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NMC Campus

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:20:24 +0000

Soon after the New Media Consortium (NMC) Campus opened in 2006, it became a hub of activity for educators in Second Life, hosting numerous seminars, discussions and exhibits.

The NMC rapidly added more islands to the archipelago, including several on which they rent spots to educators who want G-rated space amidst other educators. The New Media Consortium includes nearly 200 colleges, universities, museums, corporations, and other learning-focused organizations dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies.

You may want to avoid Second Life’s usually hectic orientation areas and enter Second Life directly at NMC Orientation island, a good place for educators and students to get started. To do that, create your Second Life account at the NMC’s Web site instead of at the Second Life site.

NMC Campus Observer (blog for news and events)
NMC Campus Wiki
Seriously Engaging, a video about the NMC Campus. (12.4MB QuickTime file)
Location: NMC Campus (128,225,42) Important: You must join the “NMC Guests” group before you can visit the NMC Campus. Just click your Search button and, on the Groups tab, search on NMC. Select the group “NMC Guests” and click Join.

Info Island

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:11:36 +0000

A team of librarians and other volunteers from around the globe have grown Info Island from a few buildings in early 2006 to a cluster of islands bustling with activities that explore roles libraries and librarians may play in 3D virtual worlds. Educators will particularly like the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Library on the main island. It houses a collection of scripts and other tools for teaching in Second Life. Be sure to explore the presentation tool demonstrations on the nearby plaza.

Info Island and the surround islands also host nonprofit organizations, a medical library, a science center, and more. A number of universities have claimed spots on Eduisland. Info Island was initiated by the Illinois-based Alliance Library System. You can read the latest news from Info Island on its Web site and in a weekly column in the Metaverse Messenger.

Exploratorium (Splo and Planetarium)

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:19:03 +0000

The Exploratorium, San Francisco’s “museum of science, art and human perception,” has created interactive science exhibits in several Second Life locations. Splo Island is the largest of these, with exhibits spread over the whole PG-rated island. A smaller version of the Splo and a planetarium reside at mature-rated Midnight City.

Splo Island (PG sim), Location: SploLand (182,75,25)
Splo in Midnight City (mature-rated sim), Location: Midnight City (224,88,27)
Planetarium in Midnight City, Location: Midnight City (97,48,27)

Svarga

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:09:53 +0000

Svarga’s lush landscape includes interdependent species of artificial life, complete with genes that sometimes mutate and produce new variations. Former Lionhead game developer and SL avatar Laukosargas Svarog programmed the weather, flora and fauna to influence each other as in a real-life ecosystem. At the entrance port, you can take a tour of the island aboard an automated flying tour pod or don a tour HUD that displays on a portion of your screen.

God Game, article on Svarga by James Wagner Au
Location: Svarga (199,127,21)

Boracay Island

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 13:56:30 +0000

With its podcast stations, art gallery, machinima theater, customizable seating, meeting rooms, sky platforms and teleporting kiosks, Boracay Island demonstrates many things Second Life offers for learning spaces. Hang gliding, kite boarding, boating, dancing and skydiving make this island a lot fun, too. It’s main purpose, says educational developer and researcher Nick Noakes (aka Corwin Carillon) on the Boracay Web site, is to “investigate the potential” of worlds like Second Life for “learning in higher educationâ€”particularly self-directed and informal learning.”

If you have any questions or would like a tour, please contact Corwin Carillon in Second Life or email him at corwin.carillon@gmail.com

Boracay Web Site
Location: Boracay (190, 77, 28)

Virtual Morocco

Jeff Hiles — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:25:12 +0000

The Casablanca region captures the essence of Morocco with an outdoor market, mosque, gardens, music and other details. Students from Johnson & Wales University traveled to the real-life Morocco, then entered Second Life to build a representation of what they had seen abroad. You may don a red “Info Fez” that triggers chat messages explaining what you see as you explore the island.

Immersion in Virtual Morocco, story from the NMC Campus Observer
Location: Casablanca (134, 86, 26)