So, just what can you DO in Second Life with learning?

I’ve heard the question So many times. So, we have begun to create a list of all the various ‘tools and gadgets’ we have been using for learning activities in Second Life. It does not include just those things that are advertised as “educational”, such as presentation boards, chat recorders, and such. But the broader collection of things we are finding helpful in creating some engaging learning environments…such as adventure scripts, in-world Blog publishers, YouTube screens, event hosting ‘toys’. If you’ve never thought about how you might use an Escort Services Board to expand your communication with learners…you’re just not pushing things far enough…

If you have tools or gadgets you have found that help you communicate better, or otherwise spice up your Second Life activities, we’d love to hear about them and consider including them in our list.

Once the list is done…although it will NEVER actually be ‘done’…we intend to create a “try it out” spot on one of the imagiLEARNING Islands, so you can see and play with all the tools. Vendors will be welcome, so long as you are willing to make a special ‘deal’ for our visitors!

So, got any great gadgets to recommend?

The imagiLEARNING Community is NOW OPEN!

Announcing…the opening of the imagiLEARNING Virtual World Learning Community!

During my dissertation research, it became clear that more and more educators and trainers are exploring the use of virtual worlds. It also became clear that they are facing challenges; the least of which are technical. Research has shown that one factor leading to a more meaningful experience in the virtual world is participation in a community of others with similar interests – coupled with the opportunity to “do your own thing” when desired. The imagiLEARNING Community is designed to provide the best of both options.

In short, the imagiLEARNING Community is the opportunity to have a personal plot of land in the virtual world of Second Life, to use the public areas for activities with your students or colleagues, to participate in weekly workshops and sessions focusing on Second Life skills, to participate in regular seminars presented by group members and other experts, to explore emerging trends in education and training, to access a shared library of tools and resources for Second Life and other technologies for learning, to access discounts toward the purchase of a range of products from Second Life businesses, and, most importantly, to learn and have some fun.

Detailed features of community membership

- Each member will have a personal plot of land on imagiLEARNING West, one of my islands in Second Life. This plot will include land-space, with or without a pre-built building, as well as the air-space that includes a personal “sandbox” or building area to practice your skills. Each plot will include a link to a server-based video system that will provide you with a wide selection of music and video streams for enjoyment, or for educational uses. Note: the community does have a “covenant” regarding the use of the land, particularly referring to the design of materials that are placed in visible range of the ground. The point of the covenant is not to restrict creativity, but to maintain some continuity in the island-based environment of the land. Details are available.

- Each member will have access to using a variety of public areas on the island, including a formal auditorium, casual gathering areas and other group spots. Members may use these with groups of their own. We will schedule use of these areas to assure availability.

- Each member will have access to weekly workshops teaching a range of basic Second Life skills, including such topics as movement, avatar customization, the SL economy, building, scripting, the use of media, and more.

- Each member will have access to live monthly seminars on various topics relating to learning and training. These may include formal presentations by subject experts, show & tell sessions, research discussions, and other more ‘academic’ learning experiences. Note: Each member of the community will be asked to present at least one seminar during each year of their membership.

- Each member will have access to a growing library of tools and resources relating to the use of virtual worlds in learning and training, and to tools and resources for Second Life specifically. These may include collections of inventory items, building resources, scripts for educational uses, media materials, as well as articles relating to various areas of interest.

- Each member will have the opportunity to receive discounts on a growing collection of products from various vendors in Second Life. These may include tools and scripts, as well as inventory items for your virtual world experience.

Participating in the imagiLEARNING Community

- Membership in the imagiLEARNING Community costs $30 or $40 per month.

There are two reasons for a membership fee. First, it will, quite honestly, help me pay the monthly costs of maintaining the space in Second Life, which now amounts to approximately $700 per month. More importantly, the cost will assure that those participating are serious about that participation, and are not simply looking for a plot of free land. Those simply desiring land are encouraged to explore some of the locations offering small plots of free land to educators.

Note: Most land in SL, especially the free land, has very tight “prim limits”, or on the number of objects you can place in that space. In this community, rather than set individual prim limits, we will share the overall limits of the entire island, and negotiate prim use based on individual needs.

- Membership Acceptance

Membership in the imagiLEARNING Community is by request, and subject to approval. Membership is limited to individuals with a professional role in education or training, and is limited in number to the land spaces available.

- Land Options

There are currently ten plots of land available, meaning the group will be limited to ten initial members. There are two sizes of plots, the smaller being 1100 – 1300 square meters ($35), and the larger being 1400 – 1600 square meters ($40). Members may choose to have a pre-constructed building on the land, or may build their own or create something other than a building there. Keep in mind that anything done at ground level must fit within the island style of the environment, as described in the Community Covenant.

- Use of the Personal Land

The personal land may be used as the member desires, so long as that use does not impact the experience of other community members. Personal land space may be made fully private, physically blocking access to the ground level, or may be left open, at the member’s discretion. Building and construction activities should be carried out in the personal “sandbox” area, located above the space out of range of ground sight.

- Personal Activities & Public Activities

Other than agreeing to present at least one community seminar a year, members are free to participate in group activities as they choose. While it is hoped that members will seek to be an active part of the shared community, the value of personal time is recognized.

- The Community Covenant

The Community Covenant was created to assure the ability of each community member to have equal opportunity, and to assure an environmental appearance that supports the professional goals of the community. A key element of the covenant states that any buildings or objects places within sight of the ground level must be “appropriate” to the island theme of the area. There is a great deal of “range” in this theme, and all effort will be made to accommodate the needs and desires of all members. The personal land of each member does include the “airspace” above the land, and objects placed above the 500 foot altitude, out of ground site, may be of any design desired.

The Covenant states that all materials and activities on the island must be appropriate for the general audience of those who may visit members of the community. Materials that are normally considered offensive or inappropriate are not acceptable. We will keep in mind that this is a learning community, and the interpretation of “appropriate” may vary depending on the activity taking place, but every effort will be made to maintain a fair and comfortable environment for all members.

The Covenant states that no member will engage in activities, create or place objects or scripts, or otherwise do anything that will interfere with or otherwise impact the activities or performance of another community member. Again, as a learning community we will maintain an interpretive flexibility regarding activities, but will make every effort to avoid doing anything that will interfere with or otherwise impact the activities or performance of another community member.

The Goal

The goal of the imagiLEARNING Community is to create the future of learning and training.

A more traditionally-stated goal of the imagiLEARNING Community is to participate in an active group of professional educators and trainers who are interested in exploring the new opportunities that virtual world (and other new) technologies bring to our work.

The vision is to create an active and energetic community of creative and enthusiastic people, who are serious about their work and play, and who are excited about the possibility of working with others of the same “ilk” to create, study, fail, succeed, play, try, and have an impact on the future of learning.

- Coming Next

By mid-Summer, we will begin introducing the full “curriculum” for enhancing learning through the use of the virtual environment. This material will include a series of “certifications”, to document levels of mastery in the learning. Members of the imagiLEARNING Community will have the opportunity to participate in any or all of this learning as a part of being a community resident.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE imagiLEARNING COMMUNITY

In Second Life: Contact Virtual Bacon, or visit imagiLEARNING West.

In Real World: Contact John Jamison via email: jjamison at imagilearning.com

Spaces will be available until filled.

From the Research

Contrary to most of the listserves I read, Second Life is not as terribly difficult for new folks to learn as it’s made out to be.  At least that’s what the data said.  Sure, there is a learning curve…doesn’t every new program have that.  But only 1/4 of the research participants complained about it being too hard to learn.  The rest of the group felt some frustration…made their share of mistakes…but overall described the process as challenging, but fun.

The dissertation study just completed involved 19 educators new to Second Life, participating in a three week immersion experience into the environment.   The three groups very quickly self-identified into three attitude groups…but not based on the things you might expect: prior game experience, tech experience, age, gender…role in education…none of those.  Four distinct themes emerged that helped identify how the participants grouped together, but there was one other element that “ruled them all”.  The data revealed a “magic ring” that had the greatest impact on the overall experience of the educators in their immersion into the virtual environment.  Want to take a guess what that one factor was?

Imagine the Future with ImagiLearning, Inc.

Virtual worlds like Second Life have reached the tipping point.  SL has appeared as a plot element in such television programs as CSI: New York and The Office, and appearing in more than 600 articles in major newspapers and magazines in the past 6 months.  As a leader in the field of Virtual Worlds, Second Life has become the center of new developments in Business, Marketing, Education, Social Networking and Entertainment.

And we can help you become a part of it.

We have been active in Second Life for more than two years, and have worked with thousands of individuals and groups seeking to explore the new virtual environment and economy.  Here are just a few of the things we are ready to provide you:

- Live, hands-on training on how to get started in Second Life.
- Live presentations to educate you or your team to understand this new environment.
- Live, hands on training on how to use Second Life to market your products or services.
- Create materials for your in-world activities.
- Build a complete in-world environment to create your dream.

If you are already in Second Life, or are waiting until you have a better understanding of what it’s all about, we can show you:

- How to market your products or services to the digital culture
- How to understand the culture of your digital game-playing kids (or parents)
- How to  use the strengths of the digital culture to take your business or education to an entirely new level.

For more information, contact John Jamison at: jjamison at imagilearning.com

imagiLEARNING — Creating the future of learning…