Where did it go?

Stuff done: lots (good/bad/indifferent)
In terms of blogging have to award self mark of C double minus. Is more than whole month since last blogged. As have noted before, when v.v. busy in SL, then blogging tends to slump. So as a quick catchup:
No. of new student sky homes created: 1 (good)
No. of new autumnal trees bought: 10? 12? (who knows)
No. of halloween houses created: 1 (good)
No. of sessions done with first year students in SL: 4 (good? only they can tell)
No. of 3D versions created of information behaviour models developed through empirical research using a grounded theory approach: 1 (v. good)
No. of times Opinionator repurposed for specific exercise: 2 (good)
No. of Infolit iSchool events: 3 (good)
No. of fashion blog postings: 4 (good)
No. of houseboats bought: 2 (floating)
No. of tops bought: who's counting? (not me)
No. of unwarranted and surprise price hikes by Linden Lab: 1 (v.v.v. bad)
& so forth & so on.
Last item is one which has cast pall of gloom over proceedings since announced a few weeks ago that educator's discount was being removed, thus doubling price of island. Consternation, anger etc. followed. was then announcement that people could buy up to 2 years in advance at old price (which am trying to do) but still is bit gloomy in long term. Apart from anything else seems like Community of educators, librarians etc. will get fragmented.
Reacted by attending meetings and buying a lot of clothes.
Also pumpkins. Creation of halloween stuffage seems to have escalated to insane proportions, can scarcely go inworld without being bombarded with message cards about cute new pumpkin lights/seats/decals. Was tempted today by 50% off on cauldrons from What Next, but in the end got free Wizard cosi from NRD and 1 Linden staff from Tekeli-li and then wasted, ahem, ahem, spent hour or so flouncing round Immersiva taking pics.
Choose first one as looked vaguely apocolyptic e.g. SL disintegrating because of ill advised customer relationship management on part of LL staffers.

Students, Computers, Calendar

Calendars created with Factory: 1 (good); Student installations visited: 2.5 (good); No of different computers, data sticks etc. through which SL pictures are scattered: 7 (approx) (bad); No of SL pics on Flickr: 1000 (approx) (um - good?)
Time was that only place I stored pics of SL was on the hard drive of my work PC. They were organised neatly by month, since at the end of each month would move all the previous month's ones into new folder. Now and then would back these up by copying onto Departmental server.
Alas, all this went to pot when started using other computers: my personal laptop, my home computer, plus got new work computer last autumn (and still haven't transferred pics from old PC), and also started saving pics directly to a memory stick, or one of two different folders on the server. Have uploaded some pics to Flickr, but only a percentage: since there are 1000 on Flickr, dread to think how many there are in toto - 3000 perhaps? For someone teaching Information Mangement this is a pretty poor show, though could pretend am setting myself up as a case study for a student project.
All this is prelude to saying that have lots to blog about last week, but since am on home computer, only pics that can show re the week are from today, so that is where I will have to start.
Was intending to finish off marking, but wandered into SL to update the board that says when the next Infolit iSchool Discussion is going to be (23rd July BTW) and realised that a presentation from North's students was taking place at that very time. His message said: "summer students have been working on exhibits that can be used by middle school science teachers to "spark" interest in science. Larry Klugman served as the client for the three exhibits - Physics of a Homerun, Thunderstorms, and The Atom Bomb."
These are always interesting, so tped over (and that was the rest of the evening gone, essentially).
These were all designed so that a teacher could go inworld and then show their schoolchildren (in the classroom) round. The Atom Bomb involved sitting in an atom chair and having an automatic guided tour round: first of all some background on the Manhattan Project, then a bit of the science behind it, then experience of different effects (e.g. black rain (2nd photo), pulsing light), finally pictures of victims and the area affected (3rd photo). The end part was particularly powerful. Was impressed by all the parts, but only constructive criticism would be that it might be a long tour to have in one go, and might be better broken up into sections.
There was a queue for the tour, so first had visited Weather Experience, with Clouds, Mountain Rain and Storm. RL cooperated by demonstrating what a summer rainstorm is like, so had RL sound effects along with SL ones. All three exhibits were attractive, with the clouds moving, the signage on the mountain particularly good (first photo), and the tornado had some cows in it (but unfortunately didn't get a pic of that).
Almost saw the baseball exhibit, but when bounced out to watch accompanying Youtube video, crashed from SL. However, since baseball itself is a veiled mystery to me, possibly am not the ideal audience anyway.
Then spent a while trying to find things in inventory, and partially failing. However, thought could at least display my first calendar produced with the Calendar Factory. You simply rename 12 textures Jan, Feb etc., and pull them into a calendar blank. Also can insert a logo: in this case the international information literacy logo. Once calendar is complete, position it above the Calendar Factory (not inside it, that doesn't work, I tried) click the factory, and duplicate calendar appears. This 2nd one can be copied and transferred, but doesn't contain the actual textures, so you can set it for everyone to be able to copy around, or sell individual calendars. You have to keep the original in your inventory.
One catch is that each time you need to create another (different) calendar you have to buy another 100 Linden calendar blank. However, not like am going to create 100s of them.
Gave out the calendar at the Infolit iSchool discussion on Thursday, though perhaps people weren't as stunned as had hoped.
Other things done this week, that may or may not blog, were:
- attended launch of Centre for Study of New Literacies in RL, and met RL alt of Anya Ixchel, and spotted that in SL she was wearing a dress from House of RFyre (i.e. can recognise work of SL dress designers from back of room in dim light, how sad is that)
- gave talk about SL at University of York in RL
- attended Educators Coop chat
- had Thursday discussion (as noted) which led to demo from Graham on his island, then chat with Adra
- sent notecards to various people about the Information Literacy Week
That's quite a lot really, for a moderately quiet week in SL.

Busy, bouncing

U. of Hawaii Students shown round island: 5 (good); Masters Students inducted to SL: 9 (good); Broom rides installed : 2 (good); Trampolines installed: 1 (v. good)
See from quick scan of favourite blogs that others have been blogging some video called World Builder, trying out new educational tools and other admirable activities. In contrast have installed trampoline, removed crunchy snow & holly, planted hyacinths and created a glass observation basket using a snowdrop texture (plus a first attempt at a particle lamp). Hey ho.
Basket/lamp is probably worth blogging separately since is scarcely mind blowing but quite cute
Main focus was on introducing new Educational Informatics students to delights of SL last Friday. Apart from adding last touches to their village, was updating various boxes of freebies and landmarks, creating a special t-shirt and making out instruction sheet..

Was ably assisted, on the day, by Pete and Maggie. However on whole new students seemed to grasp idea v. quickly with minimal box-on-head activity, and leaving scarcely any litter.
After initial induction in the Build area to practice moving about, communicating & buying boxes, used the Mysti chair to zoom round island and then up to their new home, the Educational Informatics village in the sky.

People were keen to claim their new homes, so they learnt how to create textures with name on and upload them - just one student left with no home as yet. Meant was not as much time as hoped for looking at sample of educational places, but a few students went with me to look at Metaphor's boardwalk (as described in previous blog). Fortunately computers behaving much better than last year - not so cludgey and do not crash as often.

The previous night, had given a tour to a group of Adra's students, from the University of Hawaii.
Started at CILR, looked at first year posters and then again whizzed round on Mysti chair and dropped then in Edu Informatics village. Had set up broom ride to 7 Pillars, and enjoyed watching people setting off on the brooms at regular intervals. From the 7 Pillars, tis but a drop down to the Opinionator. You can see us trying this out: I had made statement "I really like pizza" and people were choosing appropriate response (agree, disagree etc.) Final stop was nearby common room (with its new trampoline).

Apparently trampoline got the biggest laugh, so was worth the purchase. This is me, bouncing.

Displacement activity

Fireworks parties attended in RL: 0 (bad); Fireworks parties attended in SL : 1 (good); Unexpected encounters in bicycle and balloon section: 1 (good); No. of assignments not marked while doing all this: 3 (v. bad)

Tonight is Guy Fawkes, the night when brits celebrate said person not blowing up Houses of Parliament some considerable time ago. IN RL is damp and cold, so was probably good move to go to SL fireworks party instead. This was in the new Teeside Uni island, opening today.
Must say that fireworks were first rate. Didn't have some of the spookily impressive big wheels of one attended last year on Info Island, but v.v. pretty (see pics) and less scarey. Also had quick fly round island including exhibition which displays Bayeaux Tapestry round 3 walls of special hut - well done, and you could see the tapestry quite clearly.

Was multitasking again in that had got email from student at another Uni asking if could advertise survey on the Infolit Group. Said yes, but some to-ing and fro-ing in IM about ways it might be improved.

After bonfire went back to island to look at new building again (which realise haven't blogged properly yet). Tomorrow is inaugural event and am having it on a wooden terrace at the back, which juts into sea. Have already put out a couple of rubber rings, but suddenly remembered Swan Boat. Rezzed it, and then steered self gently round island. Had forgotton how pleasant it was. Decided that this joy should be shared and did search for swan boats in hope that would find one that others could use to punt gently round.

After some fruitless searching ended up going back to place where had bought balloon ride. They had indeed added some water rides (for you to programme round your sim) but nearest to swan was a gondola ride (with cuddles, not sure about that). Suddenly noticed that Graham was in Chat Range. He was looking for a greeter bot.
Had a good chat about students and what we'd been doing.

Teaching

Students inducted: 25 (good); No. of magic carpet rides: 1 (good); No. of typos in responses to Siversprite's questionnaire: infinite (v. bad)

Today was first session of new 1st year BSc Information Management students in SL. Had done much preparation, and this year other members of team are principally Ishbel and Tim, since Maggie can't do Mondays this year. 1st pic shows three of us discussing the session last Friday in the Centre for Information Literacy Research.

Will draw a veil over evening prior to induction session when discovered that in fact some PCs were not supporting SL as previously thought. Will move swiftly to day itself where had prepared posters, boxes, poses for group photo in Moorish House etc. Had tested these poses out with alts, and though Zoe in fact did not have to make appearance Mikael (see below) and Haruki (not strictly an alt, but borrowed) did.

Have yet to get feedback from Ishbel and Tim, but seemed to go fairly well and all were walking, flying, opening boxes etc. In end was easier letting people log directly into SL then offering teleport, since people were coming into lab in batches and by time had booted up email or WebCT to get exact SLURL to click could have zoomed twice round the island.

At weekend completed ny responses for Silversprite's latest snapshot of UK higher ed in SL. He came back with query, where I had omitted word, and I noticed that in just that one short sentence there was not only 1 omitted word but also 1 careless spelling. And had thought had spellchecked. Note how ability to write accurate and complete sentences fast declining (e.g. writing "the" as "the" first go is rare occurance). Silversprite emailed that some answers from heavy SL-ers chock-full of mistakes, but he has great fortune to have proofreader as significant other. Sounds v. useful and should perhaps consider ditching own significants for posse of writing assistants and proofreaders, as would certainly boost academic productivity (n.b., joking).

Projects, Cool

Student project events attended: 1 (v. good); Blog entries on RL train: 1 (good)

Am blogging this on RL train which feels cool (though not as cool as felt when leading LTEA conf from Sydney ;-) However fear that wireless network provided by National Express East Coast line may not be fastest and most stable in entire universe so am making sure Save, Copy etc. at frequent intervals.

On Wednesday, or in fact early Thursday morning in my now UK-based RL world, attended v. good session in which North Lamar’s latest batch of students were showing off their projects and talking about their work. They are students at Texas University who are studying a module concerned with virtual worlds, and it is very project-based, indeed I would say it is an example of Inquiry Based Learning, or at any rate Problem Based Learning.

There were 3 projects, namely a Wellness centre, a Quidditch arena and a bar (or as I might call it, pub). Wellness Centre had many favourite features e.g. meditation cushions, ocean views, pools, hot tubs. After leaving us time to wander round, we were directed up to skypad where we all did relaxation exercises: v. nice.

Students who made the Centre said that when their classmates came up here to chill out it was agreed that it made people more relaxed in RL as well. This somewhat reassuring as certainly find floating on the sea or in the hot-tub on the island v. relaxing.

Next up was the pub which was a welcoming and atmospheric building well provided with exotic booze, pool tables, comfy seating, authentically difficult-to-read signs and even toilets, although the Ladies had innovatively open cublicles. However, was sipping some sort of cannabis cocktail as I wandered round, so perhaps the doors were there really, and it was just my mellow haze that made them invisible.

Finally we were called in for a short Quidditch match, v. cool.
Since I was using my work laptop again (which is seems SO SLOW and cludgey after the shiny new laptop I bought for myself at no inconsiderable expense to tour Australia with) - anyway, I was moving at the speed of glue and somewhat erratically so I didn’t volunteer to be a player, but managed to lodge myself in one of the towers to watch.

It was only when I panned out my camera that I realised I had put myself in the Slytherin tower. The Hogwarts House that has Alan Rickman heading it would be my choice, though, so it was obviously Fate (I mean, I can’t even remember who heads Hufflepuff, and frankly who wants to be in a House called Puff).

The final session was a Q and A with the students. I wished that I’d been recording the session since there were lots of really nice quotes from the students that I would have liked some of the sceptics at my uni., or at the presentations I’ve made, to have heard.

One student had started her introduction earlier by saying it was an “incredible” experience and there were lots of positive comments in terms of skills learned (with application to study and future life), collaborative working, convenience element (logging in from home) and fun factor. The learning curve was mentioned though, and the need to create a storyline to engage some students (which North did in an initial exercise; to tell a story from your life by decorating a SL apartment room).
This gave me more to think about in my own teaching and left me with admiration for North and his students ;-)))

Facebook and information literacy

RL sessions on Facebook delivered: 1 (good); SL sessions on Facebook delivered: 1 (good); Time spent in SL: 2 hours (approx) (good); Time spent on Facebook: 15 mins (OK, but it's so TWO-DIMENSIONAL)

Maggie and I did a RL session on What does your facebook say about you? on Tuesday in RL in Sheffield, and in the evening I led a SL discussion about Facebook and Information Literacy.
SL session was only announced the night before due to lack of organisational skills, so not surprisingly were not v. many people i.e. 3 plus me. However it was quality not quantity and think there was an interesting discussion, though more about Facebook than info lit.

The RL PowerPoint is on Slideshare, and includes slides which record points raised by participants in the RL session (about 24 people, a mixture of lecturers and other staff at the university, plus one student): http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/what-does-your-facebook-say-about-you The chatlog of the SL session is at http://sleeds.org/chatlog/?c=300

Student work

Haggis companions purchased: 1 (good); Free Scotland strips received: 1 (good); Races lost because SOMEONE distracted me with a notecard in middle of race: 1 (bad)

Visited work of students at University of West of Scotland on Thursday. Enjoyable. Consisted of Museum of inventors, model of Hampden but without presence of fans or indeed footballers, and wildlife park including Loch Ness monster. Was also a monorail but didn't work out how to use it. Inventors' exhibition on 2 floors v. informative with links to wiki. Green feet things indicated path round exhibition (first pic.).

Wildlife park also included notecard posts giving (as you might expect) notecards about various fauna. My urge for consumption was satisfied as could purchase Haggis companion for only a few Linden (strange badger like creature that follows you when you rez it, reminded me of days when Phil the Phoenix was my constant companion). Could also purchase rather large squirrel but did not think existing squirrels on Infolit iSchool would approve. As can see in this pic there was also Weather, as often experienced in Scotland.

The final exhibit was of Hampden, looking forward to Commonwealth Games in 2014 which (as any visitor to Glasgow cannot escape knowing) are taking place in Glasgow. Here there was a quiz about Commonwealth games, which I didn't exactly pass, but I was nevertheless kindly given a Scotland shirt.

This was possibly to compensate for the fact that I was completely rubbish at a game where you had to keep clicking a coloured dome to get your ball to zoom round faster than anyone else's. On my 2nd attempt was actually doing OK when someone else in room dropped a notecard on me thus preventing clicking for some crucial seconds and resulting in humiliating defeat. Not that I'm blaming anyone but me, of course.

And yet more

Discussion session held in SL: 1 (good); Student events attended in SL: 2 (good); UK academics' fashion show missed: 1 (bad)

Today's discussion on Infolit iSchool featured Testy Outlander talking about her research, which was investigating the info habits of 5 SL residents. Quite a good no. of people again, in fact I even had to augment the seating with some further Nice Brown Chairs. Testy's research blog is at http://librariandreamer.wordpress.com/. The transcript or chatlog of the session is online at http://sleeds.org/chatlog/?c=286

Am wondering about having a shopping event (i.e. lets go do free shopping together) after next session - see what response is). Should actually be finishing up notecard on a future conference track that need to consult with various avatars about - but now that am officially a blue-haired babe (see previous post) feel should be jutified in haunting boutiques of SL.
After discussion session, oozed over to the Emerge sim where had been Avatar Identity event involving catwalk display of volunteers. Only discovered this was on today, or would have tried to avoid clash. Could not actually try out catwalk as 2 creators were still there enjoying the disco beat. So looked round sim (some nice features - and great view from the bar).

Had had limited access to SL (and will do again for next few days) so trying to pack a lot in. Yesterday evening went to Ulster University to presentation by student Kerri about her work in virtual classrooms (there were 2, one is pictured) and to Texas Women's University to look at students work. Bumped into North Lamar so could exchange trenchant comments in IM.

Projects

Visits to student projects 2: (good); Information gained about coral reefs: some (good)

One of things that did whilst was too busy to blog properly per Christmas was to a) see some of work of students of North Lamar and colleagues, and b) visit students' Carbon Footprint project.

The environmental project consisted of, firstly a house in which info on all the dreadful ways in which we waste energy and so forth was built into exhibit, mostly in form of notecards and by means of sinister green clouds emitting from items that are particularly environmentally wicked.


This can be seen in 1st pic, in which there are dreadful eminations from the washing machine, basin and (perhaps most worryingly) toilet. Always approach these kinds of displays with slightly smug feeling in that do not possess car, washing machine, microwave or dish washer, however soon realise that all this cancelled out by excessive use of bath, central heating and foods brought from 4 corners of the world, so smugness banished.

Other exhibits were about Bad Effect of Man on different bits of world, and coral reef was specially effective in that had lots of information plus you can go in and wander round underwater with the fishes and the coral. Also the student guide had evidently swum with said coral in RL and so was able answer questions. In 2nd pic can see info and bleached/unbleached coral exhibit.

Final pic shows the Alley Flats project facilitated by North Lamar’s colleague. Had popped over to see him to discuss the talk he was giving (which will also blog shortly). In this project students built sim of RL area, which has been going upmarket to extent that original residents are finding it hard to stay there (increased taxes etc.). Build was for upmarket “green” residences which could be built on land to be sold or rented by old-time residents and apparently RL planners are using student designs in RL Alley Flats. Seemed v. cool. Again different features had embedded notecards giving info.

Visit, look North

Visits to other teachers: 1 (v. good); New skills learned: 2, joining land and selling land (good)

Had heard North Lamar talk at CITASA conf about the Educators Coop island he runs, and then met him at the SL conference. We IMed each other in friendly fashion when we realised we were both in information Departments. This week I IMed him to suggest meeting.

After small concern about time of meeting (time zones are v. confusing and he lives somewhere in USA) he offered me a teleport. In particular was interested in the class he is running, in which a good deal of teaching and learning happens in SL. Curiously (or not) it has the same module code (inf315) as one of our modules here. North is a doctoral student and tutor at a US university and also does consultancy which is where running his own islands also comes in.

His module is in fact focused on virtual worlds, so is more obvious rationale for using SL than for my semester 1 class. There are (I think he said) about 20 students. I arrived near the sandbox area, then teleported down to the beachfront. There was an attractive block of flats which were the students' residences. In front of that there was a display of benches: each student had just had to build one as a SL task.

The use of the students' flats was v. nice. Each student had to tell the story of his/her life by arranging and assembling. See last pic for one example, Another student had been a pro surfer and his room had water all over it, plus pics of him and surfing friends etc. I had already intended to give each 1st year student a basic room to name and occupy and customise, but hadn't thought of giving a purpose to the customisation. Is obviously good idea. Would really have to focus task around their lives and information ... need to think about that.

North's students get marks for blogging each week and for the SL tasks, as well as a project. It all sounded v. good. I said a bit about our 1st year classes and my Dept. From what North said it sounds like there are fewer information studies faculty teaching in SL than had thought, though perhaps more will pop up this year.

North has meetings on education for his tenants in the Educators' Coop island. I gave him a notecard about the CILR meetings. Altogether a good visit and we plan to meet again.

Afterwards celebrated by learning how to join adjacent pieces of my own land together (for no particular reason, really) and selling off a small piece of land - or at least putting up for sale to next door neighbour who said was interested.

I realise I am a metaverse evangalist

Meetings on SL attended in RL: 1 (good); Healthy food consumed = 1 apple and 1 handful of undidentified green matter decorating sandwiches (good); Unhealthy food consumed = sandwiches, biscuits, cake, coffee (bad); Handbags not bought = 1 (good, I suppose).

Yesterday attended meeting in London organised by landlords (i.e. Eduserv ;-) and the CETIS project at Strathclyde Uni. Once had hauled RL self out of bed and onto early train, traced venue at end of lane off Theobalds Road, and picked up biscuits (type = ordinary) to sustain self through rest of morning, was hey ho for sitting listening to people.

The RL version of Art Fossett gave totally awesome short roundup of what SL is about. His ppt slides each had pic of Art, in a different t-shirt in each pic to illustrate points. He said he had thought of doing this by showing Art changing t-shirt each time in SL. V. nice idea but pondered that might be dodgier for self as is something intrinsically tacky about watching female avatar changing into a series of t-shirts, even if had demour cami on in vest layer.

Presentations will be loaded by CETIS shortly, in meantime there are posters at http://www.slideshare.net/eduservfoundation/eduserv-foundation-sl-projects and also displayed on Eduserv Island inworld. Two which appealed most immediately were Theatron 3 and a project at the Institute for Education which is looking more at the social side of SL through qualitative research. Theatron 3 is crafting detailed (and prim heavy) recreations of theatres in SL (after a successful 3-D web project). Is interesting for numerous groups - historians, theatre studies etc etc plus tourism-type appeal plus use as performance space (and would imagine for, as in RL, corporate entertaining in RL, can imagine Bill Gates' avatar swanning in for product launch). Also raises information management issues.

At lunchtime (sandwiches = reasonable; fruit = good) was able to pop into SL to show someone my office. Had already got v. excited at glimpse of it in background as Art was showing people round Eduserv Island.

After the 2 afternoon presentations had coffee (= standard institutional) and cake (= good) and then a one hour discussion. Was debate about whether what SL offered to educators was new or not. Some felt was not much advance over chat, but most (I think) disagreed and felt it gave more. General feeling that do need to identify what is uniquely effective/ useful about educating in SL. At moment little research on impact of SL: hope this strand of things doesn't get lured down a meaningless quantitative quest.

Was also disagreement about whether should ever REQUIRE students to go into SL. Personally feel that if it is educationally meaningful, aligned with LT&A etc. etc. then is much like any other activity (seminar, lecture, lab, whatever) - everyone should have to do it. Art quoted someone's opinion that 1 in 10 people "get" SL. However, I pointed out that often students don't "get" lectures either, and that doesn't stop us forcing them to do them (or at least timetabling them, which is by no means the same thing as getting students to attend...)

Anyway was at this point that realised that in 3 short months have moved from academic who curled lip in sneering fashion when speaker (at May Eduserv symposium) said he was a metaverse evangalist, to being a metaverse evangelist myself. Unfortunately job title is still Senior Lecturer, so fear will either have to curb metaverse tendencies before take over whole life, or change jobs.

One speaker said how a fave thing was dressing up in SL and taking posters of self (ie avatar) which was reassuring. On way back to St Pancras was also reminded of shopping in that passed shop selling exquisite leather handbags with tasteful flower appliques. However, cost £350 rather than 350 Linden, so sighed and walked by.

Did not take any pics of RL event, therefore have included photos of 1st home, i.e. Japanese tea garden. NB last pic is me splashing water dreamily (i.e. with pose ball DAYDREAMING placed artfully on stone), and in entirely innocent fashion. 2nd last was taken (intentionally) at night, so is meant to be dim. As usual, click on thumbnails to see full size.