imagiLEARNING Services

Second Life Consulting Services

Take advantage of our three years of experience in Second Life to help you analyze and plan your presence in the virtual environment. Whether for education, business or pleasure, we can walk you through the maze of issues relating to virtual real estate, construction, the virtual economy, and simply learning how to become a citizen of the virtual culture.

In the Carbon-based world, contact John Jamison: jjamison at imagilearning.com

In Second Life: Virtual Bacon http://slurl.com/secondlife/imagiLEARNING/22/24/22

Educational and Training Focused Services

On-site Introduction to a Digital Culture for Educators and Trainers

The perfect way to jump-start your efforts in faculty development and overall awareness of the changes taking place in learning. The IDC is a multi-day event that involves all levels of your program in the thinking process. A typical IDC looks something like this:

Evening Day One:

-Informal dinner and conversation with key leaders of the organization, talking about vision and goals, as well as particular issues and concerns of the leadership.

Morning Day Two:

-An enthusiastic and solid keynote presentation defining the cultural clash of digital learners and traditional educators. Using current research data and real examples from the world around us, this material identifies specific issues of the digital learning transition underway, and pushes all educators to reflect on how they are experiencing, and adapting to, the changes taking place. Wrapped in appropriate humor and fun interplay, this time will make some educators laugh and others grumble…but none will sleep. (30-45 minutes)

-Immediately followed by a time of discussion and questions to deepen the thinking presented in the presentation. This session begins to identify key issues for further exploration. (20 – 40 minutes)

Break – Lunch

-Introduction to Second Life: an interactive demonstration and tutorial on Second Life, establishing the mindset and rationale for educational exploration of the environment. This brief session provides the pre-understanding necessary for those taking part in the immersion experience to follow. (30 minutes)

-Second Life Immersion: A hands-on introduction to the experience of Second Life. From avatar creation to exploring current educational uses of the virtual environment, this session gives educators a first-hand experience of this tool. (2 – 3 hours)

Evening Day One, or Morning Day Two

-A session with those interested in continuing the exploration of the digital learning culture and Second Life. The goal is the development of a strategy for continuation of the thinking that has begun. Issues may include the creation of a ‘group’ of Second Life explorers, whether to rent or purchase space in Second Life, consider what activities may be most appropriate for Second Life, and other issues relating to instructional design and assessment in a digital culture.

-An optional wrap-up session with key leaders, to discuss the next steps, and determine how to support the efforts now underway.

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The schedule of an IDC is flexible and will be modified to meet the needs of each organization. The full IDC experience begins well before and extends after the on-site activities, as we identify the specific issues you want to address, and then monitor and assess activities afterward.

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

Live, Online, imagiLEARNING, Inc. Workshops

You will participate in these imagiLEARNING, Inc. workshops directly from your location, where you will join your workshop group in Second Life. Shortly before the session, your workshop leader will phone to add you to a conference call for the session. Since you will be participating from your own computer, all links and landmarks will be on your system so you can return to them later. Each workshop will consist of no more than 8 participants.

NOTE: If you have not been in Second Life, or have not run the Second Life program on your computer before, you must complete the Account Setup and Installation before signing up for a workshop. This step insures that your system will run the program, and your experience will be successful. Please email us at: jjamison at imagilearning.com for your copy of the Second Life Account Setup and Installation instructions.

• WB1 Introduction to Second Life

A two hour, live workshop guiding you through the orientation to Second Life, and covering the basics of movement, communication, avatar customization, and using your inventory in the Second Life environment. You should setup your Second Life account, download and install the Second Life software, and make sure it runs on your computer before registering for this workshop. Seats Available: 8

• WB2 Exploring Second Life

A two hour, live workshop that builds upon the initial introduction and provides a guided exploration of the environments of Second Life. Topics include the basics of teleportation, searching for locations and materials in-world, creating landmarks, and obtaining things for free in world. This workshop will also provide tips for how to deal with occasional problems, such as when you find yourself someplace you do not want to be, what to do if someone is bothering you, and how to alter your basic preferences to improve performance of your system.

• WB3 Introduction to Building and Creating in Second Life

A two hour, live workshop guiding you through the basic skills involved in creating objects in Second Life. Topics covered include the creation of objects, resizing and reshaping, linking objects, adding textures, and adding scripts to create activity in an object. This is an introductory level workshop.

• WB4 Introduction to Changing the Appearance of an Avatar

A two hour, live workshop guiding you through the basic skills involved in modifying the appearance of your Second Life avatar. This workshop begins with the simple, built-in options for changing appearance, and moves to the use of objects and attachments to fully change your avatar’s appearance.

• WB5 Introduction to Second Life Economy

A two hour, live introduction to the features of the Second Life economy. Topics include details on the meaning and use of Linden Dollars, their relationship to ‘real’ dollars, how to find and purchase materials in-world, and how to earn money in-world. This workshop will provide you the basic details for buying and selling in the Second Life environment.

• WI3 Intermediate Building and Creating in Second Life

A two hour, live workshop guiding you through the more advanced skills involved in building objects in Second Life. Topics covered include changing the preferences of objects to add physical action and flexibility, how to permit or restrict the use and sale of your objects, advanced building practices, and a more in depth look at the use of scripts in Second Life building. This is an introductory level workshop, and you should know how to do basic building activities before taking this workshop.

• WI4 Avatar Gestures and Animation

A two hour, live workshop guiding you through the basic skills involved in using gestures and animations with your Second Life avatar. This workshop begins with the simple, built-in gestures, and moves to the use of other available gestures, individual and multi-user animations for your avatar. Participants will be provided with details on how to create their own animations for use and possible sales within Second Life.

• WI5 Introduction to Second Life Economy

A two hour, live introduction to the more specific features of the Second Life economy. Topics include details on Linden Dollar rate of exchange, an exploration of the more successful retail ventures in-world, the principles of Second Life real estate, and an introduction to what has been learned about successful marketing to the Second Life population.

• WI6 Education and Training in Second Life

A two hour, live introduction to the uses of Second Life for education and training. Topics include details on available in-world tools for information sharing and content presentation, more advanced communication and user-tracking tools, and an overview of groups actively involved in education and training in-world. This workshop will include a guided tour to many successful education and training locations in Second Life.

Other imagiLEARNING, Inc. Opportunities

• Individual Workshops

One-on-one workshops are available and can be customized to meet your needs. Contact us for details.

• Presentations and Keynotes

John is available to speak with your group. A regular presenter at conferences and events, John can provide informative and motivational presentations on such topics as:

- Second Life Applications in Education and Training
- Facing the challenges of digital students in our classrooms
- Facing the challenges of digital employees in our businesses
- Marketing to a digital culture
- The use of games in learning
- Being an analog parent in a household of digital, game-playing kids

• Learning In A Digital Culture

“Learning In A Digital Culture” is an 8 week immersive experience using the Second Life virtual environment, to introduce traditional educators, business-people and others to the experience of the digital culture. Whether seen in the students in our classrooms, the customers in our businesses, or in out interactions with an increasing number of adults in our midst, this culture reflects the changes we see taking place because of new technologies impacting our lives. From the desire to be continually ‘connected’ with a social network through cell phone, text message, and virtual worlds, to the use of games in learning, socialization and entertainment, those in the digital culture have been wired to interact with the world very differently than those without the technical experience. Rather than a simple preference, the digital culture is a ‘Way of Being’ that can’t be understood by only reading about it or attending a workshop or two. To understand and appreciate the digital culture you must experience it, and Second Life provides an accessible and ’safe’ opportunity to do just that.

For more information about the 8 week ‘Learning In A Digital Culture’ course, contact us here at imagiLEARNING, Inc.
Contact John Jamison
jjamison at imagilearning.com