Session 6: Student Projects 1- Providing Information

The theme for session 6 was providing information to learners in SL. We began by discussing 5 common ways to provide information to learners in SL.

1. Slide shows
2. Textured prim with notecard
3. URL provider (to open web pages)
4. Books
5. Video

Mali Young had some interesting comments on the URL provider. She explained that we are now able to bring the 2D web (such as blogs) into the 3D web. This is a powerful concept because Second Life now becomes the "web plus" (Young, 2008).

We had some very interesting building projects in this session. The first was a URL provider that launched to a web page. This type of tool provides the ability for instruction to be provided to learners without having to leave SL. To make this project we first rezzed a cube and sized it to look like a screen. We then put the URL provider script into the object content folder of the cube. The script then needed to be modified by replacing the current URL with the one we wanted. After everything was setup, when we clicked on the screen it provided a URL and opened up a web page in a new window. The neat thing about this project is that any texture or object can launch the webpage. For example the object could look like a large screen with a texture of the webpage or the object could be a computer that you sit at and get the URL. People are being very creative when providing URLs in-world.

The next project was making a power point presentation. To do this we again rezzed a cube and turned it into a large screen. We then put a script that only allowed the owner to advance the slides. There is also another script that allows anyone to advance the slides. We then imported some slides and put them into the contents folder of the screen (cube). It is a good idea to number your slides because the script will put them in order according to the numbers.

We then looked at a product called a Thincbook. This is a book in SL that you can add your own content. I am not going to go into this in-depth because I believe that I discussed this item in a previous entry.

The project that I was most excited about was the Media screen. This is probably due to the fact that I have been wanting to try out media since the construction of the ECMM building. I have not been able to test media out on the U of S property due to permission issues that need to be rectified. So I was finally able to test it out...and all I can say is fun...fun...fun. As you can see in the image below, I created a media screen in my sky-saucer. I added some relaxing chairs so I can sit down and watch some Eagles music videos that I set to stream in from Youtube.

Jeff's newly created "Sky-saucer" with mutli-media screen (photo taken August 23/08)

The easiest way to learn how to make a media screen is to watch the following two videos by Torley Linden.

1. http://youtube.com/watch?v=-SJu23Ya4WY
   
   
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AUwIUDW7LM
   
   

Construction Junction Session 5: Sky Building

Session 5 of the Construction Junction workshop introduced us to Sky Building. This simply means to build objects that are positioned above your land in the sky. An example of this is a Sky Box which is some type of platform situated in the sky that can be used as extra space for building, classroom or meeting space.

Our first objective for this session was to discuss purposes for sky building. Some of the reasons for sky builds that came out of this discussion were privacy, increase building space, get away from griefers or people on the ground and allows for division of space (e.g. space divided into content areas/social areas/building areas).

Mali Young then explained to us that privacy in virtual environments like SL is an illusion and that there really is no privacy in SL. Even when communicating in SL there is no privacy unless talking to someone through instant messaging. One question that I have in the privacy issue is, can I not set my land to not allow visitors unless invited? I visited NAIT's (Northern Alberta Institue of Technology) location in SL and I was allowed into the visiting area but I was not allowed into their main campus location. I see this as being able to providing some level of privacy and control as to who can visit your property, if so desired.

The second objective of session 5 was to design and build in the sky. To build above 200 meters in the sky, avatars must wear what are called flight or Ninja feathers. Without these feathers avatars cannot fly higher than 200 meters, however with the feathers avatars can exceed this limit. We learned that most sky builds are between 250 meters and 750 meters. The reason for going above 250 meters is to get out of sight range of people on the ground.

We then completed our first building project for this session, a sky build. To build in the sky you must have a platform to work from. We simply rezzed a cube and sat on it. We then raised it into the sky to approximately 500 meters. At this point we rezzed another cube and stretched it into a platform to stand on. This was the platform from which we would be able to build. Mali then asked us to mark down our coordinates, of the platform, so we could use them for our next project...the teleport system.

We then moved into our final objective and building project for the session...creating a teleport system between two locations. It was explained to us that there are many teleport options and scripts. This includes ones that teleport between 2 locations, between 3 or more locations, across SIMS, etc. The one we used allowed us to teleport between 2 locations. To create it we put the teleport script into the contents folder of the first object or prim located on the lower level. We then modified the script on the lower level teleport with the coordinates of the upper level platform. We then teleported to the upper platform and added the teleport script to the contents folder. We then modified the script by adding the coordinates of the lower platform or prim. One problem that a few of us ran into was not having the proper coordinates for our platform. A couple of times I teleported to open air and fell to the ground. I finally entered the proper coordinates to my platform, into the teleport script, and everything worked fine.

Construction Junction participants working on teleport systems. (photo taken August 19/08)

Construction Junction Session 4: Integrating Scripst, Sounds and Animations into Your Builds

Session 4 of the Construction Junction workshop, again presented some new educational tools and taught some interesting new skills. The tool that we were introduced to was the Speak-Easy HUD. I may have mentioned it previously but during this session Mali Young provided each of us with one of the HUDS and showed us how it works. Some of the skills that we were taught dealt with scripts, audio clips, animations, and building.

The Speak Easy is a tool that creates a heads up display (HUD) when you wear it. It's purpose is to read text from a notecard and display the text in public chat, as if you were typing it in. This is a huge time saver when you have text that needs to by provided to a group and you do not have time to type it out. Our instructor from the Construction Junction workshop, Mali Young uses this HUD when she is providing instructions on a specific task. I find it very useful because the directions are clearly displayed and a history is available if needed.

The fist project that we created in this session was a student greeter. This is a useful tool that greets and provides objects to visitors when clicked. We first created a cube and put a texture onto it (I used my picture as a texture). For the student greeter to play sounds and give objects we needed to insert scripts into the contents folder of the object. The two scripts were the Play Sound Once script and the Notecard Giver script. A few simple modifications were required for our items to work with these scripts in our student greeter. I then added a 10 second audio clip (.wav), that I recorded in Audacity, to the contents of the object. This allowed for the audio clip to play when the object is clicked (very cool). The final item added to the contents of the student greeter was a welcome notecard. When clicked, the student greeter now played the audio file and handed out a welcome notecard.















Student Greeter created by Jeff Kurka. (photo taken August 14/08)

The second project we made during session 4 was a Rock that played sounds. This object is useful when you want sounds like birds or water playing in the background. We first made a rock from a sculpty prim. This is one prim that is sculpted into a shape to represent an object. A rock texture was then added to the object. Five bird audio files (.wav) were then added to the object contents. To make the sounds play a script called Sound (Random-string of same names) was added to the object contents. Again some simple modifications of the script were required to play the audio files that were added.

Rock that plays bird sounds (photo taken Aug. 14/08).

The third project for this session was a scripted ice cream cone. To make this object we first created the cone and then created the ice cream. The two objects were then linked so animations could be added. Before the animations, we added a script called Animator to the object contents. We then added two animations, one called ice cream eat and one called ice cream hold.

Ice cream anyone?(photo taken Aug. 14/08)

Construction Junction Session 3: Building Supplies and Groups

Our third session of the Construction Junction workshop showed me how little I know about building in SL. We began the session looking at a tool called a Prim Finder or Rezzer (shown below).












Mali Young, Jeff Kurka and other Construction Junction participants learning about a Prim Finder/Rezzer. (photo taken August 12/08).
A Prim FInder/Rezzer is a very useful tool that allows you to search through a variety of prim shapes and choose the one you would like to use. This is useful because you do not necessarily have to know how to create the shapes in order to build items out of the prim shapes the rezzer provides. Mali said that one can be purchased for approximately 250 Linden which comes out to about $1.00.

Our next agenda item was to play a game called primtionary, which is a SL game that helps to develop and refine your building skills. The host IM's an object to be created by one of the game participants. That participant tries to construct the object out of prims while other members try to guess what the object is supposed to be. Once someone guesses...they win 20 Lindens and then get their turn at building.












The Construction Junction group playing primtionary. (photo taken August 12/08).

In the past I have always struggled moving around objects in my inventory. As I am moving items from folder to folder, I have folders expanding and collapsing which make it difficult to put items exactly where you want them. Well Mali taught us a trick when working with inventory items. All you have to do is go into file>open new window and a second inventory window opens allowing you to drag and drop items much easier. Mali provided us with this tutorial by Torley Linden to view to help understand the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z19DHCrQVIM

Another trick we were shown is how to use inventory filters to find items in our inventory. Take a look at the following Torley Linden video to help understand the process:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XLpcjhbQRdc

Our building project for this session was a material dispenser. It is a very useful object that has a script allowing it to give out items. For example I can put notecards, landmarks or other objects into it and when someone clicks on the dispenser it will give out the items. Mail uses it to give out all our supplies for each session. I put the latest version of the ECMM t-shirt into the dispenser and I might use it to give out the t-shirt. Shown below is the updated version of the ECMM t-shirt.












Updated version of the ECMM t-shirt. (photo taken August 12/08).

Although this was a very informative and well organized session, I believe people are having difficulties understanding what chat to use. For example when I first arrived at the sky box we were using local voice chat. We were told to go over to group voice chat which worked fine. Many of the group members were initially using local text chat during primtionary but then the chat seemed to switch over to group text chat. This was confusing for some of us as we were trying to figure out what text chat we were to be using. Also when the speak easy HUD was used, the text chat transferred back to the local text chat. This was a little confusing for some as they did not know where to look for the instructions coming from the speak easy HUD. I understand certain chats need to be used for certain tools or in specific situations but it seems to be necessary to identify when chats are switched from local to group or vice versa.

Construction Junction: Session 2 Where Do I Build?

When we met at the skybox on Prudentia island for the second session, it quickly became clear that SL was having technical issues. Some of the participants could not get into the grid, others were having difficulties talking or hearing the voice chat. Mali Young (our instructor) was impressive in the manner in which she handled these difficulties. She remained calm, cool and collective in dealing with the technical issues and you could tell she has had experience instructing in SL.

I see this being an issue when instructing groups in SL. Even though SL has recommended hardware to run the client and participate in the virtual environment, this does not mean everyone's computer system is running properly to provide an error free experience. How does an instructor handle the group when everyone has paid to participate and some are having technical issues and others are not? Should the instructor carry on or stop and try to deal with technical issues? As far as I can see either way can be a losing situation. However the instructor decides to handle these situations...I think it should be identified at the onset of the class so everyone understands what to expect and how it will be handled. I also believe some type of alternative system should be put in place for those having technical issues or not able to access SL during synchronous class time. This could be (as Mali has done) simply recording the session and posting it to a wiki. Whatever the process, it must be thought out and put in place because it will be a guarantee that technical issues will occur.

In session 2 we further discussed some building techniques and skills. We began creating our bags to hold our t-shirts. We worked with some of the tools like "hollow" to make the bag. We then began to work with textures to apply to the bag. The group then moved off the skybox, down to the land of Prudentia island where we were shown how to terraform land. We were also shown how to arrange trees and plants on our land. These are all very useful skills that do not seem that difficult but certainly take creativity and practice to get good.















Practicing terraforming and adding trees to land. (photo taken August 9/08).

Construction Junction: Session 1 Educational Design and Building

The Construction Junction workshop's first session, titled Educational Design and Building provided an opportunity for everyone to introduce themselves. We went on a tour of various educational islands in SL to see different design techniques being used to develop virtual educational environments. At each location we discussed what we felt the designer's purpose was in the build or virutal space created.

Once we got back to the skybox, on Predentia island, we reviewed some of the basic building skills required for the activities in session 1. The activities for this session are the creation of a t-shirt and a bag for the t-shirt. Shown below is my first attemp at making a t-shirt for ECMM. I am not sure if this will be the final product but it is a start.

First design of ECMM t-shirt. (photo taken August 9/08).

Construction Junction Workshop - Self -Directed Learning

After some time away from posting to my blog...I am back. I have been spending some time thinking about an updated design for the ECMM space on the U of S property in SL. One of the considerations is to include educational space designed for researching self -directed processes in non-formal learning environments. This design consideration has come up due to a SSHRC (Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada) research project titled Self-Directed Processes and Virtual Communities in Non-Formal Learning Environments. I am grateful to be a member of the team, as a research assistant, in this project being led by Richard Schwier, Dirk Morrison and Ben Daniel.

To learn more about theories, principles and skills in the designing of educational space in SL, I have enrolled in a workshop titled, Construction Junction - Educational Design and Building in Second Life. This is a four week workshop focusing on the design and building of educational environment in the 3D virtual world of Second Life.














Image retrieved August 8/08 from: http://constructionjunction.wikispaces.com

The design methods being used by this course are very creative. For example when I first signed up for the course I was sent an email telling me that I would be added to the Construction Junction group in SL. This would allow me to access the area on Prudentia Island in SL where the course would be held. The email also told me to go to Prudentia Island and choose a plot of land for myself where I would be allowed to build. When I teleported to Prudentia Island and turned on my property lines (view>property lines), I saw lines separating the land into plots. On each plot was a box (as shown in image below) that you could click to claim your plot of land to build on for the duration of the course.













Boxes for choosing land plot on Prudentia Island. (photo taken August 8/08).

The next post will discuss the Day 1 session titled Educational Design & Building.