My First Online Experience
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009For some reason, it wouldn’t let me comment on the previous post, so I am just going to post my own.
For as long as I can remember, there was a computer in my classroom. However, this is not e-learning, nor was it a virtual learning environment. Sure, I can type faster than my parents, and know the shortcuts on a Mac as a result, but I was not formally learning anything. Harasim quotes Marc Belanger by saying that e-learning “ encourages people to take charge of their stuation and use what is at hand to increase their social, political and economic influences.” (66) It is exciting to know that the same internet that can bring smut to every outlet can also bring an education. You no longer have to be “at college,” now you can just be “in college.” And while face to face learning appears to still be the more popular option, online classes are a very viable option, that is only growing in reliability and usability.
On that note, virtual learning environments is any system used over the internet designed for teaching and learning. It does not have to be “MOOing” or a collaborative virtual learning environment, it can be as simple as text correspondence, or as complicated as second-life, or even world of warcraft, if used in the right way. They can be real-time or not, but e-learning must be the ultimate goal of all parties involved.
Harasim talked about the three cognitive phases involved in intellectual development and collaborative learning, they are idea generating, idea linking and idea convergence. And this is the basis for the e-learning that millions of students in the United States alone are taking part in. It is building and gaining from a knowledge community and professors but over the internet.
This is my first time taking an entire semester online. I have taken one online class before, and I was less than thrilled with the outcome. I found that it was hard to keep on top of, and technology was not the strongpoint of either myself or my instructor. However, during my undergraduate experience we used Blackboard in order to supplement classes, and that was always a very pleasant experience. I am not saying by any means that VLE’s are ineffective, in fact, I think they are harder to take than many in classroom classes, but in the past, my experience with a class taken entirely online was convoluted and hard to parse. My school did use something called LearnLink, or First Class, which besides being the e-mail platform, it consisted of conferences for every group or class that you were a part of. It made communication easier than ever, and while it was not used for actual learning experiences, I think it could serve that purpose if necessary. It was most effective because every time someone posted something, a red flag appeared next to the icon, therefore, at the same time you were checking your traditional e-mail, you could check your Learnlink updated all with double click of the mouse. We used it as a fancy bulletin board, but it can absolutely be used as a classroom with a little tinkering.
I am however, very excited about this class, the nature of it mirrors the nature of the program here at the new school that attracted me in the first place. Not only are we studying e-learning and VLE’s, but we are participating in it. We are walking the line between theory and practice, and in academia there is nothing better than that.
Visit Us in Second Life
Friday, August 1st, 2008Hi all,
Please visit us in the Globalhood office space in the Nonprofit Commons. Click here to teleport, or copy/paste our slurl into your browser:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/229/190/26/?title=Globalhood
Thanks for a great semester.
Have a lovely weekend,
-Group 9: Ali, Juan and Theresa
Originally from http://vlegroup9.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/visit-us-in-second-life/
Project Summary – VLE Group 9 (cont.)
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008Your project may introduce a change to the way in which the nonprofit engages in outreach. In order for your project to be sustainable, what do you foresee will need to happen within the nonprofit?
The sustainability of our project lies in Globalhood’s commitment to the nonprofit community in Second Life, and commitment to maintaining their space. As part of the tenant agreement, Globalhood committed to maintaining an SL presence for a minimum of two hours per week, and at least two hours per month of volunteer service in the Nonprofit Commons. Having no previous SL experience, the Globalhood staff will need our help in introducing them to the platform. Our team, led by SL veteran Waxalka Zoom, will provide the Globalhood staff with training and continued assistance and instruction in that process.
Future goals:
Frank and the Globalhood kids will return from the Dominican Republic in mid-August. Upon their return, we plan to:
1. Coordinate with the ethnography team to obtain media that the Globalhood kids developed during their DR trip. We hope to display some of their video, photography, blog postings, etc in the Second Life office.
2. Throw a launch party in-world. We will use the Nonprofit Commons How To guide to promote our event, reaching out to TechSoup, Nonprofit Commons, and both Social Marketing and Virtual Learning Environments students.
We are aware that this project is a work in progress and will continue to develop and grow. Waxalka and Aiyana were SL members before the course, and will continue to be available for SL training in the future. Waxalka in particular has taken an active role in facilitating this project. She has made a commitment to the Nonprofit Commons, offering her skills in creating machinima for Globalhood and other nonprofits associated with the NPC. AliQuig’s SL experience was limited to the perimeters of this course, but she will see the project through the launch party.
Note to Jason and Josephine: our group is also willing to collaborate with fall semester (or any future semester) SM and VLE students, should they be interested in taking Globalhood’s SL presence to the next level.
Also, to our classmates with an interest in Second Life – we can always use volunteers! Bonus points if you have building experience or can create machinima. Admin work and simply maintaining an avatar in the office is appreciated as well. Contact rubioj05@newschool.edu or quigleya@newschool.edu if you’re interested.
P.S. Sarah/Billy/Emogene of the ethnography team – we’ll be in touch, once we’ve all had the chance to finish up our summer semester coursework.
Originally from http://vlegroup9.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/project-summary-cont/
Project Summary – VLE Group 9
Saturday, July 26th, 2008VLE group 9 was tasked with locating and obtaining free land in Second Life to build an in-world presence for our nonprofit partner. To do so, we became a part of the thriving nonprofit community in Second Life, which is centralized in an in-world location called Nonprofit Commons. The NPC team provided us with a vacant lot, free of charge, on which to build an “office space” for our nonprofit.
Our first step was to partner with a nonprofit. The initial obstacle we encountered was determining how Second Life could be a feasible and useful platform to further the nonprofit’s objectives. Both NPs focused on children’s issues, and the Hispanic AIDS Forum expressed concern that their children did not have access to SL technologies. Globalhood expressed interest in exploring a SL presence, however, so we decided to partner with them. We decided to gear our SL space towards adults in the SL community, with the goal being two-fold: 1.) raising awareness and 2.) raising money. The NP community in Second Life is eager to expand and grow and support (with time and advice as well as money) new causes which have expressed interest in SL.
The next step of the process was to prepare a proposal for Globalhood that explains what SL can offer. Globalhood had previously not been exposed to Second Life so they will need continued guidance on the ins and outs of the unique platform. But they are eager to partner with us and jump right in.
Next, we formally applied for space in SL with a New Tenant Application. After we were approved, began to formulate a plan for filling the space. We decorated the office space with furniture, media and a donation box.
We are pleased to report that we have already raised $500 for our nonprofit, thanks to a very generous donation from Mercedes Ochs. Waxalka befriended Mercedes through the Nonprofit Commons, and she has been instrumental in helping us secure free furniture for our space. Many thanks, Mercedes!
Applying Srinivasan ideas to Globalhood – HAF posted by J Rubio
Monday, July 14th, 2008As Srinivasan observes in “Indigenous, ethnic and cultural articulations of new media,” much has been written about the ‘digital divide.’ The discussion has focused on the lack of access in undeserved communities that make less use of technology and new media. He writes that the discussion has been framed around the idea of reinforcing “structures of power.” But Srinivasan makes a more interesting proposition for the use of new media by undeserved populations: that these “communities can use the internet to exchange information, preserve history, generate diasporic identities and share resources that can enable collective political and social causes to be realized.” Moreover, his proposition considers the inherent features of new media technology for empowerment: 1. servers and networks, and 2. databases.
Some social scientists are opposed to the ‘useful’ potential of new media, and argue instead that the ‘virtualization and globalization’ is detrimental to communities. They argue that creating a community that relies on ‘real time’ versus ‘real space or real life’ creates a disconnect that no longer relies on the geographical and physicality of traditional societies. Taking into account the work of the Frankfurt School, Srinivasan points out that the prevailing discussion of new media has focused on a “passive understanding…as a set of technologies that are imposed on the public, rather than as a tool that can be used to achieve locally and culturally specific visions.” He observes that the appropriation and use of the technology must go beyond simply making use of it and that it should serve “specific community needs” and that only then the new media can become a “catalyst for new interpretations and alternative paradigms.”
His observation is relevant because he brings attention to the fact that technologies and new media can not only be consumed in terms of already establish norms but rather be a tool to redefine conceptions about communication, archiving, oral history or preservation of identity. Furthermore, it is important that media (new or old) can articulate a message according to the needs and cultural values of the communities that use them.
Using the example of Faye Ginsburg’s work with the Inuit cultures, Srinivasan writes that Ginsburg work shows “the importance of re-purposing the Frankfurt School critique of culture industries within a model of appropriation that places those traditionally disadvantaged into the position of creator and broadcaster.”
I find the observation useful because when users of media become creators (such as in Second Life) the control over content becomes a tool of empowerment for anyone experiencing the act of creating, sharing and consuming material in a horizontal model.
Citing more examples (Brazilian population among others), he writes “technologies are appropriated by indigenous groups to achieve community-focused cultural, political, educational and social objectives” and that the use of technology can then be “in a larger play with national and international notions that define the concept of ‘indigenous’.”
The same could be applied to the work with other communities such as undeserved urban communities (Globalhood, Global Potential), gay latino youth or transgender communities (HAF). The use of media and the appropriation of the media could serve as a way to disseminate / broadcast / construct concepts that redefine ideas that people might have about these populations and could then help to remove harmful ideas of stigma and prejudice.
It’s also instructive to use his work with the Native American population around San Diego to understand how new media can be utilized in ways that incorporate the cultural makeup of a community, and how the use of media can help overcome and/or help challenges faced by certain aspects such as fragmentation (physical in this case) and how the flow of information afforded by the internet helps to build a sense of community and to link people that were otherwise be disconnected. Additionally, he points to the advantage that the communities can gain in order to create a ‘bank’ of oral history or to create a permanent record of cultural artifacts.
He also mentions the importance of creating relationships with the leaders of the community, or of engaging other “community infrastructures” to build the technical tools that will later reinforce those already physical – geographical ‘nodes’ of the population.
Until people are not ready to consider the importance of new media as a given, that approach is perhaps the one that will give better results: building personal encounters (face to face) that in turn will help to the creation of a more virtual and networked interaction.
I say that because it has been my experience with this project. Building relationships with the members of Globalhood has been essential to the implementation of our plan.
Originally from http://vlegroup9.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/applying-srinivasan-ideas-to-globalhood-haf-posted-by-j-rubio/
Social Teaching Project: Group Meeting 3
Sunday, June 29th, 2008For our third group meeting, we met up in Second Life and sat around a camp fire to discuss and draft our project plan. We used the project plan format suggestions in the VLE Wiki as a guideline.
Notes from group meeting on the Project Plan Format:
*a) what is the “problem” / issue your project is addressing? Provide some background about the target population (socioeconomic conditions, language, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, educational level, intergenerational relations, regional-neighborhood conditions, cultural norms, etc) and the problem(s) attitudes, beliefs and/or behaviors your project will attempt to change.*
-(objective) Our group project will be to collaborate with Latino Youth in Action in supplementing classroom learning modules with online and social media tools, that they can use both in-class and outside of class as well as provide suggestions for how to integrate classroom learning modules into a fully online curriculum in the future
-(target population) to be culled from LYIA/HAF literature, but it might be good to mention specifically the peer educators in the program who will be responsible for teaching others the tech skills, building on the plans/suggestions we provide for them (their own ideas on how to implement online/social media), as well as implementing them into the curriculum
*b) what are the barriers to attitude, belief and/or behavior change?*
+lack of resources (web cams) and access to computers/internet/equipment/audio recording equipment, etc. (very important, may want to ask Jason specifically what he suggests in terms of this challenge?)
+working from the older curriculum (not too important, but should be mentioned)
+designing effective and engaging instruction manuals for learning how to use social media tools (not to overwhelm them, to make learning these tech skills “fun” and engaging, etc. )
+technical skill level of youths
+making online learning modules and social media engaging for youths (how to make them truly interested and/or committed to using these tools?)
+creating/making online tools foster the type of ‘intimacy’ that in-classroom activities provide
*c) what is your intervention “selling” or “teaching”? that is, what alternatives is it promoting? what rewards does it promise?*
- (selling/teaching) the curriculum already provided by LYIA, as well as computer/equipments skills and online/social media tools and skills
-(rewards) wider reach in terms of collaboration, distribution, access to learning materials etc.
*d) how can you measure its effectiveness (what has been learned/what has been effected?)*
Our group will solicit feedback from LYIA youth before finalizing all learning module materials, as well as a “feedback session” after the in-class training session
*e) /how/ will the particular platform you have chosen (i.e, virtual world, Facebook, etc.) enhance the intervention/the learner’s experience? what qualities of social media you are using are particularly useful for attaining your goal of connecting with your target population?*
-Allows people to participate in the community without necessarily having to reveal their identities if they are afraid of that – they can test the waters with an avatar – helps to overcome a barrier of entry such as stigma, fear of revealing one’s orientation, etc.
-Also, gives tools for self – expression with wider distribution, not dependent on physical proximity or time-dependent
Group 2 Project Format and Elements Outline:
1. Instruction Manual (print and web version)
2. Individual curriculum session plans (divided between the 3 of us) where we provide:
a) ways/suggestions to implement online and social media tools in classroom learning modules (how they can use the tools in class) – these should be very specific to the elements of each particular session/lesson
b) ways/suggestions to supplement modules outside of class i.e. for “absentees” (a way for those who miss meetings to catch up, for those who need further review outside of class, and also, a way for them to engage in other resources outside of class) using online and social media tools
c) ways/suggestions to integrate the sessions into a fully online curriculum/version in the future
3. In-person training session, using the instruction manual for teaching the senior peers tech skills (which they can then teach to other peers)
4. Collaborate with other groups working with HAF
5. Elicit feedback from Jason/LYIA members on the Design, Suggestions, and Implementation of the session/lesson plans and instruction manual, before finalizing them
6. Upload materials to a place online somewhere, either on our blog or on the website that the other HAF group is working on (so that there is both an online and print version of our curriculum modules)
Originally from http://socialteaching.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/group-meeting-3/
My first VLE
Sunday, June 29th, 2008I work for a huge global company, Siemens. My first VLE was there web-based training system. We are required to do classes in “legal compliance” and “financial risk assessment” and other complete snoozers. In addition to the horrible subject matter, the training was just like PowerPoint slides with a narrator reading aloud what is on the slides. The only interactivity is clicking to go to the next slide. I hate to think how much money they invested in this horrible training.
Then came Blackboard with which we are all familiar. So I won’t blab about that. However, my next VLE was taking classes Second Life. I LOVE IT! Last year I spent the whole summer giving myself a Second Life education – I learned to build & script. I also took a class in role-playing and other SL “social’ skills. I’m now what is called “a class junkie” in SL.
I like learning in SL so much that last January between semesters, I completed “teacher training” so I can start teaching classes myself. I still have to complete my “practice” teaching with a mentor but i’ve already been offered a job teaching for them. Woohoo!
There are many interesting things happening in education in SL. There are some great mashups happening. One that I found very interesting that i want to explore more is Sloodle. Also, the list of universities offering classes in SL is growing exponentially which really excites me. I can see myself spending my days teaching in SL instead of sitting in a cubicle working for The Man.
SL Presence Project Plan (Working Document)
Saturday, June 28th, 2008I. Proposal
To establish a Second Life presence for the nonprofit, Globalhood, via a launch party. The launch will employ social marketing strategies to raise awareness and fundraise for the organization.
1. Use SL virtual reality space to promote Globalhood outreach programs and inform the at-large community of projects completion. In addition it will be a platform to disseminate information to other non-profit communities and create a community of collaboration with the non-profit community in the United States and around the world.
2. Investigate the potential for delivering a virtual Globalhood program in the future.
II. Our Partners
The Platforms:
Second Life – Second Life is a 3D online virtual world where users can socialize, collaborate, connect and create using text and voice chat. Users connect via high-speed internet connection and communicate using Chat or Instant Messages, and more recently live voice. With stream-lined video and audio, it’s possible to watch a movie, hear a live performer, present a slide show or deliver training complete with virtual whiteboards, all from your computer. The actor Bruce Willis recently gave an Interview in Second Life.
Nonprofit Commons – The Nonprofit Commons project, run by volunteers under the management of the San Francisco-based nonprofit, TechSoup, is a virtual community of practice for nonprofits to explore the opportunities and benefits of Second Life.
The Nonprofits:
Globalhood - low-income Brooklyn youth organization transforming themselves and their community through travel to a rural village in the Dominican Republic and social enterpreneurship ventures.
Tech Soup - TechSoup is a US based software vendor that provides reduced-cost software to non-profit organizations. TechSoup is currently piloting the “NonProfit Commons Centre” in Second Life virtual world. Their intent is to provide space for an on-line non-profit community for collaboration, promotion and education, and with 36 spaces almost filled, there will soon be a waiting list.
III. Why Second Life?
With over seven million users (June 2007) from all over the world there is potential for global communication and collaboration with other non-profits and an opportunity for Globalhood to explore the possibilities of providing an alternative training service and reach out to potential clients and donors. SL popularity is growing quickly and commerce, education sectors and entertainment corporations see the opportunity in a new way to reach customers via virtual reality.
What we can offer:
1. Launch party
-Generate buzz/awareness in-world
-Fundraiser: can raise real dollars for the organization
2. In-world social marketing and advertising campaign featuring:
-Billboards
-Video media
-Press kits
3. In-world “office space” to maintain a presence within the SL nonprofit community
Obstacles:
1. Nonprofit’s access to Second Life technologies
-Requires High Speed internet connection, unknown impact to network if more than one user signed on
-Desktop hardware: SL client requires high-grade video card therefore computers may require upgrading
-Reputation: Misconceptions about Second Life and the capabilities of virtual communities
- Seen as playing an on-line game
- There is a seedy side which Globalhood should not be associated with such as on-line sex and prostitution, “Age-Play” role playing (sex with user who looks like a minor) and gambling
-Commitment: Globalhood (and/or The New School) must commit to two hours per week of SL land maintenance, and two hours per month of volunteering, as stipulated by Nonprofit Commons land agreement
-Security: Chat and IM sessions broadcast over internet in unsecured mode, possible client compromise issues (none reported)
-Cost: (Ongoing) Fee for office and training space if the NonProfit Commons project is not successful (user access is free) is approximately:
-$100 – $300 US one time fee for acquiring space
-$25 – $50 US per month for space monthly fee
-$60 US per year for a user account, required to own the space
IV: Plan and Timeline
Project Manager and Blog Administrator: Alison Quigley
Second Life/Nonprofit Commons Liaison: Juan Rubio
Globalhood Liaison: Juan Rubio
ROLES: 1 = Globalhood Tech Support, 2 = Project Manager, 3 = Pilot Team (transition to ops)
TASKS:
1. Determine desktop upgrades (Role 1)
2. Create a virtual office (Roles 1, 2, 3)
3. Train two staff on how to maintain the office information (update photos etc.) (Role 1, 3)
4. Monitor network performance (Role 1)
5. Monitor SL traffic at the Globalhood site (TBD – Provider)
6. Involve Globalhood staff for their opinion on the potential for advancing to offering client services (Roles 1, 2)
WEEK 3: Submit New Tenant Questionnaire (see attached) to Nonprofit Commons
WEEK 4: create a space / scripting for land
WEEKS 5-6: social marketing campaign to generate buzz for impending launch
WEEKS 7-8: Launch party, date TBD
Originally from http://vlegroup9.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/project-plan-working-document/
SL Presence Project: Update
Friday, June 27th, 2008Our group met in-
world on Wednesday. We discussed this week’s plan of action before our next scheduled meeting, to take place in-world on Saturday afternoon. Then, we will put together our project plan and New Tenant Questionnaire, so that we can formally apply for “office space” in SL. (We will be coordinating a fundraiser to launch the NP’s SL presence.)
Juan attended the Nonprofit Commons meeting this morning (see image) and met and also met f2f with Globalhood earlier in the week. We decided to partner with this NP instead of the HAF, because they seemed more interested in utilizing the SL platform to create a sustainable presence in-world to showcase their achievements and projects.
We also spoke with Lara Michaud from another project group dealing with the Facebook application, discussing potential collaboration between the two platforms.
Originally from http://vlegroup9.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/update/