Virtual Campus Blog

This came via email from our good friend Fleep at Ohio Learning Network:

Just a reminder/invitation to join us tomorrow for February’s OLN Second Life event with guest speaker Dr. Douglas Danforth, from Ohio State University.  Here are the details (please note the time zones, tomorrow’s event is 2PM EST for Ohio folks):

2/11/09 11AM SLT (2PM EST) – Douglas Danforth (SL: DrDoug Pennell) – Ohio State University
Guest speaker Douglas Danforth (SL: DrDoug Pennell) will discuss the Ohio State University Second Life presence, and then following Q&A, will take us on a tour of the OSU island – including a giant model of the human testes that you can fly through!    Join us for an engaging discussion about how OSU is using Second Life and how virtual worlds can be used to experience 3D models in a new way.

If you’ve never attended before, you will need to create a Second Life account prior to the meeting at http://secondlife.com and sign up to request access to the OLN island at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pHSojRbSnGxe3y8FjdxEWJg&hl=en

The meetings are very newbie friendly, so don’t be worried if you aren’t too experienced with Second Life yet!

We usually use a combination of voice chat using Second Life’s built in Voice-Over-IP tool and regular text chat.  You do not need a headset/microphone to be able to hear the voice chat, but if you wish to speak in voice at the meetings, you will need a headset/microphone to participate.  These headsets can be purchased at any store that sells electronics equipment (Walmart, Best Buy, etc.) and usually cost between $30-60 USD.  Please note: Due to issues with echo and reverberation, using a microphone built into your computer or laptop is NOT recommended!  When someone else is speaking, the sound travels out of the computer speakers and back into the built-in microphone causing very loud distortion.  A headset/microphone resolves this issue and is the recommended way to use voice in Second Life.

Second Life Location:  http://slurl.com/secondlife/OLN%20Island/128/127/26/

And don’t forget to save the dates for the remaining OLN Second Life Events!

3/4/09 9AM SLT (11AM EST) – Daniel Livingstone (SL: Buddy Sprocket) – University of The West of Scotland
Guest speaker Daniel Livingstone (SL: Buddy Sprocket) will demonstrate the open source SLOODLE project, to be implemented on the Ohio Learning Network island in Spring 2009.  SLOODLE is an Open Source project which integrates the multi-user virtual environment of Second Life® with the Moodle ® learning-management system. Sloodle provides a range of tools for supporting learning and teaching to the immersive virtual world; tools which are fully integrated with a tried and tested web-based learning management system used by hundreds of thousands of educators and students.

4/9/09 11AM SLT (2PM EST) – Brenda Boyd (SL: Stargazer Blazer) – Miami University
Guest speaker Brenda Boyd (SL: Stargazer Blazer) will discuss Miami University’s Second Life project, and her experiences as Dean of Insight Virtual College, an institution that teaches Second Life skills.  Following Q&A, we will take a tour of the Miami University and Insight Virtual College campuses and learn practical tips about teaching in Second Life!

5/5/09 9AM SLT (11AM EST) – Anthony Fontana (SL: AnthonyFontana Chevalier) and Bonnie Mitchell (SL: BonnieMitchell Miles) – Bowling Green State University
Guest speakers Anthony Fontana (SL: AnthonyFontana Chevalier) and Bonnie Mitchell (SL: BonnieMitchell Miles) will discuss their experiences facilitating a Second Life Learning Community at BGSU.  Following Q&A, we will take a tour of the BGSU campus in Second Life and learn more about facilitating learning communities in both the virtual and the real world.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Sincerely,

– Chris/Fleep

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!