National Distance Learning Week at ISTE in Second Life
Second Life is just a game? This week the USA is celebrating National Distance Learning Week. Educators from a huge range of subjects and most countries in the world use Second Life for both distance and blended learning. In case the term is unfamiliar, blended learning is when you see students face-to-face and use Second Life as part of the learning experience with students you see both ways.
As part of their activities in support of this the Internatioal Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is hosting a seminar in Second Life at the ISTE auditorium at 6pm SLT on Wednesday 14th November. Full details below the fold.
Veteran Second Life Educators Share Virtual World Vision at National Distance Learning Week Event
"Distance Education on the 'MUVE' : A place to go to learn together without leaving home" is scheduled for Wednedsay, November 14th at 6:00 pm SLT/PST at ISTE Island Auditorium in Second Life (SLURL).
ISTE Island, Second Life, November 8, 2007 -- Think virtual worlds are just for fun, games and whimsical escapism? Think again. Innovative educators are developing sophisticated educational environments and conducting serious academic research into the use of virtual worlds in K-20 education. They are "making a difference at a distance." The International Society for Technology in Education is proud to host a Second Life panel presentation highlighting the work, vision and achievements of three talented educators:
Peggy Sheehy (SL: Maggie Marat) is an ITF/Media Specialist at Suffern Middle School in Suffern, NY. Very active in the district's teacher technology training program, she is a fierce advocate for the meaningful infusion of technology in education and in 2006 established the first public middle school educational presence in Teen Second Life: Ramapo Islands. After great success with the first group of 400 eighth grade students, Ramapo will serve 1,200 students in 2007. She has presented her work at NECC, EdNet, Tech Expo, NYSCATE, and Tech Forum and will be presenting this July at the Building Learning Communities Conference '08.
Sarah Robbins (SL: Intellagirl Tully) is a PhD candidate in Rhetoric at Ball State University, the Director of Emerging Technologies for Media Sauce Inc., and the coauthor of Second Life for Dummies. Sarah has been teaching university courses in Second Life for two years. Her research centers on communication mechanics in virtual environments and has been featured in the New York Times, USAToday, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Lindy McKeown (SL: Decka Mah) has been developing online learning communities for professional development and curriculum projects for schools across the world since 1994. She specializes in the application of online technologies for professional learning and uses Action Learning extensively in both face-to-face and online settings. Lindy is currently completing a Ph.D. at the University of Southern Queensland where she is conducting research into 3D online virtual environments for use in professional development. She is the recipient of a Queensland Government 'Growing the Smart State' PhD Grant. Her work has been recognized via numerous awards from organizations like the Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Queensland Society for Information Technology (QSITE).
This event will be moderated by Chris Collins (SL: Fleep Tuque), Second Life Ambassador for the Ohio Learning Network and IT Analyst at the University of Cincinnati, and begin with a welcome from Jennifer Ragan-Fore (SL: Kittygloom Cassady), Director, General Membership Program, ISTE. Speakers will each give a brief presentation using voice chat which will be followed by a general Q&A session, concluding with a more personal "meet the presenter" campfire chat (using text) at the beach area adjacent to the ISTE Island auditorium.
For additional information about the event, contact:
RavenPhoenix Zenovka (SL)
ISTE Island Co-Manager
Kittygloom Cassady (SL)
Director, General Membership Program, ISTE
KJ Hax (SL)
ISTE Second Life Docent Program Co-Manager
