The area of the BGSU Virtual Campus known as Community Island has been growning over the last few months. The Center for Teaching and Learning build is nearly complete. Visit the CTL tree and click on the apples to receive various notecards on teaching and learning.

Teleport to the Center for Teaching and Learning in SL!

Architecture Instructor and BGSU Virtual Campus Co-Administrator Audra Magermans (Vesta Dreamscape in SL) has designed the new build for the Center for Online and Blended Learning (COBL) which will completed by May 2009. The building has been built in-world by Elizabeth Osterhues, a BGSU Virtual Campus 3D Environment Developer.

Teleport to the Center for Online and Blended Learning in SL!

The Archricecture Department at BGSU now has an office on BGSU Community Island, also designed by Audra Magermans.

Teleport to the Architecture Departmental Office in SL!

The Student Technology Center will also open later this semester and will feature a “Welcome area refresher course”. Using slides, notecards, and videos  StudentTech  will offer a range of support for faculty and staff who need  information on University supported software, the Laptop Loan program, workshops available, as well as navigating your avatar and the Second Life user-interface (UI).

Teleport to the Student Technology Center in SL!

Yesterday marked the start of the SL Education Support Faire. Information about the faire can be found here: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Education_Support_Faire#Monday.2C_January_26.2C_2009

The Ohio Learning Network has a booth at the faire where BGSU has a box for distributing our “Island Features” notecard as well as BGSU T-shirts.

Click here to teleport: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Olde/96/84/29

Representatives from SLoodle (http://www.sloodle.org/moodle/), the SL Moodle LMS mashu-up, were also at the faire.

Mardi Gras Conference 2009
Virtual Worlds: New Realms for Culture, Creativity, Commerce, Computation and Communication
February 19-21, 2009
Sheraton Conference Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

http://www.mardigrasconference.org

Although the concept of virtual worlds has deep roots within the world of networked computing, it is only within
the past few years that virtual worlds have captured the imagination of so many in such diverse fields as art, music, business, philosophy, psychology, sociology and mass communication. Moreover, there have been very few events that have tried to organize a broad interdisciplinary perspective around virtual worlds, their adoption by various constituencies, and their use by artists, musicians, historians, designers, educators, archivists, computer scientists, gamers, businesses and entrepreneurs.

The 2009 Mardi Gras Conference will bring together individuals working in this broad area in an attempt to foster
information exchange, enable community building and project future trends across the multitude of disciplines
that have engaged this technology.  Following the conference, a true New Orleans Mardi Gras experience awaits–
the Endymion Parade.

INVITED PRESENTERS INCLUDE:
Noshir Contractor – "From Disasters to WoW: Understanding & Enabling Networks in the 21st Century"
Tony O’Driscoll – "Avoiding the Routinization Trap: Leveraging Virtual Worlds for Strategic Differentiation"
Benjamin Duranske – "Virtual Law for Non-Lawyers: Justice on the New Frontier"
Eric Call – "Improving Aesthetics in Virtual Worlds"
David Noah (Workshop) – "Virtual Worlds and Education"

IMPORTANT DATES:
Early-bird registration closes January 8, 2009
Conference lodging block closes January 19, 2009

See tentative program at:  http://www.mardigrasconference.org/program.php

The Mardi Gras ‘09 Conference on Virtual Worlds is sponsored by the Center for Computation and Technology,
Louisiana State University.

For more information, visit www.mardigrasconference.org