Suffern Middle School in Second Life

Kevin Jarrett passed along this great tool for putting together a quick video –This one is to get some of the 8th grade kids interested in the Tech Club! ANIMOTO is an awesome tool! Perfect for ‘puter phobics!

A picture says a thousand words?

Is that an inappropriate sentiment for a blog ?!?!!?

Thanks to all who are with me along the way.

What an exciting time to be an educator! VOTE HERE!

Ok OK – I know – Thirty lashes with a flexi prim for my lapse in blogging! So much going on – and very interesting comparisons to make. Remember – I promised the truth and the whole truth so here we go:

A new approach for our Library Media class. This is a ten week class that teaches the research process and is product oriented as the kids use the TV studio and iMovie to complete a visual presentation of their research. Catherine Conley, the teacher, developed the curriculum and is an outstanding educator (National Board certified) She is also a very organized and structured teacher and has learned how to get an incredible amount of learning into 10 short weeks. For this reason, it was especially crucial that her students truly transferred their learning into the virtual world in an authentic manner and one that would not require “extra” time added to the unit—To learn the research process the kids are asked to explore a topic that supports the science curriculum. This semester they chose catastrohic events.

The list was narrowed down to: volcanoes, floods, global warming, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. In order to conduct their research they are taught note-taking and source validation, proper citation etc. Mrs. Conley chose to conduct her final week in Second Life. The kids have already created a movie – complete with soundtrack, voice-over and effects. They are now asked to engage in debate to convince the class that their catastrophic event is the most worthy of receiving government funding. Here’s what we did:
Rather than giving the kids the normal day or two to become acclimated, we had them rez directly onto the Science Island right near the Weather Center (FireSabre has built an incredible volcano and a simulated earthquake!) The students were directed in a very structured, step by step manner exactly what to do and how to:
1. upload a photo
2. attach a note-card to it with the research they had already conducted in bulleted points
3. add scripts to deliver note-card
4. place their “exhibit” in the weather center museum.

They then had a day to use Decka’s pods to hold discussions and select the most important issues pertaining to the catastrophic event that they were going to defend as the most deserving of funding. Most kids grasped things pretty quickly and stayed on task – there were therefore, mostly identical generic avatars and purple shirts abounded! The discussions were less focused than other experiences we have had in the past, (samples below) and the final conclusion was that there is no one “right” answer. Each of the disasters caused different problems: some intense damage to property, some loss of lives, some financial and others environmentally damaging the earth itself—

So – here’s the deal —-Initially I was very opposed to having the kids start the project without first getting a chance to alter their appearance and explore – to learn to chat and IM and exchange friendship – to explore their inventory and start to build simple things – in other words, to PLAY! I felt that a major aspect of our past successes was the degree of investment that the kids felt, and that the level of participation and discourse was contingent upon the extent of identification they had with their own avatar.

I was wrong.

True, there didn’t seem to be an especially deep level of discourse,but perhaps this was because the topic being discussed was not a personal one (such as in the Body Image Unit) and perhaps it was because these kids are not as invested in the topic or were fully saturated after 10 weeks of working with it.

But = here’s the reality – In 5 days these kids accomplished so much I could barely beieve it! I had assumed that without really investing some time in avatar and identity they would not be as likely to participate but the one thing that Mrs. Conley did say is that overall participation improved dramatically.
Next time we try this she wants to eliminate the museum exhibit portion and focus instead on debate and rhetoric. We will have Poinkey’s Pods on Ramapo by then and they should facilitate great discussion. We’ll see – (I know you are all dying to know what Poinkey’s Pods are , but all I will tell you for now is that Decka designed them!) Here are some examples –good and bad of the chat logs of discussions and some pics of the Weather Center Museum:

OK – I am logged into Ramapo trying my hand at Flexi PRIMS – working quietly over on Airmont Island and I get this IM:

[13:19] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Hi ms Shehe! Im making a fortune! I made 30 L by making products! I put a jetpack script in two slippers!
[13:20] Chaser Brody: WHOOT! THAT’S TERRIFIC!
[13:20] Chaser Brody: come and show me OK? May I TP you?
[13:20] Bokontor SMSTrekker: one sec, Im in the middle of a sale right now!
[13:20] Chaser Brody: LOL OK
[13:24] Bokontor SMSTrekker: ok, im done
[13:24] Bokontor SMSTrekker: can you tp me?
[13:24] Chaser Brody: Ready for a tp?
[13:24] Bokontor SMSTrekker: yup
[13:25] Chaser Brody: May I take a pic for the blog?
[13:25] Bokontor SMSTrekker: ok
(Bokontor then passes me a free pair of the slippers!)
[13:26] Chaser Brody: Wow! thank you – I will still pay you!
[13:26] Bokontor SMSTrekker: thank you so much!\
[13:27] Bokontor SMSTrekker: I made more things!
[13:27] Bokontor SMSTrekker: want to see them?
[13:27] Bokontor SMSTrekker: ok
[13:27] Chaser Brody: So – How did you get people to know about your product?
[13:28] Bokontor SMSTrekker: It was pretty easy, I just found and avatar, and offered!
[13:29] Chaser Brody: Was there anyone who tried to negotiate a lower price?
[13:30] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Well, yes, I did have someone have 5L$ instead of my normal price, 10L$, so I didnt refuse! 5L$ is better than nothing right?
[13:30] Chaser Brody: that’s right
[13:30] Chaser Brody: it is a good beginning
[13:30] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Yeah
[13:30] Chaser Brody: Now what are your plans for the future?
[13:31] Bokontor SMSTrekker: I plan to know about more scripts, and keep creating things, better and better!
[13:31] Bokontor SMSTrekker: But I am not working alone!
[13:32] Chaser Brody: Tell me about it please..
[13:32] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Zelian SMSVoyager, came up with all of the ideas
[13:32] Chaser Brody: Ahhh so you are collaborating?
[13:32] Bokontor SMSTrekker: I make and sell them
[13:32] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Yes!
[13:32] Chaser Brody: Very cool
[13:33] Chaser Brody: Well keep up the great work and let me know about any other creations you have for sale
[13:33] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Oh, I have pleanty for sale right now!
[13:33] Bokontor SMSTrekker: and thank you!
[13:33] Chaser Brody: Remember to keep them original and perhaps you may want to open a small shop and advertise
[13:34] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Good idea! I will work towards that!
[13:34] Chaser Brody: remember you can make a sign on the Ramapo Work and Play Area that will TP residents to your shop in the air!
[13:34] Chaser Brody: Think of a good name and a slogan
[13:34] Bokontor SMSTrekker: that is awesome! thank you!
[13:34] Chaser Brody: Your welcome
[13:35] Chaser Brody: Have fun!
[13:35] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Hmmmm…..I’ll get on the slogan! I have a name already
[13:35] Chaser Brody: Want to share ?
[13:35] Chaser Brody: What is the name?
[13:35] Bokontor SMSTrekker: The name is (G-H) The letters stand for our last names
[13:36] Chaser Brody: OK
[13:36] Chaser Brody: So think of a catchy slogan – look at successful marketing in the real world
[13:36] Chaser Brody: NIKE = “Just Do IT” etc.
[13:36] Chaser Brody: I will post this in the blog now
[13:36] Bokontor SMSTrekker: Ok! Thank you for your support!
[13:36] Chaser Brody: People will get a real kick out of it
[13:37] Chaser Brody: and by the time you are ready for the Main Grid you will be an established business!
[13:37] Chaser Brody: Bye now! I’m back to trying to make this flag flexi
[13:38] Bokontor SMSTrekker: ok bye!

How cool is this? I got Bokontor to come over to me for a photo opportunity :