging about it!!!

A Rose by Every Other Name

Yes - I am still cyber-benched. BLAH.

My good friend, Jenn, called. I have known Jenn a long time - longer than either of us care to admit - and have seen her go through stages of names like Jennifer, Jenny, Jennyfer, Jennie, Jenney, and, most recently, Jenn. As a product of the early 70s, everyone had the same names. Ask any number of my friends named Amy and Christine.

Well, my dear friend Jenn/Jennie/Jennyfer is pregnant with either a baby boy or a cute little girl with a kick stand. Since pregnancy always made me a little loony (just move out of the way...and get me a chocolate milkshake), I try to take her daily calls-of-desperation with a grain of uber-salt.

Today's topic? Names.

Normally, I chuckle as we chat because I half listen to her while I sort my inventory in SL. She babblers on an on about the evil husband, the swollen feet, and the odd urge to eat two dozen twinkies, and I acoustically nod. But, seeing as I actually had to listen to her today, I was rolling over with laughter.

It appears that someone stole her unborn child's name.

Dial 911. This is a true pre-identity crisis.

Since all of the men and boys in our family have the same name (David or Paul), it seems to me a little odd that a name can be stolen away in utero. But, alas! It sure can be, according to Jenn/Jenny/Jennapher.

Well, apparently, the name Adam is a hot ticket these days, and bad neighbor, Lisa, stole the name right from Jenneye/Jennee/Jenn's clenches and named HER baby boy that VERY SAME name without even a WORD of mention of her plans....and...OMG....what will happen with TWO boys named Adam in the hood?

I tried to be a good friend. REALLY. I muffled my laughter; I tried to show true compassion. But it was a little hard since my husband, son, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and nephew are all named David. We seem to manage OK.

In SL, I have never met anyone with the same first name. That struck me as I tried to empathize with the victim of this wretched crime. I suggested she choose a name no one else could possibly imagine like Existential or Horace or Audio Zenith. She was not amused. She may have cursed me.

Names are important, but it really is OK if there are plain names or duplicates out there. Beth wasn't a terribly popular name in my generation, and I never had to deal with the stress of confusion, but, apparently, this name business is Jenni/Jenny/Jeni's therapy for a childhood-gone-wrong by having a common name.

I am often asked where Desideria comes from...and how to pronounce it. The name is Latin for passion and is also the name of a poem by Wordsworth (and Adrian was the only one to figure that out...so her gets lots of bonus points and rewards). You will have to read the poem in the Brit Lit classroom to know why I picked it ;p

The Crash of 2007

You are not allowed to read this until you first read my article over at Stingy Scholar called Beth’s Top 10 List of Kick-Arse SL Movies. Then you can come back and peruse my tantalizing prose.

Seeing that I am benched from Second Life (yes, yes, you see me on and then I fall off…I am trying, as a true addict, to get in and function), I thought I would try to make some good use of my infinite free time (what DID I do before SL???). My college gave me a loaner laptop, but, um, no one bothered to check the graphics card….I am not sure what is more frustrating…having a deep fried computer or a nice one with no ability to run SL. I think I might need a 12-step plan, as I am having serious withdrawal.

Since I can at least blog on this antique laptop, I shall update all my blogs and read my bloglines for a change (OH!!!! THAT is what I did before SL).

First, I have been meaning to congratulate my good buddy, Jean-Claude Bradley, down at Drexel University, for his recent interview on National Public Radio. Jean-Claude is an Organic Chemist with a mission and drive to open source scientific code. He also won a Blue Obelisk (which might be green, I am not sure) from the open chemists. In English, we have the lovely Gutenberg Project that has opened up a lot of texts for us, and he is trying to do something similar with chemical data. He is a visionary, and it is why I named the Bradley Science Center (Edu Island II) after him. Open Notebook Science is an answer to expensive and lengthy cures for diseases that no one gives a rip about (except people like us, for course). The Jean-Claude Bradley Center for Open Notebook Science will soon be moved to Nature Island (thank you, Joanna Wombat). The Orgo Chem mazes will be built there as well as the simple quiz games designed by the gorgeous and brilliant Eloise Pastuer.

Second, Adrian and I have been all a-flutter in our spare Knightsbridge home (actually, it is called the Student Gallery of Knightsbridge…but it is sooooo posh to say “spare home” in a sentence with Knightsbridge). JJ Drinkwater, amazing librarian and all-around-gentleman, of Caledon graciously offered us some loaner displays, and we are in the midst of placing the London Exhibit in the Gallery. When we are done, we will have a grand opening formal party, so you must clear your social schedule and attend.

Finally, I am TOTALLY and UTTERLY excited about the 2007 International Technology Expo. That is a picture of my booth up there (thanks, Digger, for sending me a photo).

The Blue Screen of Death

We all know that no one can die in Second Life.

Well.

As the cyber gods would have it, I have been digi-benched. The Blue Screen of Death appeared, the screen went black, and POOF - my cyber life was over. I was in the middle of quality SKYPE time with Adrian...we we were working on a London exhibit on loan from Calendon. Soooooooooooooooooooooo frustrating!!!!!!

ATM, I am using my 4 year old son's computer...no SL...no SKYPE. I tried -frantically- to DL SL...but the graphics card can't handle it :-(

ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.

Bridging Technology and Academics: The 2007 ITE

I am soooooo excited!!!!

Why? (you ask)

Cuz (I reply)

Last night was one of those powerful SL nights that reinforced my beliefs about using SL to teach. As most of my faithful readers know, I pay for everything in SL - my college hasn't coughed up any financial support. Since I completely believe in open access. I refuse to charge for any of my workshops or class packs. Since most educators are in the same canoe, my system of good-will tipping is, well, not that effective. Thus, I sometimes need a little push to say....yes., this is all worth it. Last night was one of those nights.

The night started as a bit of a disaster...I couldn't log on for hours and hours, and I was scheduled to give a tour. As I dutifully tried to log on every few minutes, my frustration increased. This not logging on business has happened to me a few times...and ALWAYS when I had to be somewhere in world. It is like some inter-galactic traffic jam when my cell phone won't work. You can's call or anything, so you just hope that the people on the other side know that you are a chic of your word and that SL is "being buggy."

Anywho.

I finally got on, and immediately went to my new site on Edu Island II. I am really excited about this new plot-o-virtual-land. This is where I will be housing the American Literature Classroom, the Women's Studies Classroom, the Bradley Science Center, the Information Station (links to other good content), and the Community College without Borders Headquarters. My gorgeous friend, the magical Eloise, has created a game using Jean-Claude Bradley's Organic Chem game , and we played a bit with that. It is exciting to see academic content emerge (even if I have absolutely NOOOOO idea about chemistry). And, of course, my Adrian was there to help me laugh about it all.

After a few rounds of boot-the-Desi (log on/log off - say it in the rhythm of the Karate Kid - wipe on, wipe off), I was able to get over to the Literature Alive! building to host my 8:00 class on using the commonplace book method to teach journal writing. In case you don't know, commonplace books are journals that are specific to literature and religious study. Essentially, you log passages of texts and write about them. They are similar to diaries of the normal sort, but, in a commonplace book, you only really write about texts that you are reading. In SL, this can be done be creating a simple object with a very simple script (if you are interested, fly over to the Literature Alive! HQ and pick up the free course pack).

I had a nice crowd (especially since I only announced it an hour before). The feedback was positive, as well. These workshops help me to present material to my own RL students, so I am glad to have the practice, AND I am glad to help the teaching world think about ways to actually deliver content. We briefly discussed Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 as part of the lesson.

After I was done there, I floated around the world a bit (as I do every day) to search for new edifying content. In a world that changes daily, I like to keep up on the good stuff so that I can recommend it in the Information Station. I am particularly interested in humanities goodies, but, alas, there is little of the literary stuff going on outside of my multi-complex project (which, if you don't know, includes The British Literature Classroom and The Student Gallery of Knightsbridge, The Composition Classroom, The Garden Classroom for Professional Development, The Literature Alive! complex at Leukini Island, and now the American Literature Classroom, The Women's Studies Classroom, the Bradley Science Center, and The Information Station).

As I was floating around and checking out the new Verum's Place discussion place, I came across a sign for the 2007 International Technology Expo. I wandered over to the island, met a nice little chap that was half furry and half robot, and inquired about the expo. He helped me get around a bit, but, alas, I was dumped into the sea. After peeling off my soaked Mysti Tool, AO, sparkly earrings, shoes, and all other sorts of attachments (um, no, I don't wear Xcite), I STILL couldn't get in. The owner, Liam Kanno, had to come fetch me.

First of all, I just want to say that this Liam fellow is just brilliant. The Silicon City is GORGEOUS and he was very kind (offered me a towel and got me to the right place). The ITE inworld event showcases all the techno-goodies of SL. As an educator (that does not build or script), I rely on these tools to teach. Sooooo...I begged this poor man for a wee little spot to set up my Literature Alive! board. He got me all set up, and, even though I don't sell anything, I can sort of represent the technology needs of the academic community at the Expo. I am truly excited about ITE 2007, and I hope ALL of you will stop by the Literature Alive! booth while you peruse the groovy new stuff coming to SL.

Part of my mission is to bridge connections between the academic community and RL and SL businesses. Many educators feel that they have to create or build their own stuff. In RL we wouldn't feel this way...we would go to our Deans...grovel for cash....order our stuff from a book...and jump up and down with glee when it arrived and the tech support staff set it up and passed us the remote. Why should SL be any different?

I am fortunate enough to work with a brilliant builder and scripter (Neoznet Watts). I pay him only 1% of his worth in Linden, and his designs are amazing and efficient. I also rely on all the products made by others in SL and support their business initiatives (Eloise Pasteur, AngryBeth Shortbread to name a few). I have a sort of Desi-Seal-of-Approval going on at the moment...if I test the product and use it, I invite the creator to host a vendor in my wee little gift shop. I make no commission from the sales, but my visitors (an average of 30 a day) know that the products are worth the Linden.

I think it is a great idea to bridge these two communities. Sure, I can spend hours and hours learning how to build and script...but those are hours and hours that prevent me from teaching. I would rather shell out the Linden and support the brilliance of others. Of course, this is getting a bit expensive, and I pay for it all myself. But, my hope is that some RL or SL businesses (PG only) - that have spare Linden to toss about in exchange for shameless promotion - will reward my valiant efforts. Again, I am not looking to make a profit - I just want to cover my rental fees (which now equal about 100 USD per month).

So...a bad day turned out to be a GREAT day in SL!!!!

Bits, Bobs, and Other Such News

Ok, so I NEVER knew what Bits meant in other parts of the world. Now I do. Bob told me.

Anywho.

I have posted up a little ditty about some useful tools for those of us using SL to teach over at the Stingy Scholar. Go over yonder and check it out. Once you are done perusing my crafty prose, scroll down and check out allllll the leads to free goodies in this wonderful weberland.

Here is an extra credit question...the first person to answer gets a gold star and some Desideria loving...who is this dude over here and why is he griefing my blog?

News from the Trenches

I have been a flurry of business lately, but have come by some awesome concepts and ideas.

I am pleased that MIT is finally getting into the groove with SL by hosting a design competition. MIT has always been one of my favorite schools, and I was a bit suprised that they weren't here yet...but, alas, they are working on it.

I read this awesome article by Sean Egen about the history of avatars. Pretty cool stuff.

Another awesome place recommended by Chris Hambly at Audio Courses is the lovely and inspiring Boycott Blackboard blog.

Stan Trevena hooked the SLEDers onto this incredible documentary on SL from Four Corners.
Stan had a nice write up about his tireless education efforts, as well.

These are the Days...

I posted this twice, but here it is over here :-)

These Are the Days...

The 10,000 Maniacs had no idea how prophetic they would be on March 16, 2007.

There are days when there is NOTHING educational and edifying going on in SL. But, those days are getting to be few and far between. Today, there was SO MUCH going on that I actually had to rank and choose.

I missed out on the awesome live speech at the New Media Campus by Dr. Daniel Reed, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, on Computing the Future: The 3-D Net. But, because of the future...I was able to listen to the podcast, and it was like I had never missed it!

I missed it because I was at the ACHUB conference listening to Exploring Opportunities in Second Life for Health Education and Medical Training by Pauline Woolley & Dr Damion Young, University of Oxford. I am so excited about the sharing of ideas that took place there. Pauline and Damion have an excellent vision, and I am confident in the pending results.

So, then my event notifier clicked on, and I was reminded of the faculty discussion at Greenbush...but, alas, it was listed with the wrong time, and I missed it. Even though they focus on K-12 education, I am impressed by their resources and commitment to faculty development.

Well, then I had a little break, and was off to hear Jeremy Koester talk about gaming in SL. It was a great experience, and his voice chat offered an awesome dimension. We are going to work together to get Edufrag in SL.

After Jeremy, I presented my talk on Barbie with Brains: The Second Life of a First Life Nerd. This was an awesome experience. I have presented many times IRL, but it is a whole new experience inworld.

Today was an amazing SL day; I felt energized like I do when I go to RL conferences. There are some brilliant folks in SL, and I hope to meet each and every one of them!

Foot in Mouth and Other Twice Told Tales

Right...soo....remember how I said I was going to be a marble wall of stone and not have ANY friendships or relationships in SL?

Well, I am dislodging my foot from my mouth as we speak...

As people have commented here, SL relationships - of any kind - are just like RL relationships. They require some time for building; they require tenderness, compassion, and genuine emotions.

I am happy to report that I am reformed, and now believe that all SL relationships are a good idea. Ok...I don't believe that...I still have a hard time dealing with the Gorean slave crap, oops, scene.

I have met some really great people in SL. From my days as Barbie, I still count Angela and DJ as two of the coolest SL chics I have ever met. And, thus, real friendships, albeit digital, have emerged. In education, I have met scores of wonderful people, and have established friendships with some hefty-cool people. I can't even begin to name them all, as I would miss someone and swallow my leg.

In London, I have my very good friend Ligeia. She is just brilliant, and saves my newbie-can't-build-count-or-design butt at least 54 times per day. We have bonded over re textured walls and flying carpets. She has rescued items from Chelsea, and awed me with her ability to find little teensy weensy 56 prim items in my carpet. Truly, she is a star among stars (and, she spends a lot of time in the house...woot).

The two strongest relationships I have in there are between my builder, Neo, and, um, well, Adrian (you know...the chap I swore off a few posts ago).

Neo is, by far, the most brilliant builder and scripter I know (running in close with Ligeia). He is dedicated, committed, and creative. He is rather quiet, but he does amazing work. I like him because I understand his passion; he creates visually what I wish to create on paper.

Finally, there is Adrian. Adrian is magical, and he makes the building of a home in SL worthwhile. He reminds me to enjoy the "game" because, like in real life, I would work myself to death and forget to watch the sunset. He wisks me away from framing YET ANOTHER picture of Byron to fly off in hs helicopter...he takes me ballroom dancing...and he stll loves me when my shoes land in my butt after a bad teleportation. aaahhh..true SL love.

It does help that the RL hub is amused ;p

So...in goes the foot...toes to heel.

Sexy Pixels v2.0

A nice pile of pixels told me that I don't write enough on this blog....

I am gearing up for the Spring 2007 ACHUB conference being held inworld on March 16, 17, and 18. I will be unveiling the riveting results of my 30 day exploration as an undercover adult entertainer in SL.

Oh, stop. It wasn't that bad.

I felt a wee bit like Johnny Depp on 21 Jump Street. Well, ok, he has a lot more money than I do, but, conceptually, it was kinda the same. For 30 days, I watched text chat to see if gender discourse patterns could be connected in any way to the communication theories of Jurgen Habermas (see...I told you...once a nerdy chic...always a nerdy chic).

I hunted around SL to find one club that was adult but not TOOO TOOO adult (if ya know what I mean). And, after careful "research" (um, ok...me breaking rules to see if the club enforced them) and watching the chat for a few weeks, I finally selected Aerolite Dance Club.

I was actually interviewed for the job (it was entirely too much like applying for a position in a college...there was a committee...can you imagine?). I received training. I had scheduled hours. I had specific duties. I had to tip the house 20% of my Linden.

In a vacuum, it might seem like it was a silly escapade, but, I certainly learned a lot. I wanted to know if better text chatters received better tips. This was true. I wanted to see if women chatted better than men with clients and with one another by relying on Lifeworld communication strategies. Seeing as I couldn't verify REAL gender, this point was hard to prove from the start. I also didn't see a connection to Lifeworld strategies. It was, really, the same old-same old system style.

The Barbie with Brains project taught me some things I hadn't set out to learn. For example, I had always assumed that the "dumb blond" myth was perpetuated by the working class; inworld, I discovered that no one in the virtual working class ever treated Desi poorly (one of two customers were...um...inappropriate, but that had less to do with hair color than their view of women playing that role). In fact, the only ones that treated Barbie (Desi) poorly or "stupid" were professionals (shop owners, academics, etc.). While I am not credentialed to say this...and certainly this exploration isn't grounded in standard research practices...my theory is that the Barbie myth is perpetuated by the affluent class...not the working class.

So, my 30 day study ended, and I didn't want to continue it. I don't have the resources to turn that exploration into real research, but I do hope someone can. If you want to learn more about the project, come to the ACHUB conference or watch the movie presentation.

I officially resigned at Aerolite, and now my wee little avatar has come to a place where she has to choose. Do I keep the Barbie avatar? Do I ugly her up?

Any thoughts?

Spa Day Version 1.0

Today was our very first spa day on SL. Whew! We survived...Beth and Desi. Here are some before and after shots :-)






To the left are the team of artists for the day...Jeanne, Desi, Lara, and Edward.

What fun!!!!

What's on First?

I am sad that The London Review of Books article, Jowls are Available by Jenny Diski, is dead wrong. I love the writing style of Diski, but I wish she would have explored SL to its fullest. Sadly, it appears that she, like so many critics, stood at the door to form her opinion.

The first great mistake is that Diski only sees SL as a game; "It’s called a game though there is no goal and no end point at which a clear winner emerges and takes the prize." I have accidentally called it a game, and I have stood corrected. It isn't a game; it is a MUVE, and there are incredible differences between the two. If this was her foundation, and she was looking for that final prize to win, then, certainly, she had the wrong perspective the whole time.

The second mistake is that Diski assumes that the majority of residents in SL are homebody creatures without the RL resources to have culture. She claims that "Second Life is organised and inhabited by beings from the real world who have by definition very little experience of being anywhere or any way else." Untrue, my dear. I challenge her to meet Charlie and Becca Nesson from Harvard. I challenge her to meet the residents - non-academic- speaking 4 and 5 languages. I challenge her to meet the many residents, as I have, that travel the world. I have met more persons with "breeding" than not...but perhaps it is because I was willing to step into the world and not just hang out in the newbie areas?

The third mistake is that Diski believes that 'there is no second life on Second Life, only more of the same old first and only one, but cartoon-shaped." Again, this is a short-sighted perception. Perhaps she didn't see the right places? Perhaps she didn't look? I question her methods and criteria, frankly. WHAT did she look at to form her opinion? Where did she go? There is a whole lot that is similar, but, again, only if you stand on the corner and peek through the window. If you get INTO the culture, you find much more depth.

She also claims that she couldn't find political activism - when RL organizations like the ACLU are present in SL and offer support to SL residents. Further, groups like Code Pink (Women against War) use SL as a place to spread their political messages. There are lot of RL groups spreading their messages by hosting talks, memorials, etc. But, again, I am not sure she would have seen that standing on the corner.

Her comments remind me very much of people who say they have been to France, but, in reality, have only ever been in the airport waiting for a transfer flight to somewhere else. You can't judge a culture by what they offer in the snack machine. You have to explore the land; you must find the nooks and crannies. This is true in real life, and it is true in Second Life.

It is very easy to see SL as just a copy of a FL with glitter. The better reporter is the one that figures out why sooooo many people choose to spend time and money building this alternate universe.

Shopping Tips

So, I posted some SL shopping hot spots over at Stingy Scholar in preparation for my very first SPA DAY in Second Life! I am taking anyone around for a few hours of avatar transformation. Join the fun....IM me inworld or email me!

Ohhhh....and see I know allll about makeovers...those are my before and after shots up there!

Game....or Lifestyle?

My buddy, Brett Bixler, has corrected me. It is worth a good discussion. His post about SL is worth reading.

Second Life is not a game in his estimation, and, after reading his post, I agree. Thanks, Brett!

Over at Stingy Scholar....

As some of you know, I also write for Stingy Scholar. I am starting a review series of awesome places to go in Second Life.

Literature Alive! and other Tales

I wouldn't consider myself a gamer in the classical sense. As a product of the 80s, I am fond of games like PacMan and Space Invaders, and I spent quite a bit of time at the local 7-11 playing pin ball with my brother.

I like games that can be used to teach basic concepts (vocabulary, decision making, etc.), but I only like them if I can see and appreciate the added value for a student. There is no point in using a game to teach a concept that can be taught a better way. The EduFrag project, for example, helps make "skill and drill" more fun than I could ever make it in real life. So it is worth it to me to use.

Second Life isn't a game; it is a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). I have been toying with it to see what it can be used for in the classroom. Can it be used to teach a concept in a new way? Are there other ways to deliver content that are more practical? What are the risks? Do they outweigh the benefits?

In talking to various people about Second Life in higher education, I have come to understand why I think it is so valuable as a teaching tool.

As a community college instructor, I am very sensitive about the amount of money our students have to pay out in order to receive a good education. I am also aware of the personal restrictions they face (full time jobs, families, etc.). Second Life allows me to take them on virtual field trips without ever leaving PA. It also allows me to present content in new ways.

The Literature Alive! project is part of the Community College without Borders project. It is aimed at bringing humanities education alive in Second Life by combining academic, corporate, and residential ideas together.

Right now, this includes two living classrooms in the Knightsbridge sim. In real life, Knightsbridge is a posh section of London. The SL creator, Debs Regent, is building a life life living community in-world. Each house in-world is fashioned after an existing house in real life. So, I rented two.

One house is my SL residence, and is like a living farm (the Amish have them...). Basically, the entire house is furnished in Victorian period furniture. Every object...paintings....furniture....etc. is clickable. When you click on it, you get notecard with a reading, an assignment, or a web link. There is a home theater on the second floor with movies (right now just my presentation from BCC), and there will be a working library on the third floor. This is the classroom for my summer Brit Lit students. These are online students who might never meet in real life, but might in SL. Also, the classroom is open to all educators for use.

The second house is a student gallery. This is a place for students to place displays. Right now, one of Bryan Carter's students is creating a display on the History of Optometry. In real life, I would have never met this student, but SL allows me to help this student create citeable material in prep for medical school. I pay him Linden to be my research assistant because I don't want him wasting his time sitting in camping chairs to make Linden. So, I pay him to help me set up displays and to do his research. In this sense, SL is incredible because it allows this student to have the help of two professors. Bryan Carter is his grade granting professor, and will guide him through the research process. As a colleague, I will help support Bryan and the student by providing some space for rich content. Without SL, I would never have met either of them.

I have also met other incredible educators like Sarah Robbins (Intellagirl Tully). I observed her class the other night, and was blown away by how she uses SL to teach live.

So, we know that Second Life can be used to deliver content and experiences that we could never provide in real life. The connections, themselves, are worth it. And, the academic resources are tremendous. But, what are the risks?

For one, there is a lot of adult content. As I told Vicki Davis when I was giving her a tour, there is a lot of content that is not edifying. This is a concern for K-12 teachers. But, how do we respond as college educators?

Well, here is the bottom line. When I was at Penn State, I took students on Spring Break service trips for Habitat for Humanity. During the day, I was responsible to guide them and make the experience worthwhile, educational, and appropriately fun, But, in their evening free time, they were free to make their own choices. I could guide them toward positive content, but the decisions resided in them. The same is true in SL; students make decisions about their free time. Since they are adults, they might choose to partake in seedy content. But, if I provide them with edifying content, they will soon get bored by the other stuff.

More risky than seeing naked pixels is the emotional side of SL. In other games, UnReal Tourney or the Sims, the player does not have to worry about the feelings of others. But, in an environment like SL, there are real people playing, and it is hard to portion out heart, head, and game.

Sometimes, games like SL can draw a population of people who lack social skills in RL. Since all of SL is about written communication via chat, it is sometimes hard to sort out the good from the bad. Also, since no one has to verify anything (including gender), there is no way to know if someone is honest. There are quite a few people that don't believe I am really a teacher, for example....they think it is part of my "game." So, it is important to go over social skills with students. Again, it is very much like the field trip idea....you might meet a cute avatar...but you are only here for a minute...be careful.

The collaborative nature in SL is incredible. This, alone, makes the tool worthwhile. My students will be meeting students from all over the world. On Friday, I am hosting a dance for college students to help them get connected. The inworld club, Aerolite, has been very good to allow me to use their facility to host student social gatherings. I am excited that my students will broaden their social connections while learning basic concepts like cause and effect writing.

Overall, SL is a powerful educational tool. There are some risks...but all learning involves at risk at some level.

Interview with an Avatar

I was very fortunate to be interviewed by The Baltimore Sun Reporter Stephanie Shapiro on my uses of SL as an instructional and research tool.

That was a lot of fun, and I will write more about it later. But, I mentioned these folks:


The Cyber One Project - Harvard School of Law, Charlie and Becca Nesson
The Black Sun II - Dr. Bryan Carter (and student Richard Mnumonic), UCM
Aerolite Dance Club and Mall - Liam Clinton and Sophia Harlowe, Owners
Middletown - Sarah Robbins/Intellagirl Tully
The UsefulChem Project - Jean-Claude Bradley, Drexel University
The London Sim Project - Debs Regent, et al
Verum's Place and The Diversity Project - Verum Vacirca, Owner
Phoenix Designs (student laptops) - Neoznet Watts, Owner
Aerolite Studios (community college building project) - Liam Clinton and Neoznet Watts, Consultants
Literature Alive! - Beth Ritter-Guth, LCCC

Cool Video from the NMC

This is a sweet movie from the NMC and Second Life.

Observations on Gender Communication

Well, sadly, my study on gender discourse in SL is ending. I decided to cut my research early for a few reasons. First. it is virtually impossible to verify any data. Second, I don't have RL samples of the same sort. Third, I want to work on other projects in SL. SL has been a whirlwind experience for me, but I see its value.

Since I can not verify that men are men and women are women, it is impossible to know whether the communication patterns are gender connected. Further, I can not prove my initial hypothesis - that SL, as a utopian community, fully embraces the communication structure of lifeworld and system communication as presented by Jurgen Habermas. The evidence just doesn't exist.

My research has been gathered in a dance club. Most of the other female dancers are at home moms or single moms in their 30s. None of them are dancers, escorts, etc. in real life. More than half, myself included, have ever been to a club of this type. Further, most of us, myself included, do not know women or men in this profession. Therefore,I have no real basis for comparison, and I don't intend to study this in RL.

When i first went into SL, I had designed a virtual Barbie. My idea that a Barbie with Brain would solicit a unique kind of response in a dance club was wrong. I am treated as all the others. Most people are kind and fun. Some people are not. It is just the same as real life. It is really annoying that my avie gets hit on 12 times a day, on average, by newbies looking for sex. I have learned that I would not be happy as a Barbie in RL; I couldn't handle all that attention. People are forced to love me for my wit and charm....and I prefer it that way.

I wouldn't say that the whole enterprise was a waste; I have learned a lot about myself. I also made a lot of great friends. I hope to keep them as I move on. I will likely host a college night each week at the club, but I will serve as a hostess.

I have decided that I want to use SL for other things. I really want to use it to teach, but I do not want to do research. I am working creating a houseof the Jane Austin Period. I will also do some work in Calendon. I have found a whole new world of historians and others that share my passion for teaching and learning.

Gaming Presentation

This is a link to a presentation I am giving today at BCCC.

OCC 2007 Tour Pics

The night tour meets in London - at Desi's house in Knightbridge!

Dr. Bryan Carter's SL classroom at Black Sun II...

The tour group hits the sploder at Aerolite Dance Club!

The tour group visits Verum's Place and learns about the Diversity Project.

Desi chatting in class at ItellaGirl Tully's Classroom!

OCC 2007 Tour

I had a wonderful time today giving tour to some colleagues participating in the OCC2007 online conference.

I am amazed by how SL connects educators!