We have started a ning and over 40 people have joined, although only 27 of these people will be at the f2f seminar. Today, day 1, we'll be looking at social software, blogging, RSS & tagging, and some of the teachers will be presenting a few of their blogging projects they have been involved in.
It's great to see so much enthusiasm and expertise here in Venezuela and can't wait to get to know everyone better and find out what they have been doing.
I'm now getting excited about the new initiative that the Consultants-E are launching in two weeks: a new series of monthly events, Education@Edunation, which I've been asked to help co-ordinate. The first one, which unfortunately I won't be able to attend (I'll be on a plane coming back from Venezuela) looks like a very promising launch to what I'm sure will be a very popular event in Second Life:
Place: Edunation III Conference Crossover Space (EduNation III 202, 27, 21)
Details:Dudeney Ge will be be giving an introduction to some of the tools available for teaching in Second Life (free gift for teachers included!)
This first event will be followed by others, approximately once a month, so it should be a great way to meet interesting people and find out about Second Life educational initiatives, etc. Here's the details:
Meet fellow educators and trainers at Edunation III for sessions dealing with:
· Teaching Tools
· Teacher Training
· Gaming & Education
· Materials Design
· Language Education
and many more...from seminars to pecha kucha sessions
Location
The events will take place in the Seminar Area of EduNation III, one of the Consultants-E sims in Second Life. You can find the island using the Search facility in Second Life, or by following this URL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Edunation%20III/202/27/21/
You can also go directly to EduNation III- 202, 27, 21
Maximum 100 particpants (click the sign onEdunation III to register)
Each event has a limit of 100 participants, so you are encouraged to sign up early to avoid disappointment. You can sign up for the event in-world by clicking the sign on Edunation III or by sending an email to gavin.dudeney@theconsultants-e.com . Please make sure you include the name of the speaker/event you wish to attend. If sign-ups exceed 100, we will put people on a waiting list and they will be moved into the participant list as and when spaces become available.
Tomorrow from 20.00-22.00 GMT (Monday 29th October) we'll be meeting at the Webheads HQ @ Edunation for another Monday night SL Webheads tour. This time it'll be a visit to some Second Life quests followed by a discussion of how something similar may be exploited for language learning.
Using Second Life as a platform for games is becoming more popular, with the recent 'CSI' and 'I am Legion' game launches. How feasible is it to do something similar (albeit on a smaller, less ambitious scale) for language learning?
So much for being able to keep up a weekly Webheads tour / meeting in Second Life - workload has meant it is impossible, but hopefully a once monthly meet is possible for me to organise.
So, after being contacted about this by by Seth Dickens, who is bringing along some colleagues tomorrow, we've decided to restart the tours / discussions tomorrow.
What's the theme this time? Rather than explore more real life cities (by no means exhausted, however, and I'm sure we'll return to this), I thought it would be interesting to explore some of Second Life's quests and treasure hunts, which offer engaging possibilities for anyone hoping to do something similar for language learning.
It's also something that I have researched for the Second Life Teen Grid project I am involved in, and recently revisted the quests on a tour to give some of the other people involved in the project an idea of what we were aiming for.
Second Life (SL) seems to be back in the news, thanks to the TV programme CSI:New York, which has featured the virtual world in some episodes and also launched a Second Life game based on the show (see video below). As there are competitions to solve crimes and track down murderers by finding clues and filing reports, it could be interesting to English language learners (I've only just joined in so I'm not sure how valuable it is yet).
(above - the CSI SL game also has its own SL viewer and simplified SL orientation to help players with the interface and the game. More photos here)
This transmedia storytelling (thanks to Ewan McIntosh for the link) seems to be something we'll be seeing a lot more of, and Second Life is an attractive option because it is cheaper to build a game using this platform than starting from scratch. It also takes advantage of its existing user base. Could this prove to be a second wind for SL, now that the hype / criticism cycle of the virtual world has slowed down.
Another example of this happening is the game that has been made in Second Life to coincide with the launch of the film I am Legion, which looks like a Hollywood version of the film 28 Weeks Later. The Second Life game is "a multiplayer first person shooter / RPG" game, and so is probably not as valuable as CSI is for language learning possibilities.
Eveything was set for 20.00GMT - I was waiting there for people to arrive when the region started logging out (this 'rolling restart' to regions happens occasionally when servers are reset etc.) . I was teleported to another sim and couldn't find my way back for another twenty minutes! Finally, I managed to get back to Edunation, but not to the Webheads HQ, which remained inaccessible for the rest of the evening.
Not able to proceed as planned, as people started to arrive, we sat back in the comfy bean bags and chatted, watched a Teachers TV podcast and then Dudeney G demonstrated the fabulous new Flickr in SL tool that he has been developing.
How does it work? Well, you can type a tag and then when you touch the too it displays an image from Flickr that has been tagged with this word. We all got carried away trying it out and much fun was had by all.
Find out more by watching the Voicethread slide show (below) and by reading the chat transcript below.
You can also go and check out the Webheads HQ @ Edunation, where hopefully we'll soon have a copy of the tool that you can play with.
SusNy Foss: Hi Baldric SusNy Foss: Edunation 3 can take up to 60 people Dudeney Ge: Graham - can you hear us now? SusNy Foss: Hi Graham can you hear us? Kita Coage: i'v lost sound .... SusNy Foss: People who wish to use the space for teaching would be added to the Consultants-E group Kita Coage: back SusNy Foss: Now we can just lean back and enjoy :-) Dudeney Ge: Video quality in SL is pretty good, I think SusNy Foss: Any smart way to see TV screen just in front of my eyes? SusNy Foss: Cam controls of course, but not fast enough Dudeney Ge: So put mouse pointer over screen, then Alt + left mouse button + move mouse forward SusNy Foss: Hmmm - got a trackball style mousie, not working that way Dudeney Ge shouts: People outside the glass! Come in!!!!! Pedro Lustre: hi all Dudeney Ge: Click the loudpseaker (bottom right) to get all seven audio volume controls Kita Coage: hi Pedro - long time ... :) Norse Writer: hi thre Dudeney Ge: Hi Pedro SusNy Foss: Hi Pedro, welcome Dudeney Ge: EduNation III has sunk into the ocean, so we're just relaxing instead You: aha...that's better Pedro Lustre is Offline Dudeney Ge: So, Graham, did you have any plans for the new space? You: good question, Gavin You: I was going to ask people what they thought should be there tonight You: what do people think? You: Sus, what do you think we need to put in the Webheads space? SusNy Foss: teachersTV look good SusNy Foss: I'm hypnotized Dudeney Ge: I had a little idea for a writing class in SL You: lol You: really? Norse Writer: me too Susny Norse Writer: :) Dudeney Ge: We're nearly finished designing a Flickr browser that will take a keyword and then go to FLickr and bring back pictures and display them on a screen, one every x second... I thought it might make a fun activity SusNy Foss: Well, well - as everyone could build there, either there will be a huge amount of useful stuff crowded all over, or chaos Dudeney Ge: If somebody wanted to do some creative writing - or similar Dudeney Ge: Chaos might be fun :-) You: it uses tags to find the pictures I presume? SusNy Foss: sounds like an interesting engine Dudeney Ge: Yes, so you can type 'Barcelona' and it will go and get an image tagged with Barcelona Norse Writer: The flickr idea sound great.... You: sounds like a lot of fun Dudeney Ge: We've got a basic model working SusNy Foss: Could you show this now? Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to Barcelona Norse Writer: btw. where can i get some more info/learn about how to interface web and SL? Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to Paris Norse Writer: cool Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to baldric You: seems to work well already Gavin SusNy Foss: Norse, I've got a SLTweet HUD so I can write on my Twitter form in world SusNy Foss: I sort of like it Dudeney Ge: It only does one at a time - I want it to do automatic every x seconds - but it's getting there Osnacantab Nesterov is Online Dudeney Ge: Yes, twittering from here is good You: lol that's funny...looks a little like onme of our cats Norse Writer: Realy SusNy - i must learn more about that.... Dudeney Ge: You can try it by typing /1 tag and then clicking the screen SusNy Foss: Where can I see the Flickr screen Helter Alexandre is Offline SusNy Foss: Got it Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Norse Writer to Oslo Flickr Browser whispers: I don't know what kind of picture to show you. Type '/1 sometag' to tell me what tag to search for on flickr and I'll remember it. Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Norse Writer to Oslo Dudeney Ge: It'll fall over if everyone does it at the same time :-) SLTweets Hud v0.78: SLTweets HUD Plus v0.78 SLTweets Hud v0.78: Hello Baldric, ready to Tweet? SLTweets Hud v0.78: Say '/123 help' for help SusNy Foss: / secondlife Norse Writer: he he Dudeney Ge: There's Oslo, apparently Flickr Browser whispers: I don't know what kind of picture to show you. Type '/1 sometag' to tell me what tag to search for on flickr and I'll remember it. Dudeney Ge: So it's /1 tag Dudeney Ge: Then left-click to get a pictire Norse Writer: it is Flickr Browser whispers: I don't know what kind of picture to show you. Type '/1 sometag' to tell me what tag to search for on flickr and I'll remember it. Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for SusNy Foss to secondlife Dudeney Ge: Check the blue floatingtext above it to see if it's fdoing anything at the moment floor: Please use the laptop keyboard to change slides. Dudeney Ge: I think it's running slowly due to SL - worked a lot quicker earlier Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to webheads SusNy Foss: sometimes it would make sense to move away from the group environment and watch one screen only Norse Writer: Well, SusNy if you could show me to some info about the web interface sometime I would appreciate it Dudeney Ge: Yep - that can be done by parcelling up the new place if needed SLTweets Hud v0.78: Contacting server... Dudeney Ge: So different media can be done in different spaces Norse Writer: cool SLTweets Hud v0.78: Your tweet has been posted on Twitter.Com. Dudeney Ge: The only trouble is you can't parcel floors - only flat space SusNy Foss: I also heard about a device for Could you place screen in the ceiling so we could lie flat down on the ground (or a mattress) Dudeney Ge: The screens can go anywhere you like SusNy Foss: oops - forget about first part of that sentence Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to beer Dudeney Ge: Hmmmm.... results can be .... unpredictable! Dudeney Ge: Yay! Beer! Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to edunation SusNy Foss: Fruitbars! Dudeney Ge: You need to click the screen now Baldric Dudeney Ge: And wait a little You: ok now I get it Bee Kerouac is Online Kita Coage is Online Dudeney Ge: First you set the tag, then click the screen Dudeney Ge: It needs a bit of reining Dudeney Ge: refining You: what about explicit content - I mean if you don't want that? Can you set it to only retrieve PG photos? Dudeney Ge: I'm also working on something that grabs a screenshot of a webpage dynamically and displays it on a screen Dudeney Ge: No - I'd have to investigate, Baldric - not sure if FLickr divides things up like that Dudeney Ge: The FLickr API is a little complicated You: I think you can turn on a parental or safe search button Dudeney Ge: Ah, ok - so it must be in the API as well - I'll take a look SusNy Foss: hmmm, explicit content - does that mean brutal violence? Bee Kerouac is Offline Dudeney Ge: Amongst other things, presumably :-) You: here comes dennis Flickr Browser whispers: I don't know what kind of picture to show you. Type '/1 sometag' to tell me what tag to search for on flickr and I'll remember it. Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for SusNy Foss to newborn You: hi Dennis Dudeney Ge: Hi Dennis floor: Please use the laptop keyboard to change slides. You: come down here and join us SusNy Foss: Dennis haning around! Osnacantab Nesterov: Hi, everyone. SL has been down for me. SusNy Foss: hanging You: we've had problems too Bee Kerouac is Online SusNy Foss: which keys could be used to change slides? Dudeney Ge: Keys? As in keyboard keys? SusNy Foss: is there a "laptop keybard " somewhere Dudeney Ge: At the moment you just click the screen to get a new one SusNy Foss: That's what the Fkickr screen whispers to me Dudeney Ge: I think that's the PPT screen behind it you're clicking Sus SusNy Foss: OHh I see Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to osnacantab SusNy Foss: multiple screen challenged Dudeney Ge: That photo doesn't look like Dennis at all! You: here comes bee Dudeney Ge: Hey Bee! SusNy Foss: Hello Bee Bee Kerouac: ouch You: hi bee..one more space left here Bee Kerouac: hi there SusNy Foss: have a beanbag seat You: come and take a seat Osnacantab Nesterov: Hey. How did my photo get there? SusNy Foss: lol SusNy Foss: you myst have tagged it on Flickr SusNy Foss: with osnacantab Osnacantab Nesterov: I did. You: lol...I put your tag in Osnacantab Nesterov: Harlech Beach! You: I like this a lot Gavin SusNy Foss: This is a Flickr show machine that is tag driven Dudeney Ge: It's quite good, isn't it? SusNy Foss: love it Dudeney Ge: Lots of possiblities You: bee, this tool Gavin's developing displays tagged flickr photos Bee Kerouac: looks interesting SusNy Foss: is there a script Bee Kerouac: how do you do it? Dudeney Ge: I'm working with EP to get it working perfectly - she's a genius Dudeney Ge: Yes. it's a script that links into the Flickr API Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to octopus SusNy Foss: Is that a script that you're going to make available or sell Dudeney Ge: Free, when it's finished SusNy Foss: sounds perfect Dudeney Ge: One tries :-) Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to baldric Osnacantab Nesterov: How does this marvellous free motive work on the Internet? Bee Kerouac: too much lag here Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to beeconch Dudeney Ge: I love the whole Baldric = cat thing Dudeney Ge: You're lagging? You: just tagged one of bees photos Able Thursday is Offline Bee Kerouac: lagging behind...definitely Dudeney Ge: I've only got 1.2% packet loss You: I suppose if there's no image it shows the black screen Gavin? Dudeney Ge: I'm getting 57 FPS - is anyone else lagging hugely? Dudeney Ge: Yep Bee Kerouac: almost 3rds red here You: I'm not lagging Bee Kerouac: how do you project the photos from Flickr here? Osnacantab Nesterov: I'm seeing 4 black tyres. Norse Writer: im not lagging right now Bee Kerouac: can I project mine? SusNy Foss: apparently no problem here Dudeney Ge: The screen queries the Flickr API then sets the parcel media texture to the image, Bee Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to hss07 Bee Kerouac: greek to me but understand API somewhat Dudeney Ge: Bee - type Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to tag Dudeney Ge: and then left-click the screen Bee Kerouac: oh this is the summer school Dudeney Ge: type /1 tag Bee Kerouac: in january Dudeney Ge: e.g. /1 Barcelona SusNy Foss: yes, you're right Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for SusNy Foss to Copenhagen You: it works really well with special tags Dudeney Ge: Yes, it does floor: Please use the laptop keyboard to change slides. Bee Kerouac: 1/ozzie Dudeney Ge: I'm going to try to get it to set a diferent media texture for each avatar - so we could have one with communal browsing and one that only you see what's on it Bee Kerouac: how do Ihange the tags? Dudeney Ge: So one screen would serve each avatar the picture of their choice - on the same screen Dudeney Ge: Bee type /1 tag Dudeney Ge: e.g. /1 Barcelona SusNy Foss: very useful feature indeed Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to ozzie Norse Writer: yeah, a realy nice feature. Dudeney Ge: Then left-click the screen to get an image Dudeney Ge: You have to wait about five seconds or so after you left-click the screen while it gets the image and displays it Bee Kerouac: oopsz..this is not mine SusNy Foss: others might use same tag Bee Dudeney Ge: Must be a cat called ozzie SusNy Foss: yes :-) cute Flickr Browser whispers: I don't know what kind of picture to show you. Type '/1 sometag' to tell me what tag to search for on flickr and I'll remember it. Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to babi Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Kita Coage to kulkanin Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to farruca Dudeney Ge: Anyway, it's one new tool we're working on for some fun. When it's finished I'll dsitribute copies Bee Kerouac: lol SusNy Foss: Please do Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to gavindudeney Dudeney Ge: Nothing :-( Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to London Bus Dudeney Ge: Hmmm...... Bee Kerouac: roling restarts Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for SusNy Foss to Farum Dudeney Ge: People need a lesson in good tagging! SusNy Foss: tag literacy Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Baldric Commons to dudeney Dudeney Ge: Still, I think it might have a few creative uses Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to mairinque SusNy Foss: this is near my home! SusNy Foss: our local lake Dudeney Ge: I think you're confusing the poor thing! Dudeney Ge: Nice! Bee Kerouac: lol You: ha ha...we're getting carried away Dudeney Ge: I think one that could serve individual avatars would be good too SusNy Foss: I think I would call this a good evening Bee Kerouac: what did you do beforehand? SusNy Foss: and back leaned Dudeney Ge: Chatted, watched some Teachers TV, wondered where EduNation III had gone! Bee Kerouac: look Norse Writer: :) You: we were wiaitng to get into the Webheads HQ bee...but never made it out of these comfy seats SusNy Foss: smalltalked a bit about rolling restart and lost horizons Dudeney Ge: And islands underwater Bee Kerouac: right Dudeney Ge: They say sims come up 'some hours after the rolling restart finishes' Dudeney Ge: So I guess EduNation III will be back tomorrow SusNy Foss: has anyone reconstructed Atlantis Osnacantab Nesterov: Do you all prefer typing to talking? You: funnt though...the other two islands also restarted but they are up now Dudeney Ge: I quite like typing You: me too Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to mairinque Bee Kerouac: ah sushi is there Dudeney Ge: I have someone sitting near me watching TV Dudeney Ge: So voice can be annoying Dudeney Ge: Sushi! Osnacantab Nesterov: I didn't realise sound was on!! Bee Kerouac: anyone wants to buy a puppy called sushi? Bee Kerouac: a giant schanuzer Chris Eggplant is Offline Dudeney Ge: Not really - the cat would;t be too happy Bee Kerouac: schnauzer Dudeney Ge: Dennis - do you hear voice ok? Bee Kerouac: I do Bee Kerouac: can hear you laughing Bee Kerouac: this would be a wonderful device for my keynote Bee Kerouac: beautiful floor: Please use the laptop keyboard to change slides. Chris Eggplant is Online Bee Kerouac: can you have a slideshow on this? Dudeney Ge: Bee - we're working on a slideshow mode now Dudeney Ge: So it will do a tag and display an image every x seconds Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Norse Writer to Flaam Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to nola2007 Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Kita Coage to kulkanin Ladyjane Plympton is Offline Bee Kerouac: how do you call this device? Osnacantab Nesterov: Who? Dudeney Ge: It's a prototype of a Flickr Browser Dudeney Ge: But it hasn't got a name yet Dudeney Ge: Maybe SLickr! SusNy Foss: Dennis, can you hear us SusNy Foss: SLickr Bee Kerouac: good name Osnacantab Nesterov: No. I can hear you fine....My wife just came in and reminded me we are leaving early for Berlin. Bee Kerouac: dennis travels all the time ! You: Dennis is presenting SL in Berlin, isn't that right? Osnacantab Nesterov: 3 hours by train. SusNy Foss: so does Bee Dudeney Ge: Are you talking about SL, Dennis? You: Dogme in SL...very impressive Dudeney Ge: Nice! SusNy Foss: for which audience Dennis? Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to Berlin Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Bee Kerouac to natureincircles Bee Kerouac: I cannot see them Nobody Fugazi is Online Flickr Browser: Setting the tag for Dudeney Ge to golden gate Bee Kerouac: lots of echo here Bee Kerouac: thank you for sharing it with us Howie Yoshikawa: ok, good night Bee Kerouac: gnight You: goodnight everyone Dudeney Ge: Goodnight! You: good luck in berlin dennis Dudeney Ge is Offline Osnacantab Nesterov is Offline SusNy Foss: Pajama party! Kita Coage: nice meeting with you again :) hope to see you soon again
In Japan, 30% of those surveyed by Goo Research’s online monitor group would like to. Or at least that's what was said in April this year (I've only just seen this now) - I wonder, if you asked the same people now, would the answer be any different? How many of those people have tried to study English in Second Life? And, Perhaps the answer would have been different if they had used a different verb instead of study - learn or practise, for example.
It's amazing what you find by chance...
I came across the What Japan Thinks survey ("Are you interested in studying English in Second Life?") while trying to find out the source of an extremely annoying error message* that keeps nagging my avatar (see below). Needless to say, I got sidetracked and now find myself blogging about the survey instead of finding the solution to my Second Life problem.
From what I gathered, I think most people agreed the idea of supplementing (i.e. using it for blended learning) is the most probable use of Second Life.
The British Council Second Life project (which I'm involved in), for example, will be using this virtual world as a way of having contact with people the organisation does not normally reach (as well as exisiting customers) , and offering extra resources, events, etc. for learners to supplement face-to-face classes. You can read more about this at my avatar's blog (not much there at the moment, but I'll be posting more frequently from now on).
The Second-Life-only company Languagelab.com , however, will be offering courses there (they are still in beta at the moment) , and they have started offering a variety of 'formal, informal and social' ways of learning English. I had the opportunity to take a tour of the languagelab.com islands this summer and was most impressed with the amount of thought and work that has gone into the company and methodology. They also have some very bright minds working on the project, which should show favourable results.
There are also other people that have been using Second Life for teaching language classes, and have gone through some interesting changes in the way their facilities are being used as a result. The English Village is the one that springs to mind, who have changed the way they conduct classes, from imitating sit-down-real-life classes through holodecks and (the latest I've seen) pirate role-playing games.
One thing is certain - I'm certain that we're going to see and hear a lot more about language learning in Second Life over the next year or so.
* The annoying message is one that informs me "Online Monitor: Time's Up, Baldric Commons - you need a break from the computer..." when I've been in Second Life for over 30 minutes. I can't seem to find what device is causing this message to be displayed - if anyone can help, please let me know and I'll buy you a virtual beer...
