Tame The Web

Via John Kirriemuir

http://www.silversprite.com/?p=540

Academics who have successfully developed in SL report that their host institution and technical services are largely supportive, though with the latter there are often problems with firewalls, PC capability and enabling voice functionality. Academics report varied reactions to SL from colleagues, ranging from interest and curiosity to suspicion and “hatred”. Unlike their US counterparts, UK academic libraries are not significantly involved in SL activities.

Academics described a very wide range of SL activities spanning teaching, learning, research, performance, construction and demonstration. The key advantage of SL in teaching and learning is that there are many activities in which the student must be more than a passive learner in order to progress. The student has to develop “stuff”, collaborate and participate. Before these can occur, he or she has to master a new and transferable skill set, meaning that, in SL, learning is done more by participating and doing than by listening and absorbing.

John Kirriemuir writes:

http://www.silversprite.com/?p=537

The latest snapshot report on UK Higher and Further Education developments in Second Life is nearing completion; the report should be out in a few weeks. Here’s the responses to one particular question, from academics who have been developing and/or using SL in their work.

• Generally a gimmick, though I think a few places who innovate are trying it out.
• Hatred of any new technology by those within a decade of retirement. They hate change, they hate having to learn anything new, and they just want a quiet life until they drift off. Unfortunately, these same people hold the power within faculty.
• Generally – with caution, the value of learning using ‘serious games’ and virtual worlds in general is being questioned.
• Varies considerably from fear and rejection, to healthy scepticism to evangelical enthusiasm.
• With much interest.
• Mainly with suspicion. To many lecturers, it simply looks too much like a video game, leading to negative assumptions. I am tired with people, and I refer mainly to senior academics, who are too idle to experiment with Second Life. Instead, they prefer to reinforce their incorrect prejudice. Many, I guess, don’t like it as it represents change or something different. Which may mean more work for them in the decreasing gap between now and when they retire. Personally, I wish they would all sod off; if they aren’t going to help our Second Life activities, then at least stop hindering them.
• Mixed - some people think it is a game and not serious others recognise its potential.
• I don’t think there is much informed awareness of either its potential or its limitations and, of course, there is bound to be a fair bit of concern about the less savoury aspects. The ability to run a private grid behind a firewall in due course may allay the concerns of some, albeit at some considerable loss.
• With enthusiasm and imagination by a minority, and with doubt, fear and even derision by the rest…
• Do you know how [expletive] off I am with people who, on being told about Second Life, respond with “Maybe you should get a First Life?” Like, they’re the first person ever to think up that devastatingly witty reply. Oh, how we laugh. Ha [expletive] ha.

Some sweeping statements on both sides of the spectrum and a dash of ageism for sure. This interests me as educators in my network look to incorporate SL into their teaching. It’s amazing how varying the responses can be and how similar the responses are to the things that have come before.

Patricia Uttaro, Assistant Director, System Services at the Monroe County Library System in New York, writes:

I’ve been meaning to write to you for awhile to fill you in on activities in the Monroe County Library System since your visit here in 2006.  The system now has an Emerging Technology Committee that just celebrated its first anniversary. At our last meeting, I asked if anyone was ready to drop off the team after a busy year, and the response I got from one and all was “No Way! We’re having way to much fun!”

This semester I am working with a student at The College of St. Catherine (Dominican has partnered with the school for a few years) on an independent study examining the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of Second Life Users. Check it out:

http://librariandreamer.wordpress.com/ 

I constructed this research project because I desperately want to know more about people who use virtual worlds. Knowing more about the users can help librarians who are experimenting with how to provide library services and information there.

Virtual worlds present a unique opportunity for librarians to creatively apply the mandate they have to serve user communities. A better understanding of user traits, preferences, needs & behaviors can help design the best services and resources for, and in collaboration with, the denizens of virtual worlds like SL.

This post links to a PDF of the proposal. I am looking forward to working with Margaret this semester. If you’re curious, please monitor her blog for more.

Warlick:

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/04/17/first-impressions-of-second-life/

I visited again this morning, and am sure that there are buildings there that weren’t there yesterday — big ones. I must admit a real sense of space there, and I’ve already made some friends, most of whom I have no idea who they are in RL (that’s real life). I did meet one guy (I guess) who admitted to being a principal in Vermont. He wouldn’t share his name, however, for fear of my thinking that all principals in Vermont have nothing better to do than wonder around, zombie like, in Second Life.

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/04/18/the-stolen-flame/

Anyway, as I was flying around, looking for the paramecium, I ran across this, a virtual memorial to the victims of the Virginia Tech Massacre. It was quiet. Three other avatars were there. Lots of flowers and pictures of many of the victims on the wall.

There was also a pedistal, with nothing on it, entitled, “The Stolen Flame!”

Richardson:

http://weblogg-ed.com/2007/setting-up-shop-in-second-life/

So I mentioned recently that I’ve been spending some time in Second Life, and with some great help from Kevin Jarrett, I’ve now actually got my own “office” space with a view on EduIsland II. If you click on the picture, you’ll see that last night as I was decorating with the help of “Clare Lane” when lo and behold, in walked some guy named “Suriwang Dapto” who looked strangely familiar. Glasses…beard…lookin’ like a 70s holdover…WAIT! It’s David Warlick! Seems he’s setting up an office right next door!

Fascinating take on Second Life, health libraries and a look at some intiatives within SL for healthcare training.

http://www.slideshare.net/digicmb/second-life-libraries/

I appreciate the fact sites like slideshare allow us to get to content like this so easily and image sets, such as http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/sets/72157594399807060/ - Communities of Practice in SL - allow us to see what other groups are doing.

Network Services Staff Avatars in Second Life

Originally uploaded by Nebraska Library Commission.

What a nice why to inspire curiosity about Second Life!

Can you guess who is who? Wondering about libraries in Second Life. Visit the Info Island blog to find out more about library services in the virtual world. infoisland.org

http://tnl.net/blog/2007/01/05/running-the-numbers-on-second-life/

Fascinating discussion and analysis of SL stats. Read the comments too.

And Reuters offers a listing of SL articles at: http://secondlife.reuters.com/stories/category/second-life/ - Thanks to Jody at Hennepin County for sending that link.

Check out this post about an exhibit in Second Life from The Alzheimer Society of Ontario, in partnership with the Second Life Library 2.0:

http://freshtakes.typepad.com/sl_communicators/2006/12/public_affairs_.html

Some of the most powerfully delivered experiences in Second Life are delivered simply. Although the brand builds of recent months are impressive, very few communicate.

Our brains are wired for simulation - that is what our pre-frontal lobes are for. Virtual social worlds like Second Life lend to captivating the brain completely and engaging the emotions through that “being there” reaction.

I am fascinated to see more simulation, experience and engagement in Second Life. Next spring, Follet Chair Ed Valauskas is teaching a seminar on “Virtual Worlds” that will include SL. I’m eager to see how library schools can embrace SL for library education.

Via The Church of the Customer Blog comes a link to an essay by Jeff Barr about presenting in Second Life:

http://www.jeff-barr.com/?p=707

We might also use it as a guide for getting comfortable in SL as more librarians come into the environment:

Spend time in world
Attend some events
Master the basics
Dress the part

(This include some useful links, including a links to SL Clothing sites. I think my black shirt, jeans and flip flops are getting tired.)

The mayor of Cybrary City, Paul Miller of Talis, will officially welcome Cybrary City residents and other interested librarians on Wed, December 6 at 2:30 pm sl time, 4:30 central, and 5:30 Eastern to welcome everyone. The welcome will be held on the plaza in front of the new conference center. Second Life Blog

A few of the Dominican faculty gathered and we projected my Mac running SL up on the screen in a library training room yesterday for this event. Afterward, we toured some areas of the island and SL in general. My avatar got stuck in a sitting position so I think he (I) made sort of a spectacle at the gathering!

We told everyone we were viewing from Dominican University!

Jill Hurst-Wahl writes about a recent visit by a TV news crew asking her to talk about Second Life:

Below is a link to the news story online as well as the video. It ran in the second spot on the 11 p.m. news, because it was evidently a slow news night. Good for me though.

The reporter was interested in SL because she had heard a bit about it and then had explored, and just thought it would be a good story. She and I spent nearly an hour together talking and going through SL, so there is lots that didn’t make it on the air. (And that gives me an opportunity to suggest at least one follow-up story.) What was amazing was that the crew was interested in what SL is, and even the meteorologist came up to me afterwards and wanted to know what we were talking about.

At the Talis Cybrary w/TalisPaul

Originally uploaded by mstephens7.

I visited the new Talis Cybrary in Second Life this evening and chatted with Paul Miller’s avatar about SL, libraries, and our beautiful view.

Please read his post about the Talis/SLL2.0 initiative here:

http://blogs.talis.com/panlibus/archives/2006/11/talis_helps_bri.php

I can’t emphasize this point enough, and have said similar in recent presentations: Come on in and take a look around, whether with the intention of in-world service delivery, to better understand the possibilities raised by the next generation of environments that will undoubtedly follow Second Life, or just to join me sitting on the roof of the office tower, dangling our legs over the side and watching the world go by.

This weekend in my LIS753 class we were able to visit second Life and the Second Life Information Island/Library 2.0. I logged in and walked around while the class watched on the big screen. We encountered some folks in a training session, a couple of librarians and visitors to the island. It was fascinating. The discussion that followed was lively. I hope to do more with SL in future classes. Understanding the virtual experiences that some folks are seeking out and the worlds they are building are important parts of the information landscape.

Here’s an article as well via Dr. Kate Marek at Dominican: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1005/p13s02-legn.html