ISTE VEN Focus Sessions 2018-2019
The ISTE Virtual Environments Network's Focus Sessions featured noted practitioners of education in virtual environments, in an interactive setting, monthly in Second Life. These sessions have been discontinued. See the navigation menu above for links to the archives.
Past 2018-2019 Focus Sessions
November 20, 2018: Valibrarian (Valerie Hill) on DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP: Sharing Stories with a Digital Drum
Life in digital culture has made us ALL digital citizens and a perfect place to explore what that means is a virtual world. Through development of a virtual world character (avatar) we can explore our persona and the responsibilities we have with others including authenticity, security, privacy, information literacy and accountability for digital footprints. Visit a Community Drum for examples of a personal journey into digital citizenship.
Join us in Second Life Tuesday, November 20, at 5pm SLT (U.S. Pacific Time) for October's ISTE VEN Focus Session, featuring our own Valibrarian (Valerie Hill) sharing "Digital Citizenship: Sharing Stories through a Community Drum" -- Wear your field trip clothes and find out what it's all about--with us! Set yourself a calendar event, then click http://tinyurl.com/istevenetwork and we'll see you there! View video archive.
Join us in Second Life Tuesday, November 20, at 5pm SLT (U.S. Pacific Time) for October's ISTE VEN Focus Session, featuring our own Valibrarian (Valerie Hill) sharing "Digital Citizenship: Sharing Stories through a Community Drum" -- Wear your field trip clothes and find out what it's all about--with us! Set yourself a calendar event, then click http://tinyurl.com/istevenetwork and we'll see you there! View video archive.
DECEMBER 18, 2018: Selby Evans (Thinkerer Melville) on WEB WORLDS: 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS THAT RUN IN YOUR BROWSER
Do you have troubles getting 3D virtual world viewers running in your classroom? What if there were other options? Oh, yes there are! According to Selby Evans, Retired Professor of Psychology at Texas Christian University and host of the renowned "Virtual Outworlding" blog, a few of the potentials are:
- Architects can put a building on the web
- Artists can put installation art there.
- Museums can put a display there.
- Imagination can put anything there.
JANUARY 29, 2019: Kirsten McLeod and Old Bailey on Audacity
Kirsten McLeod and Old Bailey will conduct a workshop on using Audacity to record virtual world events and meetings. No prior experience is needed!
Under Old Bailey’s business umbrella of Esprit Music, he is a venue manager and event organiser for live singers and musicians in Second Life. He photographs artists to promote them on Facebook and Flickr, and records song length videos. He originally used Gyaso for the videos; but moved on to Fraps for higher definition. Although Fraps can record audio with the video, he prefers to use Audacity as it gives better quality and independent control for editing. He has been using Audacity now for closing on five years.
One example of SL live music that Bailey has recorded with Audacity is here: https://www.facebook.com/100015344047450/videos/vb.100015344047450/360043797850419. This project was commissioned by Brahms Raynier, owner of Doc's Saloon to video & record a mega birthday party honoring Jenny Anatine, his venue manager. If you are good at finding things on FB, you may review two sections of the completed project from this link on her page, posted on October 22nd.
A more complex example of how Bailey used Audacity and Fraps for SL Theater is the hour long Christmas production of the Monarchs, produced in seven chapters. You may find it here: https://www.facebook.com/100015344047450/videos/vb.100015344047450/498955517292579. Dilar Vader, co-owner of the Monarch's, posted different lengths of this project on December 20th & 23rd , 2018.
Lady Kirsten McLeod’s use of Audacity as a business tool is much more recent than Bailey's, having migrated to it less than a year ago. Prior to that, she used the integrated recording feature in the voice application that she uses for her clients. Bailey introduced Kirsten to Audacity and it did give her better quality and independent control.
As the founder and general manager of Mind Gathering Experiences© (MGE), Kirsten organizes, trains, and hosts business conferences, brainstorming and management weekends, and professional education certification courses, supported by a staff of three onsite and five avatar creation artists. Her clients are real life people who come inworld for specific business objectives, requiring complete security and digitally authenticated accountability of registered real-life-name to avatar UUID. MGE provides all of this and a unique compressed training methodology that enables them to be productive after only a matter of hours, not days or weeks. Their first meeting with MGE has also been their first inworld experience with SL and their MGE avatars never visit SL beyond their secured campuses. Kirsten’s clients appreciate Audacity because it documents important conversations without requiring a lot of training.
You are welcome to contact Kirsten outside this forum if you have additional questions about MGE. She is happy to share her LinkedIn profile with any who have an interest in becoming a client of MGE.
Under Old Bailey’s business umbrella of Esprit Music, he is a venue manager and event organiser for live singers and musicians in Second Life. He photographs artists to promote them on Facebook and Flickr, and records song length videos. He originally used Gyaso for the videos; but moved on to Fraps for higher definition. Although Fraps can record audio with the video, he prefers to use Audacity as it gives better quality and independent control for editing. He has been using Audacity now for closing on five years.
One example of SL live music that Bailey has recorded with Audacity is here: https://www.facebook.com/100015344047450/videos/vb.100015344047450/360043797850419. This project was commissioned by Brahms Raynier, owner of Doc's Saloon to video & record a mega birthday party honoring Jenny Anatine, his venue manager. If you are good at finding things on FB, you may review two sections of the completed project from this link on her page, posted on October 22nd.
A more complex example of how Bailey used Audacity and Fraps for SL Theater is the hour long Christmas production of the Monarchs, produced in seven chapters. You may find it here: https://www.facebook.com/100015344047450/videos/vb.100015344047450/498955517292579. Dilar Vader, co-owner of the Monarch's, posted different lengths of this project on December 20th & 23rd , 2018.
Lady Kirsten McLeod’s use of Audacity as a business tool is much more recent than Bailey's, having migrated to it less than a year ago. Prior to that, she used the integrated recording feature in the voice application that she uses for her clients. Bailey introduced Kirsten to Audacity and it did give her better quality and independent control.
As the founder and general manager of Mind Gathering Experiences© (MGE), Kirsten organizes, trains, and hosts business conferences, brainstorming and management weekends, and professional education certification courses, supported by a staff of three onsite and five avatar creation artists. Her clients are real life people who come inworld for specific business objectives, requiring complete security and digitally authenticated accountability of registered real-life-name to avatar UUID. MGE provides all of this and a unique compressed training methodology that enables them to be productive after only a matter of hours, not days or weeks. Their first meeting with MGE has also been their first inworld experience with SL and their MGE avatars never visit SL beyond their secured campuses. Kirsten’s clients appreciate Audacity because it documents important conversations without requiring a lot of training.
You are welcome to contact Kirsten outside this forum if you have additional questions about MGE. She is happy to share her LinkedIn profile with any who have an interest in becoming a client of MGE.
February 19, 2019: Scot Jung on Moving a Learning Game to a Virtual World
Scot Jung (Scot Headley in the physical world) is a professor of educational leadership at George Fox University in Oregon, USA. His scholarly interests are in the professional development of educators and effective teaching and learning in an online environment.
Session: Moving a Decision-Making Game from the classroom to Second Life. This session introduces Rockville, a role playing game used in ethics education of teachers and other educators. Session participants will learn about the purpose, aims, and flow of the game and then, participate in a walk through the game environment in Second Life. One purpose of the session is to provide feedback to the game creator and to suggest improvements and modifications.
Session: Moving a Decision-Making Game from the classroom to Second Life. This session introduces Rockville, a role playing game used in ethics education of teachers and other educators. Session participants will learn about the purpose, aims, and flow of the game and then, participate in a walk through the game environment in Second Life. One purpose of the session is to provide feedback to the game creator and to suggest improvements and modifications.
March 19, 2019: Sneak Preview of VWBPE
Please join the ISTE Virtual Environments Network for an evening with the VWBPE Executive Committee. The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference (VWBPE) is coming up on April 4-6, and there is an amazing array of offerings again this year. Come get a preview of what's coming up! VWBPE is a global grass-roots community event focusing on education in immersive virtual environments. This open conference is organized by educators, for educators, to provide an opportunity to showcase the learning that takes place in this community of practice. All educators are encouraged to present, attend and take part in this discussion of collaborative deeper learning and co-presence in virtual worlds and games. Kevin Feenan, Lorraine Mockford, and Becky Adams are the executive directors for the conference. More information is available at http://vwbpe.org.
Kevin Feenan (SL: Phelan Corrimal) is the Founder of Rockcliffe University Consortium. Kevin holds an MBA from the University of Toronto and has a background in Organizational Design, IMIT Application Architecture and Development, Business Analysis, and Education. Rockcliffe (http://urockcliffe.com) is an association dedicated to the development of best practices in education and technology. Rockcliffe focuses on the relationships between researchers, students, and instructional designers to develop new methods of creating, and transferring, knowledge. Rockcliffe has a strong expert base using the latest advancements in 3D visualization and gamification.
Lorraine Mockford (SL: LoriVonne Lustre) is a retired Instructional Designer for Nova Scotia Community College. She holds an M.Ed. from the University of Prince Edward Island. Lorraine is an innovative and creative adult education professional with a keen understanding that the best projects are the result of collaboration among diverse participants. She loves virtual conferences and events.
Becky Adams (SL: Elli Pinion) recently retired as Director of Online Course Design & Faculty Services at the University of New Mexico. She has been a committee chair for the VWBPE conference for several years, making sure the conference is fully staffed with trained volunteers. Becky holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University. Prior to working for UNM, Dr. Adams was a classroom teacher for Albuquerque Public Schools for eleven years.
Kevin Feenan (SL: Phelan Corrimal) is the Founder of Rockcliffe University Consortium. Kevin holds an MBA from the University of Toronto and has a background in Organizational Design, IMIT Application Architecture and Development, Business Analysis, and Education. Rockcliffe (http://urockcliffe.com) is an association dedicated to the development of best practices in education and technology. Rockcliffe focuses on the relationships between researchers, students, and instructional designers to develop new methods of creating, and transferring, knowledge. Rockcliffe has a strong expert base using the latest advancements in 3D visualization and gamification.
Lorraine Mockford (SL: LoriVonne Lustre) is a retired Instructional Designer for Nova Scotia Community College. She holds an M.Ed. from the University of Prince Edward Island. Lorraine is an innovative and creative adult education professional with a keen understanding that the best projects are the result of collaboration among diverse participants. She loves virtual conferences and events.
Becky Adams (SL: Elli Pinion) recently retired as Director of Online Course Design & Faculty Services at the University of New Mexico. She has been a committee chair for the VWBPE conference for several years, making sure the conference is fully staffed with trained volunteers. Becky holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University. Prior to working for UNM, Dr. Adams was a classroom teacher for Albuquerque Public Schools for eleven years.
April 16th 2019: Dr. Shantel Scott
Focus Series April 16th 2019 Dr. Shantel Scott
TheLearningDr will share with us some of her best practices and expertise with gaming and gamification. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Scott!
Implement gaming concepts into any classroom to help kids become addicted to learning and modify behaviors. Transform your classroom into a learning adventure!
TheLearningDr will share with us some of her best practices and expertise with gaming and gamification. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Scott!
Implement gaming concepts into any classroom to help kids become addicted to learning and modify behaviors. Transform your classroom into a learning adventure!
May 21, 2019: Lynne BerretT
Focus Series May 21 2019 Lynne Berrett/Lissena Wisdomseeker
Lynne Berrett is co-founder of the Ageless Mind Project and CEO of Whole Brain Health at Inspiration Island in Second Life. Join us for a truly engaging hour of sharing out about her innovative and altruistic work in 3D virtual environments, dedicated to helping avatars and the people behind them maximize their health and their enjoyment of their time on this planet. Wear your field trip clothes, because we will be exploring her group's essentially interactive and profoundly educational sim. Meet at ISTE VEN Headquarters in Second Life for this potentially life(s) changing event! Never been in Second Life? Inspiration Island has a WONDERful webpage to help you get started!
Lynne Berrett is co-founder of the Ageless Mind Project and CEO of Whole Brain Health at Inspiration Island in Second Life. Join us for a truly engaging hour of sharing out about her innovative and altruistic work in 3D virtual environments, dedicated to helping avatars and the people behind them maximize their health and their enjoyment of their time on this planet. Wear your field trip clothes, because we will be exploring her group's essentially interactive and profoundly educational sim. Meet at ISTE VEN Headquarters in Second Life for this potentially life(s) changing event! Never been in Second Life? Inspiration Island has a WONDERful webpage to help you get started!
JUNE 18, 2019: ISTE 2019 Conference Preview
Mary Howard (Daisy Mae in SL) will give us a preview of the upcoming ISTE 2019 Conference and Exposition in Philadelphia. There will be a virtual component to our physical world Sandbox in Second Life!
JULY 16, 2019: ISTE CONFERENCE REPORT WITH SPIFF AND SCOTT
Please join Scott MerrickOh and Spiff Whitfield, (RL: Andy Wheelock) as we review the ISTE Conference as well as the #notatISTE Conference.
AUGUST 20, 2019: ISTE VEN SUMMER BREAK
Enjoy your time off! See you in September!