Thinking about Second Life and History

Well, I could go on and on about my funny stories of Second Life bungles. However, I thought it might be more useful to any reader that comes along to read about how my perspective of SL turned from a place for fun and recreation to a powerful tool for learning and collaborating.

My first experiences to this power came from ISTE Island. I have met countless educators around the country and world that have enriched my RL and my teaching. Whenever I have a question or need to bounce ideas, ISTE island is the place to go. The contacts I have established there I couldn't have been made any other way.

But I must give other kudos as well. The Discover Educators Network, Edtech, Eduisland, and Teacher Networking Center, have also been incredibly valuable in my realization that Second Life is a collaboration extravaganza.

As, I worked with and collaborated some revolutionary ideas started coming to my mind that I will discuss in my next post.

Have a great day.

Spiff

My Second Life so far..... the beginning

Well, the story of my Second Life has involved learning, intrigue, new friends, and great professional opportunities and growth. Yes, you read that right, this place has helped my career as a technology integrator/ teacher.

Let me start with a comical story. My first few weeks, like all newbies, is a series of explorations, mishaps, stumbles, and of course trying out Dance Balls (those disco like balls that make your avatar bust a groove like you never could in Real Life (RL).

So I am in the Blarney Stone, Dublin's finest pub, and lo and behold I get my first taste of being on a dance floor. Someone shows me how to click on the dance animation ball, and I am DANCING! Oh those glorious moves. Smooth as silk, feet light as a feather, arms flailing, yet controlled, expressing my innermost emotions to the beat of popular streamed music.

Gradually a male avatar dressed like a cowboy starts IMing me, commenting on my avatar Profile. He seems to be getting a little personal. Well, with my smooth dancing abilities I can understand, but well.... as Seinfeld would say, "not that there's anything wrong with that" but, I am happy playing for the hetero team if you get my drift. So I am beginning to get a tad uncomfortable, and feel it is time to make a graceful exit, which can so easily be accomplished in SL. So, I open my map and desperately search for any old landmark I can find to tp (teleport).

First on the list is ALM Cyberchurch. Not really sure how I got that landmark, but that's for another post....

Well, so I plop down into this island and walk over to the main circle where there is a large grouping of avatars discussing, well, the Biblical issues of the day.

Now according to my screen, my dancing has stopped, and I am casually reading the chats of the moment. After a few ticks of the clock however, several of the avatars close by are telling me that it is rude to dance during this discussion. I am of course clueless to the possibility that I am dancing. Well pretty soon, I am getting textually yelled at for dancing at this meeting of the Biblically charged!

The nerve of me. Well I finally clue in to the fact that something is amiss with Spiff and his dancing avatar, and make some feeble apologetic texting and exit, so ungracefully.

So lesson #1 of SL. You are not always what you seem to be.

Someone in SL must have a sense of humor, because occasionally, these little quirks in the system happen when you least expect it. One of the best is when you get "Ruthed". Your avatar looks just fine, but everyone else sees you with a womanly form. Eeeks.

Well, lets just stop there. Oh the pain.... the pain....

Spiff out!