"Why Second Life?" Presentation to the Center for Science Outreach and School for Science and Math

My presentation to colleagues at Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach went pretty darned well!

I'll flesh this out more in a bit, and I have most of it on audio so it'll likely be our Snacks4theBrain! episode 80, but here's the slideshare, ya'll (with the caveat that I talked over the slides like a madman and had a great deal of fun doing it!).

Why Second Life Scott Merrick For VU CSO

View more presentations from Scott Merrick. (tags: virtual worlds cso)

There'll probably be a tidied up version by the time of the podcast. Several links came to mind as I was chatting the dozen or so folks up. Thanks to Ronee Francis, my new friend and colleague at the Vanderbilt Discover Archive for coming in, and thanks so so much to our driving force, Dr. Virginia Shepherd, Director of the CSO, for being there. Her cancellation of a trip to Cleveland likely had nothing to do with my little session, but it sure was good to see her there...

Oh, for grins, here's the Prezi.com version, which I worked on for hours and had to set by the wayside due to its automatic and currently apparently unfixable tendency to truncate long URLs. I have it on good authority the makers of Prezi are working on the issue and I hope to use this fun and "non-linear" presentation tool more in the near future!

Here, by the way, is the URL for the ISTE/SL beta orientation I mentioned a couple of times. If you go there to create your avatar, you land first of all at ISTE Island, a great place to start out!


Cheers!

3 Controversial but Intriguing Statements in One Business Journal Article

From Fairfax Business Media's New Zealand CIO comes this article, originally published in May, 2008, and penned by Byron Reeves, Thomas W. Malone, and Tony O’Driscoll. Leadership's online labs

It's a loooong article, but to tease you into reading it I provide but three perspectives culled from its over 2500 words. Imagine an extended analogy between online gaming communities and complex corporations, embedded in a complex analysis of leadership in both environments.

Consider these elements of "games such as Eve Online, EverQuest, and World of Warcraft":

1) Leadership roles are often temporary. Perhaps the most striking aspect of leadership in online games is the way in which leaders naturally switch roles, directing others one minute and taking orders the next. Put another way, leadership in games is a task, not an identity — a state a player enters and exits rather than a personal trait that emerges and thereafter defines the individual.

2) Dashboards, or cockpits, display both status and communication functions on the same densely populated user interface and often on a single computer screen, eliminating the need to open and close different software applications. Constantly visible during play, the cockpits allow a leader to stay within the narrative of the game while acquiring necessary information about players and communicating instructions to the group. Unlike a corporate dashboard that is located on a handful of computers at headquarters, with access limited to the senior executive team, these personal, view-as-you-go game cockpits give people in the field access to information as soon as it is available. That, in turn, allows game players to act on it without waiting for instructions from a guild leader. What’s more, the information allows players to assume impromptu leadership roles as needed. In many of our video clips, we see three or four people barking orders to team members during a raid, briefly taking the lead in the improvisational style of a jazz ensemble.

3)Leadership demands speed. A game hour is unlike 60 minutes at your desk or in a meeting. Actions that might take weeks or months to unfold in real life are often compressed into hours or even minutes online. The lightning pace of games is unlikely to become widespread anytime soon in the business world, except perhaps in selected contexts such as high-velocity financial trading. However, business decision making is accelerating, driven in part by the almost instant, if not always complete, availability of certain kinds of data. To keep up with rivals, real-world leaders will increasingly need to be willing and able to act on such information without pausing for long periods to weigh options.

Reeves, Malone, O'Driscoll, "Leadership's online labs." New Zealand CIO. 05 May 2008. Fairfax Business Media. 13 Feb 2009 . http://cio.co.nz/cio.nsf/tech/E9AAD1FBA10D072CCC2574830010E2BE.

There's more. I highly encourage you read the entire article, available without charge online at New Zealand CIO. Thanks also to Genie Tanner for tweeting the link. I think she was just testing out her new Twhirl client, but wow, what a gem she shared. I tweeted back that I was using the free version of ReadPlease to have it read aloud to me whilst I was setting up for 4th graders in Quest Atlantis, and now she has that tool, an information gift from me in response to an information gift from her. That's how it works, pilgrims...

Enjoy!

The Pros and Cons of Social Networking

My apologies for the long post, but I'm not feelin' the love here and need to share that.

Always on the lookout for dialog on this topic, I followed a link in my email newsletter from Technology and Learning this morning to an article by podcaster and Web 2.0 advocate Terry Freedman. It's an interesting, casually phrased defense of social networks by an author who is clearly even more embedded in the phenomena than I. He admits/claims to be a member of no less than 63 networks (I haven't counted--should I?).

What to me is most interesting about the post, however, is not the article itself, but the first (and as of this writing the only) comment upon it, from renowned social network critic and self-proclaimed expert on children and the internet, Douglas Fodeman. Fodeman is founder and CEO of "Children Online, LLC" and Director of ChildrenOnline.org.

Fodeman, in his response comment, points Freedman and the rest of us to his recent article at the National Association of Independent Schools' "Resources" page, to read his article The Impact of Facebook on Our Students (January 12, 2009, Doug Fodeman & Marje Monroe). In this lengthy and extremely well-written article, the authors systematically make their case that online social networking is bad for children (Monroe, btw, is Co-Director of ChildrenOnline.org.

We have Facebook accounts and actually see it as a wonderful, and valuable, resource. However, just because Facebook says that anyone 14 years or old CAN use Facebook, doesn't mean that they should. It isn't an age-appropriate or developmentally healthy place for our children and younger teens to hang out. Facebook is not working to protect our children and the laws in our country are terribly inadequate to safeguard our children online, in general.

These are pretty hefty charges, and, by the way, the allowable age for a Facebook account is not 14 years, but rather 13. I know this both because by noon the day of his 13th birthday, my son had established his fb account and had nearly as many friends as I have on mine. It's also pretty clear at the extensive "Facebook Safety" page the folks at fb offer at their website. Let me quote from that site, to support the counterpoint I'm about to make:

Facebook aspires to be an environment where people can interact safely with their friends and the people around them. We have implemented many safety and privacy controls on Facebook as part of our goal to enable people to share their information with only the people they want to see it. And we are constantly improving our systems for identifying and removing inappropriate content and people from the site.

Children under 13 years old are not permitted access to Facebook. In addition, parents of children 13 years and older should consider whether their child should be supervised during the child's use of the Facebook site.

And here, friends, is my point: Families need to talk with their children, monitor (not constantly, sheesh, but sporadically) their children's use of the platform, just like they would any online activity. As interesting as ChildrenOnline's arguments can be--and I truly do not disagree with many of them--their conclusion that I don't believe that social networking is inappropriate or damaging to our children. I FIRMLY agree with one of Fodeman/Monroe's proclamations: "We need to help our students become more media-savvy, understand the value of personal information, and how to protect it." I just don't think that the way to do that is to label good tools "inappropriate." I have absolutely no doubt that the ChildrenOnline folks are well-intentioned, or that they have carried out the years of research they lay claim to at their website. I just have seen too much good connection to agree with their conclusion. It's simply not that simple.

An odd aside: When looking for information about Mr. Fodeman past his own organization's website, I came upon a page about using videoconferencing for distance learning put up long ago by my friend Steve Bergen, upon which my name appears in a list of educators directly after Douglas Fodeman's. I really did LOL at that one! It's a small world, smaller than we might sometimes think.

I have recently shared some resources for parents at our independent school, which can be found in wiki form at usnparentsdigitallife.wikispaces.com. I don't have a book (link to Mr. Fodeman's and Ms. Monroe's book, which btw I own and highly recommend) or a speaking program (link to ChildrenOnline's speaking programs--uses frames so click "Programs" in the sidebar)to sell with it, nor grants to support it, but it's there for one and all. There are many more resources about online safety available at the Facebook safety site noted above, and I'm going to just paste those in here as I take my leave--temporarily I'm sure--from this discussion...

• OnguardOnline.gov
• WiredSafety.org
• Commonsense.com
• Ncmec.org
• TRUSTe.org
• ConnectSafely.org
• NetSmartz.org
• WebWiseKids.org

Major Accounting Firm Donates Half-Million to NC State University's Second Life Efforts--Call for Suggestions!

As reported on the Carolina Newswire yesterday, "The Ernst & Young Foundation recently awarded $400,000 to the NC State College of Management to support development of a Second Life presence for the college’s Department of Accounting." An additional $100,000 was added to the grant to bring it to a cool half-million. Further, according to the article, the "combined gift of $500,000 represents the largest single gift to date to the accounting department at NC State University."

Now, this is news! I'm not alone! Others see the potential!

While that last set of comments is perhaps a bit over the top, considering the robust global community of educators in Second Life, it can feel pretty lonely for an educator who believes. Those of you who know that loneliness (weep with me here!) may also be heartened by the recent announcement of my own one hour presentation on February 20 to the faculty and staff of the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach and the Vanderbilt School for Science and Math on the topic, "Second Life."

That's pretty open, for a topic, isn't it?

I have some pretty good notions about how I will use the hour, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had the experience of standing in front of intelligent colleagues to share the potentials of virtual environments for teaching and learning. If so, how'd it go? What do you wish you shared that you didn't? What did you share that you wish you had not? What brief engaging illustrations did you offer? How can I knock this outta the ballpark? If it were you, how would you proceed?

Please comment here or visit the presentation's wiki to provide your input! Thanks!!!

We're Scheduled for NECC 2009!!!

Just checked my presenter's login page and our two workshops at NECC2009 are now scheduled!

These are both fee-required 3 hour workshops, one for "n00bs" and one for "experienced users only" and they're limited to 30 participants each, so hurry on out there and get registered for the conference then get your housing (filling up fast!) and sometime in mid-February, when the workshop program is announced, go back online and get registered for the workshop that fits your needs! I'll remind you here once the schedule is public!

Here's the skimmy:

TA405 Introduction to Education in Second Life: n00bs UNITE! [Workshop : Hands-on] (43604107) Scheduled: Tuesday, 6/30/2009, 8:30am–11:30am
Co-presenters Cathy Walker, John Miller, Lisa Linn, Peggy (Norton) Sheehy, Jane Wilde, and Jeff Agamenoni

and

WA507 Educators' Toolbox and Skill Set: Instruction and Presentation in Second Life [Workshop : Hands-on] (43605147) Scheduled: Wednesday, 7/1/2009, 8:30am–11:30am
Co-presenters Cathy Walker, John Miller, and Marianne Malmstrom

Yay!!!

Do Students Like "Technology X"???

Daniel Livingstone produces "Learning Games," the prolific blog that is currently the "Blog-o-the-Month" at ISTE Island's "Blogger's Hut," the little property my Second Life avatar (Scottmerrick Oh) manages for ISTE. A recent post of his, entitled "Do Students Like Technology X? Do they need to?" illustrates the incisive nature of his thought and regular "shareout."

In it, he cites Judy Robertson at Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, UK, who has recently made comments on Virtual World Watch discussing the results of a survey she took of her first and second year computer programming students about their attitudes concerning Second Life. The students' opinions go some distance toward helping understand the puzzling demographic of Second Life, one which puts the average age (and the most active age group) of SL users somewhere around 41 (according to the most recent study I could find). Students reported reluctantly appreciating the value of the platform, but generally disliked it as a whole. Remember, these are 17-19 year-olds. In my personal experience, irl, I have an uphill battle to convince anyone younger than 40 to even look at Second Life, though I don't have access to many first year college students. What has been your own experience?

Linden Lab could do well to value comments and surveys like this in high regard, in addition to watching age averages as they seem to trend upward slowly. SL creator, Philip Rosedale, by the way, was born in September, 1968, which by my math puts him smack-dab in the user-average "playing field." Is this a koinkidink? I wonder...

An Obama Inauguration Speech Wordle

Wow.

Nashville Shakespeare Festival's "The Tragedy of Richard the Third" Entertains!

Okay, my last proud dad harangue here! I PROMISE! Basically, if you're reading this within a drive's-reach of Nashville, come see this play! My humble review:

The opening performance of Nashville Shakespeare Festival's production of The Tragedy of Richard the Third last night had my family laughing out loud and helped me understand aspects of the play I never "got" before. According to USN dad (and NashShakes founder) Donald Caparella, Denise Hicks' Vaudeville-lensed production allows at least one character who is almost universally cut from the play's performance to stand out in hilarious ways; and the frequently show-bizzy performances contrast just right with the unsettling tragedies of murder, especially those of the two princes, to make the tragedy work right along with the comedy.

Historically, the play's twisted plot is a bit hard to follow, but there's a wonderful device used to help you keep score of the murders. It's amazingly simple and yet a stroke of genius on Denise's part: Headshots on a marquee poster are simply tossed into a wastebasket each time a character meets his or her demise. Vaudeville also serves to make the generally accepted melodramatic aspects of this particular Shakespeare piece more palatable, even necessary!

Never having taken in a show at the Troutt Theatre, I was thoroughly warmed by the cozy room, charmed to no end by Claire Syler's Gracie Allen-ish Lady Ann, enthralled by Navada Shane Morgan's Richard, and immensely proud of my boy Colin's stage presence and grasp of character. Brenda Sparks' campy (Sophie Tucker-inspired--see Comments) Queen Margaret takes over the stage upon entry, belting out a bluesy, ragtimey version of Shakespearean verse I simply could never have imagined possible. Some of the running gags had me just busting a gut. I won't spoil it, but look for the Duke of Hastings' involvement to come to a head surprisingly: Prepare to laugh to tears.

Tickets online at http://nashvilleshakes.org/production.htm. Need a cheat-sheet, for your class or just for yourself? Teacher's Guidebook(.pdf)

Want to take your class? Book your class to attend a school matinee by contacting Claire Syler .

Kudos to everyone connected with this amazing, world-stage worthy production. Go see it. It's a cheap date and it's worth every minute.

Cheers,
Scott and family

Opening Night! and USN Parent Workshop on Teens and the Internet

It's opening night! Can't WAIT to see the whole play, though I'll of course be focused on me boy-o as Young York.

In other news, I had a wonderful chat--along with USN Tech Director Kathy Weiczerza and Middle School Tech Coordinator Jake Wilson, after school yesterday--with 8 or 10 parents of USN 7th graders, on the topic of Teenagers and the Internet. In preparation for that, I created a free wiki at http://usn7thparentsnight.wikispaces.com to use as both a presentation tool and as a repository for further dialog. Please feel free to visit that site and use the "Edit this page" link on any page to which you'd like to contribute (especially the "Questions" and the "Comments" pages!

Thanks to the parents who came by. This was truly an enjoyable experience for me, since I'm one of you. I'm all to familiar with how challenging it can be for a parent, even one as geeky as I, to keep up with socio-technological change and I deeply appreciate your concern and your contributions to my own learning...

Nashville Shakespeare Festival opens Richard III this week!

My son's in this and I can't WAIT to see it. If you're in driving distance of Nashville, Tennessee, put this 'un on your calendar!

Here are some great cast pics from Brenda Sparks' facebook. And here's a link to the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's website.

Happy Birthday Colin!

After a wild holiday break, visited by fire, flood, power outage due to falling trees, and illness-- blessed by visiting loved ones and their two golden retrievers who joined our own minor league menagerie of one big black dog and one odd little cat--we had a lovely on-demand (by the birthday boy) dinner last night. We started with a salad with baby leaf lettuce, goats' cheese, and apples. The main course was a lovely "from scratch" fettucini alfredo with chicken marsala and peas with baby onions. Miranda had spent the afternoon baking a wonderful Red Velvet sheet cake, and we added in some vanilla ice cream for dessert. Just before dessert, Colin opened his few presents, culminating in a little box wrapped up with earplugs. Thanks to friend Jon Elliot and his sweet wife Loren, Colin opened the box and found two tickets to the January ACDC concert January 31st at the Sommet Center here in Nashville. Yay!

I'm writing this on the Sunday night before we head back to school and work tomorrow. It's been a memorable break...

Fire? The resident in the Wessex Towers 507 left to take a friend to the airport and, by report, something fell over onto his stovetop, turning it on and igniting adjacent newspapers. The fire and smoke grew heavy enough to activate the new sprinkler system, which ran full-blast, emptying the pool into the building (Wessex Towers is at the top of one of the highest points in Nashville, and last summer an expensive sprinkler system, tied to the pool, was installed). The new system worked, but apparently no one knew how to turn it off. By the time my mother-in-law, who lives in 207, called, pleading for us to come up with all our towels and sheets to help stem the inch of water seeping from the ceiling into her condominium, soaking antique rugs and hardwood floors, the damage was irreversible--Flood. So much for the Christmas Eve dinner at their place!

The next day, Lee Ann and Amy were cooking for the relocated dinner, and Jim and I were wrappng presents in the basement garage, blasting ACDC's "Black Ice" out of my computer in my adjacent office. Suddenly the lights surged, flashed, and failed. I looked out the garage door windows and saw beautiful fireworks floating down to the ground from the sky.

A neighbor's dead tree had achieved ultimate unbalance in the equation of rotting root system, weight, soil erosion, and angle and had fallen down to the ground, smack across the street, taking with it power lines, cable lines, telephone lines, and all the power to the neighborhood. The fireworks were from the transformer at the end of our driveway, exploding with its 14,000 volts of energy.

Long story short, we ended up relocating to TGI Fridays for dinner. That was our choice partly because that's where my lovely Lee Ann and I met, oh, so many years ago, me slinging drinks and she waiting tables without a notepad. It was a good, well, okay dinner and we got home to candlelight present wrapping until the lights finally reignighted, thanks to the efforts of the Nashville Electric Service workers, hard at it on Christmas Eve, thanks to gravity, weather, and nature.

Christmas morning was wonderful, as our picture album will verify. Now we're off to the new year and I'm hoping for a nice few (relatively) uneventful weeks!



Oh! Read a great article in the Nashville Tennessean newspaper about the play that Colin's in, Shakeapeare's Richard III! It runs February 15 through February 1 at Belmont University's Troutt Theatre!