Interesting times ahead

[J Pearce]

I find this experience quite a challenge. I use Second Life (SL) to meet in world friends, do a little land speculation (YES! You can make real money!), I design and make virtual clothes, learn building and scripting skills and all in my own private personal time. MY TIME! Whilst I have read a lot about the numerous universities and learning groups sharing this world with me, I have not ventured too far into the serious side of SL. This has definately been my play thing and not my work thing. I had been a member of SL for about 5 months by the time I heard speakers at the NAACE conference offering it as the "next move". Intersting times ahead, I thought and certainly for the under 18s sector, if the speakers were right. Maybe not SL but certainly any "virtual online world" is not too far away from virtual classrooms or meeting rooms for sure!

I type "giz" "lemme" "laff" and use SL lingo - TP, LM and IM with a carefree attitude; afterall I am not at work. How hard will it be, to change my ways, when in an environment, full of collegues rather than friends. I wonder if I need to. My biggest wonder is - am I going through the same thoughts and feelings that pupils would go through if they were given the opportunity to do this. This is a huge grey area for me being familar with SL - Not work. Not social. All work. All social. I think I need to learn where and how the two blend - WOCIAL. Have I just invented a new word that describes this mingling of the two?

Interesting times......

[Leon Cych]

Well I have only been in SL 6 times and I am almost overwhelmed and on the one hand trying to reinforce my own basic skills by making learning materials and on the other venture out into the world to meet interesting people.

I seem to make great leaps forward with the bigger concepts in world but then stumble over the basics. Like tonight, I met someone called Azwaldo Vilotta making Questbots at an educational conference on the fly. He sent me to the SL museum where I had to find stuff. His bots greeted and guided me around the place - pity I couldn't attend any keynotes or even see where the auditorium was. It's all still a bit Alice in Wonderland for me. I hope we can all gain from your expertise!