Unit 6B - Reflections

Best Practices Conference: I enjoyed the conference on "what skills do I really need to teach". It was great learning some of the tools that teachers have learned in SL to use for classes. It's great to use practical tools, like hands-on examples and creation by the students help give a better understanding.

Wiki: I found it difficult to come up with a relevant topic to learning about Second Life. So I chose a topic that I am very familiar with. The website I used to create the Wiki is very user friendly. I really enjoyed creating it.

URL Loader: I used the 3 wood oval shaped seats in my space and linked them to some Police websites that I am very passionate about. These boxes each go to a different website, and are if you click on the boxes it gives you the option to go directly to the website.

AV Tool: I personally like the picture boards we created. They were fairly easy and a really neat addition to the Fontbonne SL site.

Teaching Methods: I find it facinating when we travel different places. You really get a feel for all the options that are in SL. Each site has different unique features that have added to my learning of SL. I like creating the sculptures because it gave me the chance to add something to our SL site. It was harder than I thought, but I liked it. I really like it when other people talk about their frustrations with the site and how they have muddled their way through. I find myself fighting with objects and creations to get them to do what I what.

Final Project: My target audience will be graduate students or business people. I would like to teach about UNIX and my experiences with using it. I have been involved with many, many different environments with UNIX and I think it can be an interesting topic.

Reflections: I have been struggeling a little bit. It's hard for me to find things in SL, but I have been successful so far. I get discouraged when I create something and then find out it isn't right. I guess I am surprised how much this course has focused around SL.

WIKI

http://stefanieteachingunix.wikispaces.com/

My WIKI talks about UNIX and how fun it can be. We will discuss how to create a webpage, do some scripting and learn basic UNIX commands.

SLURL

This is interesting how you can create an automatic "teleport" to a specific destination in SL. This is the only way to get from a non-SL browser site, to a SL site. So going from the outside in without logging in to SL.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/WebHosting/224/179/22

NY Times Article Review

I find it very interesting how an artist can actually sell real paintings on Second Life. It's like having a real business in a "not real" world. Who would have thought that technology would progress to this extent. Harvard is actually using SL to hold virtual classroom discussions. It's interesting on how you can take an online course, but still meet in a classroom setting for discussions and lessons.

Current Adventures in SL

Well, we learned how to edit Terrain in our class on Tuesday night. That was so neat. Now I understand that when I added grass to my site it affects more than just my site. It's so easy to affect someone else's land when you are editing. For example, if you add a hill or a valley, it affects more than just your 4mm square.
I have learned how to add gestures when you are talking. It has been a very neat unit.

Sculpture

Overall Reflections

I have enjoyed the class thus far. Sometimes I feel a little lost because I haven't figured out all the buttons and settings yet. The material is very interesting. It's neat how you can feel like you are in a classroom setting, when you are just online. Our discussions have been interesting and our adventures even more interesting. I can't wait to visit more landmarks and explore. I feel better doing it with the whole class though, versus venturing out on my own. It's better to have a guide.
I have found that just playing around with the different settings teaches me how to do more movements and create things. I have not mastered it by any means.
Sometimes it's hard to see things in Second Life, I think it's due to our individual computers though.

Observations

I have learned a lot of the past few weeks in Second Life. I am still learning, and not very good at, teleporting myself places. So I am looking forward to mastering my skills. I learned how to take photos of different places I have been. And create a poster with my avatar's photo on it.
I have really enjoyed all of the environments we have traveled to in class. The College of Dupage site was very interesting. They took a lot of time developing all the details in the site.

Landmarks in Second Life

My favorite place in Second Life that I have visited so far is the botanical gardens. This landmark was so beautiful. It's so neat to think someone created this from their imagination.

Another interesting landmark was the Vietnam Wall - you can actually read the names on the wall and see reflections. Second Life makes it possible to travel without leaving your home.

Also, I loved the St. Louis Arch. I walked around reading all the signs and the history. It was so cool. I have been to the arch in person, and I have to say that going to it in Second Life was much better. No crowds!!

Stefanie Zapatero

This is a picture of my Avatar on Second Life.

Experience in Virtual Worlds and Second Life

My course 594 at Fontbonne University introduced me to Second Life. I didn't have any prior experience with virtual worlds. I had heard mixed opinions from people on Second Life. Such as that there are some strange people that go to the site only to prey on young girls. Also, that there are parts of Second Life to stay away from.
I have learned a lot from the course. I had no idea you could make actual money (not just lindens) on Second Life, that people have real businesses. Some of the sites that people have created as landmarks have been very neat to visit. The site is more educational than I thought.