Virtlantis

Just one more pointer to thinking about what different synchronous tools might offer language learners.  I receive regular updates on language lessons and discussions from the Second Life Virtlantis group and now some of you have dabbled a little, you might like to take a look here.

Note the regular timetable of live chat events which learners might attend. You can go straight into the Virtlantis Island from this page. If you have a wander round, it would be interesting to see what you feel this might offer, perhaps as compared to text based synchronous encounters.

Jigging in SL

Marco and Juli dancing along in SL:-) This was thanks to a 'Jigging bracelet' I gave to them for their inventories. When worn, this is the effect!

second life learning task

During our visit to Second Life on Monday we visited a couple of more places after the British Council. There are so many now: a Christmas market, winter wonderland (those who were there will tell you about the place I took them to by mistake:-); Barcelona; Eiffel Tower... the list goes on.
I described a possible task involving learners visiting different places, taking photos and returning to write about their travels. You might add specific outcomes at each of the places eg take a photo of the campfire in Sherwood Forest; collect a hat from the Christmas market (you can click on free hats and pick one up to wear); how many snowmen stand at the Ski run railway station? These questions could be targeted so that they eventually include such information in their writing. A cross between our scavenger hunt and webquest activities. Here are a few pics for the class album:-)

Spot Thuy sitting in the leaves?

Second Life interest group

Thanks to Richard for linking to Graham Stanley's blog and Youtube clip. Graham is actually a Manchester Edtech graduate and is now a recurring name in this area:-)

There is also a special interest group as part of the EuroCALL organisation at http://virtualworldssig.ning.com/
EuroCALL has headquarters in Second Life.
 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/EduNation%20III/74/199/31

If we get time, we'll visit next week but otherwise add to your landmarks for later. Those doing further units with us will get to know these places better next semester.

Eurcall is actually just being 'rebuilt' so not all original features are yet there; however,it is a very useful place. You can meet for a chat; see video clips, pick up useful sites; if you do get into SL, you can also pick up lots of freebie objects, landmarks, clothes:-) If you land there, you can get a EuroCALL t-shirt just at the entrance for example. Here's me at the entrance.

A week in a Second Life

I've just come across an interesting blog article by Graham Stanley about Second Life, I thought it might be of interest before the sessions next week. His character is called 'Baldric Commons' and this is a diary of one week in the (Second) Life of Baldric in the VLE.

The article is here.

This is also an interesting video, though it's not exactly objective.