Educational Tools from THiNC SL

I have been looking in SL for a scripted book, when you touch the book the pages turn. I have finally found the scripted book (shown below) at THiNC SL.













THiNC Book 2.0 (image retrieved Feb.3/08 from: http://thincsl.com/category/products/)
The THiNC Book is an extremely versatile educational tool in SL. The book has full animations and sound including opening, turning pages and closing the book. The educational value is the ability to fully modify color, textures and size of the book. To add your own pages you select the book and edit, then go to the contents tab and add your textures. These textures will become the pages of the book. Once your book is made you can transfer it or leave it around for everyone to look at.

When searching for the THiNC Book, I found another useful tool that works in conjunction with the THiNC Book. The THiNC Printing Press (shown below) allows you to create exact replications of your THiNC Book for unlimited distribution.













THiNC Printing Press (image retrieved Feb.3/08 from: http://thincsl.com/category/products/)
The THiNC Printing Press allows the author of a THiNC Book to publish exact copies of their book with no modify but copy and transfer rights (if given by author).

The third item I found from THiNC SL is the THiNC BiG Display System (shown below).













THiNC BiG Display System (image retrieved Feb.3/08 from: http://thincsl.com/category/products/)
The display system is an educational tool that displays images on up to four separate screens at one time. The images are loaded into the system's inventory (contents folder). The images can then be controlled as to which screen displays each image. I see this tool very useful for independent or self directed learning.

If you would like to see any of this equipment in action, drop by the ECMM building on the U of S property in SL and I will be glad to show you.

Formal Presentation Area Created for ECMM Building

A formal presentation area (shown below) has been created on the first floor of the ECMM building in SL.













Formal presentation area on first floor of SL-ECMM building (photo taken Jan. 29/08).

The presentation area consists of theater seating and a podium. The theater seats are scripted to lower and raise the sitting section of the seat when touched. The podium is scripted to provide the avatar who is speaking at the podium with movements as if they were speaking. The podium is also mic'd to extend the voice or text distance of the avatar speaking at the podium.

Another addition to the fist floor of the ECMM building is the espresso bar (shown below).













Espresso bar on first floor of SL-ECMM building (photo taken Jan. 29/08).

The espresso machine really works! If you click on the espresso machine...it will steam, and make espresso. Be sure to watch the gauge and listen to the sound of the espresso machine while it makes your espresso. Next touch the Demi Tasse (cup) and it will be put into your inventory. Go into your inventory and wear the Demi Tasse and your avatar will be sipping a hot cup of freshly brewed espresso...enjoy!

If espresso is not your thing you can get a glass of water on the third floor in the board room. Look around you will find it.

Office Space for SL-ECMM Structure

If you teleport to the second floor of the ECMM building in SL you will find office space. The ECMM office space consists of desks (shown below) but these are not your ordinary desk.













Dr. Rick Schwier's new desk on the second floor of the SL-ECMM building (photo taken Jan. 29/08).

These desks include two computer monitors that can view both slides and video. Another nice feature of the desks is the Online Detector. This feature tracks the in-world presence of the avatar who owns the desk. If the avatar is in-world a display identifying the avatar is online will be hovering over the desk. If the avatar is online but not at their desk, a visitor can page the owner from the Online Detector connected to the desk. I see this useful if professors hold office hours in-world. Their students can see their online status and page them if needed.