The SLENZ Update – No 93, May 29, 2009

‘TRIPPY” JOURNEY WITH ROLLO KOHIME “Getting close by going far away, going far by staying here …” ‘Departed – In the Company of Strangers’ The ineffable sadness of departure – of leaving, of death – is mirrored more and more in the work of Mike Baker (SL: Rollo Kohime) who has used  Wellington Railway Station [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 92, May 29, 2009

THE INCIDENT WHICH NEVER HAPPENED The splatter effect of virtual bulldust … courtesy Suzie Austin When the  bulldust hits the fan, somebody or something inevitably gets splattered. Almost forever. No, Dilbert, journalists, bloggers and others of that ilk often don’t get it right, whether its about adultery in Second Life (20/20,  it is not ubiquitous) [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 91, May 28, 2009

VIDEO GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM Early teens  learn from  playing video games in class While this blog is generally about virtual worlds there is a connection between multi-user virtual environments  and video games which  demonstrate the efficacy of learning by “playing” among adults, teenagers and children, whether in a distance education setting or a classroom. [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 90, May 27, 2009

USING SECOND LIFE The SLENZ Guide for Learners SLENZ Project developer Todd Cochrane (SL: Toddles Lightworker, pictured), learning designer Leigh Blackall (SL: Leroy Goalpost) and  members of the project team  have put together a collection of notes, links, pictures, videos and comments aimed at helping people to use Second Life before and when they first [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 89, May 25, 2009

Distance education with a difference Otago Midwifery students to learn about birthing in virtual world Today, for the first time,  New Zealand midwifery students began  to enhance their regular study programme with learning in the virtual world of Second Life. The 27 first year students and 23 second year students were introduced to the Otago [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 88, May 21, 2009

THE ‘OPENSIM’ EXPERIENCE Worlds of difference  but  ones  that Kiwi developers should probably try out My experience in  OpenSim, OSgrid, OpenLife and New Zealand’s own ONGENS would suggest to me that  the variety and usability of  multi-user virtual worlds are really opening up and educators should not rule  out any of the possibilities. I have [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 87, May 20, 2009

AUCKLAND U’s  VIRTUAL MEDICAL CENTRE Students learn those communication, teamwork, clinical  skills – virtually Virtual simulation in an Auckland University, New Zealand, virtual medical centre  training environment is returning similar results to a  real life training facility at a fraction of the cost of a facility of that type, according to Dr Scott Diener PhD [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 86, May 19, 2009

IT HAPPENED IN TEXAS … and SL The world’s first  ‘real’ virtual graduate? Texas State Technical College’s virtual college (vTSTC) student Julie Shannan (pictured in SL left)  earlier this month became the first known student to graduate from a recognised learning  program done completely within a virtual world. She graduated with a certificate in digital [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 85, May 19, 2009

More in mind of beholders than real? A new take on internet addiction Internet addiction – a question of perception. Picture courtesy: http://fly4change.com. When the preconceptions of  “digital newcomers” and “digital outsiders” are removed from the equation, the prevalence of internet addiction  appears to be limited, according to Dr Nicola F. Johnson, of the University [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 84, May 18, 2009

DISTANCE EDUCATION Memorial University  wins Canadian award  for  SL  shipyard project Distance education – Memorial University’s shipyard. Canada’s Memorial University of Newfoundland, in the province of  Newfoundland and Labrador – similar to New Zealand  with its rural isolation -  has  just won a Canadian  national award in recognition of its innovative use of Second Life’s virtual [...]