6-20-09
See this post: http://notmarian.org/2009/06/college-of-dupage-island/

4-07-09

Update: eeee! Dean Stock just told me that we are approved for the island transfer! I’m super stoked. We are taking over the “Only Yesterday” sim and the first thing we’re going to do is rename it! I’m going to be teaching my workshops this summer, for sure! I need to get the drupal site done I’ve been working on. This is really good news.

4-6-09

Update: We have some movement on Second Life at COD. I asked for funds to take over one of Alliance Library System’s islands. My Dean and the VP of Academic Affairs approved it but if the President doesn’t approve the expense…I’m not sure what we’ll do then. I’m hopeful.

3-5-09

Update:  Not much happening at COD-SL these days. The College is going through major transition and innovation is at an all-time low.  I’m still hopeful that we’ll be able to at least maintain the spaces we’ve created.  We were given some in-world grant funds from the Foundation for Rich Content for the Blake project that I had to return because we couldn’t get support from our College. Vassar supported us but not our home school. Really embarrassing. At this point I don’t even want to ask for money, that’s how bad it is. And I’m never shy about asking for funds.  I figure the worst they can say is “no.” But right now, I am afraid that I will hear “never.” Or simply be ignored. Better days ahead!

In the meantime, I’m doing a presentation on SL at the Enhancing Learning Conference at Elgin CC tomorrow. Here’s the file:

11-06-08

What is happening with the College of DuPage in Second Life? Peruse below, gentle reader, and be stoked!

COD has acquired a some space in SL for our faculty and staff to experiment and learn. Some of our current projects are described below.

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Recent News!
Chemist Garden

Richard Jarman’s Chemistry students at COD are shaking up the traditional scientist biography assignment by creating informative spaces in the Garden of Great Chemists in Second Life. Instead of writing a paper that only their instructor will read, these students will do their research and bring their scientist to life in a virtual world. We created a garden for them in the shape of a molecule and each atom will highlight a great scientist. When the students finish their work, we’ll host a grand opening of the garden and invite educators and students from across the metaverse to attend!

The William Blake Experience

We will be working collaboratively with the Community Colleges of Philadelphia to create a multidisciplinary experience about the life and work of William Blake. With a generous land grant from Vassar, COD and CCP will break new ground through this joint effort between two community colleges. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

SL College Fair

COD will be participating in a grid-wide College Fair in SL on November 16-18, 2008. This unique experience will feature recruitment and information from 200 Colleges and Universities from across the world. More information at: http://infoisland.org/2008/10/18/college-fair-coming-to-infoisland/

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Tintern Abbey

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%203/195/69/23

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY–DECEMBER 2008!

This space is an immersive representation of William Wordsworth’s poem Tintern Abbey, created by Jenny Pompe and Denise Cote for Jason Snart’s English 1102 course. The sound recording of the poem used throughout the space was read by Richard Jarman and recorded by Sal Garcia in the COD Multimedia Services dept. The full recording is available in the “Read and Listen” area in Tintern Abbey, and also available here: http://notmarian.org/audio/Tintern_RJarman.mp3

This space is the first librarian-informed learning experience in Second Life (read: not a library!) and has had hundreds of visitors! Denise has been invited to give tours and presentations of the space to several groups of community college educators, as well as groups from UIUC and the University of Michigan. Though this space was created for the student to experience individually or in small groups, there is a walk-through guide available for Jason’s students. Visitors to the space are given many opportunities for interaction such as writing activities which they can submit via a “journal” that delivers their work to the instructor, they can hunt for “sound apples” to hear important lines from the poem, search out fun gift baskets, read William’s and Dorothy’s biographies, read criticism (COD students only) and sit in a quiet space to listen to the poem and read along. Read what others are saying about COD’s Tintern Abbey:

http://education.slmediasource.com/dupage.html
http://www.sl-educationblog.org/?p=107
http://matthewsalomon.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/wordsworth-tintern-abbey/

Click for more pictures:

COD’s Classroom in the Clouds

The classroom in the clouds is above the Tintern Abbey space. It includes teaching tools that are freely available to educators in SL. These include an interactive presentation/whiteboard, video streaming tools, classroom management tools and much more. Also available in this space (and at the front of Tintern Abbey) are scripted COD marketing tools that provide information about COD’s programs, online college offerings and, of course, the obligatory t-shirt to be worn with COD Pride! These objects (or artifacts) are meant to be take-aways that people can use later or to be copied for other educators to use with their own college information. Click for more pictures:

Community Colleges in SL

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%203/62/160/23

The College of DuPage sponsors the “Community Colleges in SL” group by providing space for the group’s resource center and by the generous donation of a librarian to lead the charge. Since its inception in October 2007, the CCSL group has grown from 10 members to 275 members from across the United States, Canada and the UK. The group meets twice monthly to network, brainstorm, collaborate and discuss issues of specific interest to Community College educators. The group also sponsors guest speakers and workshops for its members and interested others. The group is currently building a wiki at: http://ccsl.wetpaint.com

(Want to join this group? Use the in-world search tool>groups tab>”community colleges in SL”>join! Or IM Pipsqueak Fiddlesticks for an invite.)

Denise’s Presentations
These don’t contain the videos I used and are thus sort of dull. See my blog for some of my machinima (in-world video).

Community Colleges in Second Life: What we are doing now!, Forum Presentation, CIT October 2008.

Presentation to the ISTE in Second Life: http://www.storyofmysecondlife.com/?p=652

Intra-College/International Opportunities and Challenges for Community Colleges in Second Life. Roundtable presentation & discussion, CIT October, 2007.

Introduction to Virtual Worlds

Teaching and Learning in Virtual Worlds

Webinars and Courses for COD Educators:
Teaching on the MUVE, TLC. 5 week/2 semester hour intensive course. Summer 08, Fall 08, Spring 09.

Teaching on the MUVE 2: Advanced Second Life, TLC. 5 week/2 semester hour intensive course. Fall 08, Spring 09.

Wiki for both courses is located at: http://muveteach.wetpaint.com

New Faculty Office Park!
This installation was created for COD by Elric Anatine and Samantha Glume. Each faculty member has a selection of several different buildings, a building area or a garden as well as a variety of interiors. Coming soon: individual classroom settings for faculty. Want an office? Contact Denise.

Webinar Schedule Spring 2008
April 4, 2008: Introduction to Virtual Worlds.
April 18, 2008: Intro to VW.
April 18, 2008: Teaching and Learning in Virtual Worlds.
April 25, 2008: Teaching and Learning in VW’s.