Tuesday, September 29, 2020

2020 BURN2 2020: The Multiverse Oct 9-18, In Second Life.


BURN2 2020: The Multiverse Oct 9-18, In Second Life.
Burn2 rose up from the dust in 2007, became a virtual Regional in 2010 and is the oldest of the recognized universes in the Multiverse of Burning Man in Real Life. 

This year's theme, The Multiverse, presents interesting interpretation opportunities within the framework of the Ten Principles of Burning Man and the builder guidelines. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for participant guidelines.

Monday, September 28, 2020

2020 #VWEDU: #DTA: Educational field trips in the browser. Parental supervision as needed. No travel cost, no travel time, no school responsibility.


Educational field trips to virtual worlds.  
Parental supervision as needed.  
No travel cost, no travel time, no school responsibility.


Educational field trips are probably out for now.  But safe field trips to virtual places are increasingly available.  Here are reports on a few. 

Digital places

        Browser-based or installed

        Browser-based

        • Go there in the browser, works on Chromebooks and tablets.
        • Nothing to install
        • Easy access.  Tradeoff: limited capabilities.

        Installed

        • Works on laptops above the cheapest, needs app installed.
        • Extensive capabilities.  Tradeoff: More effort to access.

        Student field trips in browser-based virtual places

        Sunday, September 27, 2020

        2020 #VWEDU: Residential construction: Signature Safety: Training in digital worlds And comments about unbundling.


        Residential construction: 
        Signature Safety:  
        Training in digital worlds
        And comments about unbundling.
        A fourth video interview with people in a safety consulting firm showing the advantages offered by scene simulations in a virtual world, such as Kitely.  Consideration of how career-oriented training in virtual worlds might be interconnected with colleges, community colleges, and high school.
        Signature Safety is a full-service environmental, health and safety (EHS) consulting firm with offices located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our clients span the spectrum of industries, from warehousing and distribution facilities to construction managers; from manufacturing to maintenance contractors; from municipal governments to construction subcontractors.

        Saturday, September 26, 2020

        2020 #VWEDU: Rezmela: Smart blocks, art, images, text, brainstorms, mind maps


        Rezmela: 
        Smart blocks,  art, images, text, brainstorm, mind map

        RezMela is a development platform for Opensim.  This clip shows how to create high resolution image displays and educational displays such as mind maps.

        Points of interest with times (minutes)

        • 7 Min Breugel (Art)
        • 7:30 Text quality
        • 8  Level of detail
        • 9:30 Meetings: brainstorming or Kanban Board 
        • 12  Periodic Table
        • 15:15  Mind map

        More

        Tuesday, September 22, 2020

        2020 #VWEDU: Inspiration Island: Virtual Worlds are about people. A visit and some featured activities.


        Inspiration Island:
        Virtual Worlds are about people.
        A visit and some featured activities.

        A report about a digital place that is all about people.  A place to make friends and perhaps to understand yourself better.  A few of the many activities are listed.

        A group from the Nonprofit Commons is visiting

        On the web

        Go there in Second Life

        • In SL, paste the line below into the top line of the viewer, press enter:
        • http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Island/151/229/38

        Monday, September 21, 2020

        2020 Biz: Trade show: could that be done online? A digital place could duplicate the look and feel of a trade show


        Trade show: could that be done online?  
        A digital place could replicate the look and feel of a trade show.

        Trade shows are difficult in a pandemic.  Online trade shows can be done in digital places at lower cost and with no health risk. How would they work?

         
        • 80 Bots in Kitely Welcome Center
        • Vendors would love to see their area of a trade show that busy.  
        • You could add an audio of crowd sound if you wanted.  
        • Conveniently, the area manager could adjust the sound as needed.

        A vendor gets more than just a table and chairs

        • As a vendor you probably get you own private display room.
        • You could simulate the place where the product is used.  
        • Perhaps have a bot actively simulate the use of the product.
        • Small products might be enlarged for clarity of the demonstration.
        • A room has 4 walls for displaying things:
        • People teleport to your display room from the welcome area and other key spots
        • Posters and marketing videos of the product in use. 
        • You have the entire company web site available with a click.
        • And video conferences with company representatives who are not onsite. 
        • Onboarding support after the break

        Sunday, September 20, 2020

        2020 #VWEDU: "Virtual Learning Village" Actually a virtual village for real learning in a collaborative and interactive environment.


        "Virtual Learning Village" 
        Actually a virtual village for real learning 
        in a collaborative and interactive environment.
        A virtual world grid with focus on education. First, teach new people how to use the place. Don't expect the teachers to do what you can do with software.

        Behind the project:

        Features of this grid

        • 3D digital world.
        • Starter instructional path available 
        • Collaboration and social interaction.
        • Interactive environments:objects can teach.
        • G-rated environment: Family friendly.
        • Programs available to support educational activities and games.
        • Programming and building help available by qualified persons.
        • (This may cost, but the workers will be experienced.)
        • Attention to enabling features for disabilities.
        • Available on the internet, so 24/7 anywhere with internet service.

        Saturday, September 19, 2020

        2020 #VWEDU: Fall safety (2): Signature Safety: Training in digital worlds


        Fall safety (2): 
        Signature Safety: 
        Training in digital worlds


        A third video interview with people in a safety consulting firm showing the advantages offered by scene simulations in a virtual world, such as Kitely.  Simulated environments offer high potential for students to learn about careers and to begin learning the skills that they will need to enter that career.   
        Signature Safety is a full-service environmental, health and safety (EHS) consulting firm with offices located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our clients span the spectrum of industries, from warehousing and distribution facilities to construction managers; from manufacturing to maintenance contractors; from municipal governments to construction subcontractors.

          Friday, September 18, 2020

          2020 BIZ: #VWEDU: Project management meeting or teaching in a virtual world. Agile or Kanban: Rezmela Smart blocks can support them. 3 use cases.


          Project management meeting or teaching in a virtual world.
          Agile or Kanban: 
          Rezmela Smart blocks can support them.  3 use cases.
          Project management:  Agile or KanbanOr any other system.  They all have parts and people working on the parts.  Management calls for organizing the parts and tracking progress till all parts are done.  
          Project management
          • The project management use cases for Melablocks. 
          • Melablocks is an application built using the RezMela platform. 
          • This demonstration shows how Melablocks can be used to implement Kanban

          Use cases

          Tuesday, September 15, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: VID: How to make videos in virtual worlds for illustrated instruction or for project-based learning

          How to make videos in virtual worlds 
          for illustrated instruction
          or for project-based learning 
          Instructions on making videos in virtual worlds for educational purposes.

          Use cases

          • Teacher creates an illustrated lecture.
          • Teacher creates an illustrated instructional unit.
          • Project-based learning:  Student(s) create an illustrated project report.

          Needed tech

          • You need a reasonably capable computer for this.
          • At least one step above the cheapest, preferably two.
          • And you will not like the speed if you don't have good bandwidth

          Software

          You need to know

          • How to capture and edit video from a virtual world.
          • In badge language, a VR capture badge and a VR editor badge.
          • You can start these at the apprentice level.  
          • The way you get to journeyman is by practice.

          Monday, September 14, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: VWBPE: Virtual Worlds and Social Justice: An Impact and Civic Engagement Agenda.


          Virtual Worlds and Social Justice: 
          An Impact and Civic Engagement Agenda
          Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Eduction
          The current public health crisis has  brought about a rapid ‘revolution’ that many commentators have been evangelising about for some time. In many cases however it has resulted in a form of ‘remote teaching’, not online pedagogy. Indeed, a key question for all of us in education once this crisis is ‘over’, what will be the legacy of this ‘exodus to online education?’ 

          Introduction: Heike Philp / Gwen Gwasi

          Michael Thomas is a Professor of Education with a focus on digital learning, social justice, social mobility and the student experience. I’m a Principal Fellow of the HEA and hold two PhDs, one from the Newcastle University and a second from Lancaster University. He has studied for an MBA in Educational Management at the University of Leicester, M.Ed at Manchester University, an MA at Newcastle University and change leadership at Cornell University. He has worked at eight universities in Germany, Japan and the UK, from ancient, to Russell Group to modern, and led large, multinational research groups and project teams.

          Sunday, September 13, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: The coming of the virtual campus: Online schools need an online campus. "Stanford University Students Flock to a Virtual Campus"


          The coming of the virtual campus: 
          Online schools need an online campus. 
          "Stanford University Students Flock to a Virtual Campus" 

          A pandemic moves schools to think about an online campus.  Actually, some were thinking that way before the pandemic.   
          Universal campus (Kitely)

          Advantages of the online campus

          • Serve students over a wider area.
          • Support adult learners who already hold jobs.
          • Increase enrollments without increasing facilities.
          • Draw on adjunct faculty from a much wider area.
          • Share resources among schools.
          • Bring in potential students on field trips
          • Use the educational resources of the web.

          Saturday, September 12, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: Fall safety (1) : Signature Safety: Training and teaching in digital worlds


          Fall safety (1): 
          Signature Safety: 
          Training in digital worlds

          A video interview with people in a safety consulting firm showing the advantages offered by scene simulations in a virtual world, such as Kitely.  Simulated environments offer high potential for students to learn about careers and to begin learning the skills that they will need to enter that career.       
          Signature Safety is a full-service environmental, health and safety (EHS) consulting firm with offices located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our clients span the spectrum of industries, from warehousing and distribution facilities to construction managers; from manufacturing to maintenance contractors; from municipal governments to construction subcontractors.

          A digital facility like this could also be used for teaching

          Friday, September 11, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: OpenSim Fest: Exhibits


          OpenSim Fest:  Exhibits

          A few samples of exhibits at OpenSim Fest

          OpenSim Fest opening ceremonies

          Bill Blight and the ribbon


          Tuesday, September 8, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: V1 CVL Podcast help: How to get the audio (mp3) from a video (mp4) using Shotcut


          CVL Podcast help:  
          How to get the audio (mp3) 
          from a video (mp4) using Shotcut

          Community Virtual Library (CVL) has started a podcast project in virtual worlds with focus on educational podcasts.  This article tells how to get mp3 audio from a video clip (mp4).  
          Annotated Shotcut screen
          Click image to enlarge

          Why do it this way?

          • Virtual worlders are already familiar with making videos in virtual worlds.  
          • And we are familiar with editing those videos in Shotcut
          • We will make our podcasts in virtual worlds, since we are familiar with meeting there.
          • And we already know educators who will collaborate with us on the project.
          • Collaboration is the secret sauce for educators in virtual worlds.

          Monday, September 7, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU Starting in digital (virtual) "worlds": Instructions for the casual user. Use-case planning. Design thinking


          Starting in digital (virtual) "worlds":  
          Instructions for the casual user. 
          Use-case planning.  Design thinking

          Getting users started in a digital place does not have to be hard.  It just has to be planned.
          A digital meeting
          • We don't just sit around in a digital meeting

          What is a casual user?  

          • Someone visiting the place for an objective not related to digital worlds:
          • Students attending a class.
          • People attending  a business meeting.
          • People attending a convention, conference, or trade show 
          • This is potentially the largest market for digital places.

          What is wrong with a manual?

          Sunday, September 6, 2020

          2020 OpenSim Fest: Merchants: Art gallery, space craft, sailing equipment, fashion


          OpenSim Fest: Merchants:
          Art gallery, space craft, 
          sailing equipment, fashion

          A look at some of the merchant exhibits at OpenSim Fest.
          Lunaria Gallery

          Saturday, September 5, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: #DTA: Virtual Laboratory Training and Career Center: Networking


          Virtual Laboratory Training and Career Center: 
          Networking 

          Online networking

          The overall mission of the VLTC Project

          Go there

          Creator


          Friday, September 4, 2020

          2020 TKR: Lessons Learned From Failure, with Elizabeth Day


          Lessons Learned From Failure,
          with Elizabeth Day
          The public part of success is only the last act.  The way to avoid failure is to attempt nothing.   If failure were fatal, we'd all be dead.   

          • Watch on YouTube
          • Watch Elizabeth Day in our latest RSA Spotlight - the edits which take you straight to the heart of the event!
          • Award-winning author and journalist Elizabeth Day explains how failure can teach us lessons we would never otherwise have understood.

          Related


          Tuesday, September 1, 2020

          2020 #VWEDU: The Virtual Peale Museum on your laptop. Disabilities are left behind when you travel on your laptop


          The Virtual Peale Museum on your laptop.
          Disabilities are left behind when you travel on your laptop
          The opening of the Virtual Peale Museum.  A replica of the physical museum in Baltimore. Here the group looks at some of the exhibits and hears a panel discussion about the work to make the virtual museum accessible to  many with limitations in the physical world.
          A crowd gathers at the entrance to the Peale
          Click image to enlarge
          "Celebrating our Founder’s Day! Opened in downtown Baltimore on August 15, 1814, Rembrandt Peale’s Museum and Gallery of the Fine Arts was the first purpose-built museum in the United States."

          Go there

          • Paste the line below in the top bar of your viewer, press enter:
          • http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Peale%20Museum/128/100/22
          • Update 8/27/2020 Opensim Fest 2020 coming August 28-30