Session 2 - Setting Up Educational Presence

On February 8/09 I attended the second session of the workshop, Setting Up Educational Presence. The second session was led by Abbey Zenith.

The session began with a discussion in which one of the topics touched on prims. Abbey mentioned that prims may be what she described a "soft limit", where prim resources can be shared across parcels owned by the same group. This may be useful on the U of S property where parcels such as ECMM and Snellgrove Gallery can share the prim resources from the open area parcel.

We were then told how to check the prims on a parcel of land. This is done by right clicking an object > edit menu > general tab.

We learn't that prims on avatars do not count against the prims for a parcel of land...only the objects that are stationary count. Abbey mentioned that parcels do have avatar limits which are set for a sim...not a parcel. If you are on a parcel that shares space with other parcels on a sim, it is a good idea to let others know when you are planning a big event...anything over 15 people.

We then set out on a tour of ICT Library and the College of DuPage to see some examples of educational locations in SL.

The ICT Library, located on Info Island (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/50/199/33/?title=Info%20Island), is a great place to get free educational tools, scripts and examples of class projects. During my visit, to ICT Library, I saw a couple items that may be integrated into the ECMM design. The first was a message board, which allows avatars to leave messages on a board. This could be very useful in a socializing area for communication and advertising purposes.

Message Board - ICT Library (photo taken February 8/09)

The second tool was a Holodeck Rooms created by Biscuit Carroll and Loki Clifton. The notecard information below clearly explains the details of the Holodeck Rooms. The benefit of this tool is the flexibility it provides to a parcel with limited space. We could use it on the ECMM parcel to have one region serve as a multi-purpose area that can be transformed into the desired scene as required.

TO USE THIS ROOM:
Go in, and then click on the vertical panel in the center of the room (white with green frame). This will give you a menu of possible rooms. Choose one!

From the brochure...
"The Holodeck allows you to store Second Life scenes and rez them from a menu whenever you want. The old scene is cleared and the new one appears. Scenes can include any prim objects including furniture, pose balls and particle generators. "

There are 3 types of holodecks by Carroll & Clifton:

• L$0.00: A demo only [free] that has 5 scenes.
• L$500: "Simple Holodeck." Allows you to add scenes created by others (good for 512 parcels).
• L$9,000: "Production Holodeck." Allows you to make your own scenes and possiby earn commissions (allows scenes up to 134m x 134m to be built/rezzed). There is a reseller program available (IM Biscuit Carroll or Loki Clifton, or join the Holodeck support group).

Holodeck Rooms - ICT Library (photo taken February 8/09)

The second stop on our tour, of educational locations, was the College of DuPage (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%203/194/69/23). Pipsqueak Fiddlesticks, a Librarian and Professor at the large community college in Illinois, was our host. One of the areas we visited is based on a literal interpretation of the poem "Tintern Abbey" by Wordsworth.

An overview of the immersive poem space is provided by teleporting up to a transparent platform. Avatars can walk around, as if they were walking on air, to view the area below.

Transparent platform - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

Information about the poem is provided through self-directed, discovery learning. As you walk around you come across interactive objects, when clicked provide activities and sound clips.

Interactive activity delivering object - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

One of the most interesting areas, from my perspective, was the "Read and Listen" station. When you sit down on one of the cushions your avatar receives a book to make you feel like you are relaxing and reading (it actually does provide a relaxing environment). When you click on the green apple you are provided with a download of an audio file and notecard of Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey." When the audio file plays you listen to it and follow along on the note card.

Read and Listen station - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

Pipsqueak Fiddlesticks then took us to her sky classroom where she gathers with students. The sky classroom includes seating for avatars and separate screens that play slide presentations and videos.

Sky Classroom - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

During our visit to the College of DuPage we were introduced to an "Edu Rezzer." It operates much like a Holo Deck but appears to have some better functions. The Edu Rezzer is connected to an image database that allows you to create a variety of scenes. It requires very low prims...we were told it uses approximately 100 prims. When you walk away from the Edu Rezzer it de-rezzes and when you come back it remembers your last setting and re-rezzes. This would be very useful on a parcel with few prims available.

Edu Rezzer (open area scene) - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

Edu Rezzer (sitting area scene) - College of DuPage (photo taken February 8/09)

Pipsqueak Fiddlesticks designed and created the College of DuPage sim with one other person. Developing the space took two people approximately 80 hours. When asked about designing and planning...Pipsqueak believes that they planned too much, "we found that not planning much is better."