Hello Everyone,
I took some notes during the presentations on Saturday on what I appreciated about them, and wish I could have seen more of. See below:
1. Scotti's Presentation
I liked Scotti's presentation because he showed how SL can be used to make learning hands on. I think that he really exemplified the contstructist approach to learning, that makes SL such a great commodity in education. i think that his overall idea is wonderfl, and the breakdown of steps will really help students improve their literacy skills.
Elizabth M.
2. Marie's Presentation
Mani's Jamestown Island has always been my favorite place to visit. Through all my frustrations with SL, I am always still impressed with the way itcan be used to recreate RL settings for learning purposes.
I think that she did a wonderful job explaing how the mission of the island, and the different resources they have located here that help enhance learning.
3. Barbara's Presentation
Barbars provided all of us with some great resources to connct SL with education. I am always impressed with her networking skills, as she always seems to know how to find the right and people and places to acquire the best tools. I am also always impressed with her enthusiasm for SL, which is exemplified through her knowledge and dedication to teaching SL to others.
I tought that her presentation was great, just like her library is great.
4. Trixie's Presentation
I think that Trixie's project really exemplifies how SL can be used to prepare students for RL situations by providing them with the kinds of resources they would never have in RL. I think back to our article on Gaming that we recently read, in which the author talks about how games (VWa) can be used to prepare students for "system thinking" and creative problem solving.
I only wish that her presentation consisted of some images or examples. 4. Trixie's Presentation
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Reflection on visit with Spiff Whitfield
I "teleported" from our visit with Spiff Whitfield with a valuable lesson about how how education can be used in SL. Spiff's presentation taught me that I had been viewing SL all wrong, which has contributed to a lot of my disgruntlement with the program.
You see, I kept going into SL questioning how I could use it with a group of students. But constant tech problems and confusion over controls, not to mention the fact that not all learning in SL can be hands on, meaning that a lot of information is recieved through notecards, I kept thinking that text books and movies were just as good, if not a better resources. Spiff showed us ( and I know that Esme has said this to, but I didn't hear at well) that SL is better suited for helping educators work together to enrich their lessons and knowledge about their content area. Spiff listed a variety of locations that he has attended with other educators (most of which had a social-studies theme) and talked about the rich conversations he has had with other teachers about the subjects these Sims respresented. To see what Spiff was talking about, I spent some time in Virtual Harlem, at Spriff's recommendation. It is a neat place. It gives you a visual of what Harlem looked like in the 20's, with its famous theaters and rich artistic culture. There were images and notecards about famous African-American artists who transformed how artists of their color were recieved by popular culture. As I was sitting there watching the show, I remembered that I read a book my freshman year of college entitled When Harlem Was in Vogue. I had completely forgotten about this bookuntil I was sitting their in Virtual Harlmen, but suddenly I had a memory of all this information. It occured to me that although I was not in Virtual Harlem with a lot of educators, but had I been I would have undoubtebly benefitted from the other teachers.
Experiencing something can jog a memory, which can lead to more depth in a conversation. Teachers who know a little about Harlem in the 20's could meet in Virtual Harlem, exchange information and because they are connecting the information to their "surroundings" then they may just get more from the conversation.
I am sure that there was a lot more I could have learned from Spiff's presentation, and I certainly did appreciate the lengthy list of great Sims to visit that he provided us with. But what I really got out of was that SL serves a great ways for teachers, who would have never had a way way to meet otherwise, to excange their knowledge about a variety of topics and learn from one another.
You see, I kept going into SL questioning how I could use it with a group of students. But constant tech problems and confusion over controls, not to mention the fact that not all learning in SL can be hands on, meaning that a lot of information is recieved through notecards, I kept thinking that text books and movies were just as good, if not a better resources. Spiff showed us ( and I know that Esme has said this to, but I didn't hear at well) that SL is better suited for helping educators work together to enrich their lessons and knowledge about their content area. Spiff listed a variety of locations that he has attended with other educators (most of which had a social-studies theme) and talked about the rich conversations he has had with other teachers about the subjects these Sims respresented. To see what Spiff was talking about, I spent some time in Virtual Harlem, at Spriff's recommendation. It is a neat place. It gives you a visual of what Harlem looked like in the 20's, with its famous theaters and rich artistic culture. There were images and notecards about famous African-American artists who transformed how artists of their color were recieved by popular culture. As I was sitting there watching the show, I remembered that I read a book my freshman year of college entitled When Harlem Was in Vogue. I had completely forgotten about this bookuntil I was sitting their in Virtual Harlmen, but suddenly I had a memory of all this information. It occured to me that although I was not in Virtual Harlem with a lot of educators, but had I been I would have undoubtebly benefitted from the other teachers.
Experiencing something can jog a memory, which can lead to more depth in a conversation. Teachers who know a little about Harlem in the 20's could meet in Virtual Harlem, exchange information and because they are connecting the information to their "surroundings" then they may just get more from the conversation.
I am sure that there was a lot more I could have learned from Spiff's presentation, and I certainly did appreciate the lengthy list of great Sims to visit that he provided us with. But what I really got out of was that SL serves a great ways for teachers, who would have never had a way way to meet otherwise, to excange their knowledge about a variety of topics and learn from one another.
Friday, July 10, 2009
An Interesting Approach to Using SL for Language Arts
The other day I was in SL looking for different islands used for Language Arts classrooms, when I found one that focused on the Robert Frost poem, The Road Less Traveled. My assumption was that I would find an island full of fact on Robert Frost, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the island designed as a place for students to collaborate and show their own intrepretation of the poem; after they removed its literal meaning. The assignment was given to a group of seventh graders, and instead of them talking about a time they did something different (which is what I would have done as a seventh grader reading this poem) the students created an area where other students can learn about eating disorders. The set up hits you hard because it is full of actual student images, images of people who suffer from eating disorders, and when you stand still fact cards slam into making sure you learn the hard truth about eating disorders.
It is hard for me to say, because obviously I wasn't there, but I would imagine that this assignment in SL provided a number of learning experiences. Among those is collaboration amongst a class to put all of this together. I am not 100% sure what building in SL entails, but I imagine that there are small costs, and that these students had to work together to really decide how this site would look. Another than forming communication and computer skills, these students must have had a heft conversation about the meaning of the poem and how that poem can be used for something other than its literal meaning. I'd be interested to know just how involved the teacher was in guiding students through the conversations.
As I think more about what I want to do for my own final project, I am intrigued by the idea of providing students with a place where they can work together to respond to literature and create intense methods of sharing their concerns.
It is hard for me to say, because obviously I wasn't there, but I would imagine that this assignment in SL provided a number of learning experiences. Among those is collaboration amongst a class to put all of this together. I am not 100% sure what building in SL entails, but I imagine that there are small costs, and that these students had to work together to really decide how this site would look. Another than forming communication and computer skills, these students must have had a heft conversation about the meaning of the poem and how that poem can be used for something other than its literal meaning. I'd be interested to know just how involved the teacher was in guiding students through the conversations.
As I think more about what I want to do for my own final project, I am intrigued by the idea of providing students with a place where they can work together to respond to literature and create intense methods of sharing their concerns.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sit 'n Scan Scavenger Hunt
Today I spent the day shopping in SL, which ironically (ironic because I hate shopping in RL), was a pretty good time. That was, of course, until I tried to use my camera controls to get a good look at myself. This part of SL has probably become my least favorite, because it is the time that I am in the least control. With this in mind, I thought that it would be a great time to try the Sit 'n Scan Scavenger Hunt, and get some practice controlling my views. I attempted to use the Sloodle blogger option and record my experienced, but I could not remember the proper link so I have chose to switch between SL and my Google blog.
Here goes:
1. The greatest challenge for me is differentiating between the zooming in/out and looking up and down. After finally getting in close enough to the book shelf, I found that the book furthest to the right was titled "LMs and Teleporting". I did not find a title on the book located on the top right shelf, so I am going to go with the aforementioned as my final answer.
2. The long leaves and twisty branch of that tree make it very hard to zoom in on the nest, but I think that I counted three eggs in that nest.
3. I have no idea how to get behind that Sandbox sign. I bumped into the side of the moutain so many times, my head started to hurt:)
4. I guess the tasks associated with the sandbox signs are not within my skills, because no matter how much I zoomed into that sandbox cube I could not find any writing. This may be due to the fact that it takes a few minutes for my computer to load any images.
5. Wow... The process of taking my pic was very tedious. Well, I should say that the process of looking at myself was very tedious. But I did it, and I got my pic. In a litle while I will figure out how to get that photo into my blog.
6. I finally got into that vase and saw a small square with what looked like a star or a spider. It's strange, but getting into the vase was easier than looking at myself.
The verdict from the scavenger hunt is that I need to spend more time in SL, and work on my camera views. But its coming along...
Here goes:
1. The greatest challenge for me is differentiating between the zooming in/out and looking up and down. After finally getting in close enough to the book shelf, I found that the book furthest to the right was titled "LMs and Teleporting". I did not find a title on the book located on the top right shelf, so I am going to go with the aforementioned as my final answer.
2. The long leaves and twisty branch of that tree make it very hard to zoom in on the nest, but I think that I counted three eggs in that nest.
3. I have no idea how to get behind that Sandbox sign. I bumped into the side of the moutain so many times, my head started to hurt:)
4. I guess the tasks associated with the sandbox signs are not within my skills, because no matter how much I zoomed into that sandbox cube I could not find any writing. This may be due to the fact that it takes a few minutes for my computer to load any images.
5. Wow... The process of taking my pic was very tedious. Well, I should say that the process of looking at myself was very tedious. But I did it, and I got my pic. In a litle while I will figure out how to get that photo into my blog.
6. I finally got into that vase and saw a small square with what looked like a star or a spider. It's strange, but getting into the vase was easier than looking at myself.
The verdict from the scavenger hunt is that I need to spend more time in SL, and work on my camera views. But its coming along...
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Last night I had my first spontaneous conversation with another resident of SL. His name was Daniel, and I found his on ISTE island. I think that he was actually there to help,
but he initiated the conversation by asking if I am an educator. I then asked if he was, and he told me that he teaches teachers about assistive technologies. I am always intrigued by a term in education that I am unsure about so I asked him what he meant by that, and part of his answer was that he teaches teachers how to use word predication software. When I applied to Marlboro College, one of things that I talked about was how I wanted to learn about to use technology in the classroom without it being a crutch for students; I had word prediction in mind when I said this. I asked him how he would defend this, and he pointed out to me that there is a big difference between spelling and writing. I understood his point, but I also pointed out to him that as an English teacher it is my responsibility to teach students how to form concepts and how to spell. We discussed it a little, and then he shared a story with me about he too was once a skeptic untill he saw it actually help students with both writing and spelling.
I think that I would still need to see work predication in the classroom, so that I could form my own conclusions. My real point in sharing all of this is that I had a meaningful conversarion about a subject in education that I interested in, and I didn't have to go anywhere or find a teacher who could make time for me. In addition, I have never heard teachers talk about word prediction at all, so even if I were at one of the previous schools I taught at, I do not think that I could have carried out this conversation.
I think that I will always stand by my belief that events in SL cannot take the place of real life interactions, but if you are talking about SL or nothing or SL or reading a one-sided article, then I have to say that my faith in possibilities of virtual worlds has expanded.
I still have not done much socializing in SL. I have mainly gone there to play around with functions, but I certaily look forward to "talking" with more people about the issue in education, among other things.
but he initiated the conversation by asking if I am an educator. I then asked if he was, and he told me that he teaches teachers about assistive technologies. I am always intrigued by a term in education that I am unsure about so I asked him what he meant by that, and part of his answer was that he teaches teachers how to use word predication software. When I applied to Marlboro College, one of things that I talked about was how I wanted to learn about to use technology in the classroom without it being a crutch for students; I had word prediction in mind when I said this. I asked him how he would defend this, and he pointed out to me that there is a big difference between spelling and writing. I understood his point, but I also pointed out to him that as an English teacher it is my responsibility to teach students how to form concepts and how to spell. We discussed it a little, and then he shared a story with me about he too was once a skeptic untill he saw it actually help students with both writing and spelling.
I think that I would still need to see work predication in the classroom, so that I could form my own conclusions. My real point in sharing all of this is that I had a meaningful conversarion about a subject in education that I interested in, and I didn't have to go anywhere or find a teacher who could make time for me. In addition, I have never heard teachers talk about word prediction at all, so even if I were at one of the previous schools I taught at, I do not think that I could have carried out this conversation.
I think that I will always stand by my belief that events in SL cannot take the place of real life interactions, but if you are talking about SL or nothing or SL or reading a one-sided article, then I have to say that my faith in possibilities of virtual worlds has expanded.
I still have not done much socializing in SL. I have mainly gone there to play around with functions, but I certaily look forward to "talking" with more people about the issue in education, among other things.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
My first 7 hours in SL
After spending approx. 7 hours in Second Life (yes, the first 3 were with the class) I can proudly say that I am on my way to understanding how to move about and make the most of SL. (Note the phase "on my way")
During my first class meeting, I was struck the most by how tedious every action seemed to be. It took a long time for me to type anything, and I struggled with navigating my avatar. I would press the button, and there would be a delay between my motion and motion of the avatar, which would lead to me pressing the button again and again, which would lead to me eventually ending up in a pond, a fountain- or just the wrong direction. I have since learned that these problems are all due to the technical limitations of my computer, and that I will just need to learn how to deal. With a little more practice I will undoubtedly learn how to work with my computer to control the movements of my avatar.
I think another reason that I found my first class in SL to be so "tedious" was that I had nothing to associate all of this new knowledge with. I knew nothing about virtual worlds, and therefor could not understand what people do in them or why. Today I explored the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam and exactly teleported myself to the an Italian fashion show. That certainly gave me a better understanding of what people are doing there. Being able to see the inside of the Anne Frank house was really neat; it looked real. There are so many places in SL to explore, but I am interested in hearing people's stories about how they ended up there. So if you read this and you have an interesting beginner SL story please share!! Tell me if there was an event there you wanted to attend, or a person you wanted to meet. Tell me how you have created your social network in SL.
In regards to technicalaties, I have come a long way. My ability to go somewhere, and then come back, has improved. I have learned how to change my appearance, my preferences, my gestures (I even picked up some Salsa dance moves from Help Island). What I still need to learn is what to do with my self when I am there- really find my social niche.
That's all I have to say about my first 7 hours, if anyone has any comments, suggestions, or stories, I would love to hear from you!
During my first class meeting, I was struck the most by how tedious every action seemed to be. It took a long time for me to type anything, and I struggled with navigating my avatar. I would press the button, and there would be a delay between my motion and motion of the avatar, which would lead to me pressing the button again and again, which would lead to me eventually ending up in a pond, a fountain- or just the wrong direction. I have since learned that these problems are all due to the technical limitations of my computer, and that I will just need to learn how to deal. With a little more practice I will undoubtedly learn how to work with my computer to control the movements of my avatar.
I think another reason that I found my first class in SL to be so "tedious" was that I had nothing to associate all of this new knowledge with. I knew nothing about virtual worlds, and therefor could not understand what people do in them or why. Today I explored the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam and exactly teleported myself to the an Italian fashion show. That certainly gave me a better understanding of what people are doing there. Being able to see the inside of the Anne Frank house was really neat; it looked real. There are so many places in SL to explore, but I am interested in hearing people's stories about how they ended up there. So if you read this and you have an interesting beginner SL story please share!! Tell me if there was an event there you wanted to attend, or a person you wanted to meet. Tell me how you have created your social network in SL.
In regards to technicalaties, I have come a long way. My ability to go somewhere, and then come back, has improved. I have learned how to change my appearance, my preferences, my gestures (I even picked up some Salsa dance moves from Help Island). What I still need to learn is what to do with my self when I am there- really find my social niche.
That's all I have to say about my first 7 hours, if anyone has any comments, suggestions, or stories, I would love to hear from you!
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