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 82, May 15, 2009

The reality of unreality When an avatar changes his/her appearance Tere Tinkel aka RL, Terry Neal Immersed in Second Life one thing you notice, as in the real world, is when another resident changes his or her appearance – especially if they  are close to you, as in a work or social relationship. I don’t mean [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 81, May 12, 2009

MIDWIFERY TUTORS ‘ENTHUSIASTIC’ Exciting introduction to SL with bonding  and play Trainers, Dr Clare Atkins and Todd Cochrane with Kate Spencely, Dr Deborah Davis and Sarah Stuart. (Pictures from Sarah  Stewart) The importance of a time for “play” when people are initiated into Second Life was reinforced for  the SLENZ Project’s joint leader, Dr Clare Atkins [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 75 , May 1, 2009

The Birthing Unit – Te Wahi Whanau Video is a great introduction The SLENZ Project’s Birthing Unit  – Te Wahi Whanau – has been given a great introduction with the release on April 30  of  a  a video  which explains  simply and cogently why and how the pilot midwifery project has evolved. “I think it is [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 55, March 11, 2009

SLENZ Project progress Gearing up for RL face-to-face … Gearing up for a face-to-face meeting in Wellington, New Zealand,  in two weeks time ( March 23-24) the SLENZ Project team is  now moving  steadily forward with its three pilot programmes – Foundation learning, Midwifery and Orientation – according to joint project leader, Terry Neal (SL: [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 47, February 23, 2009

A pattern of  NZ  islands? Long White Cloud The original initiators of the  SLENZ Project, Dr Clare Atkins (SL: Arwenna Stardust), joint project leader,  and Aaron Griffiths (SL: Isa Goodman), lead developer,  have always dreamed of creating  an Aotearoa -New Zealand education archipelago within Second Life. It now seems that their dream is about to [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 45, February 10, 2009

SLENZ pilot progress An outsider’s view … The creation and melding together of the design and development phases of the SLENZ pilot programmes has proven a slightly more difficult process for the SLENZ team than initially envisaged. “We are making progress, albeit slower than I anticipated or would have liked,” joint project leader Terry Neal [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 35, December 22, 2008

SLENZ Workshop: One viewpoint Workshop: Building designer, Aaron Griffiths, joint project leader (RL) Terry Neal, and lead educator Merle Lemon work on the details. Blood, sweat but no tears The SLENZ workshop held in Wellington, New Zealand, mid-December achieved the goal set for it – the initial establishment of the learning activities needed to achieve [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 26, November 18, 2008

A personal view Can we unlock Ivory-tower gate? I sometimes get the feeling  that some educators move into places like the web and virtual worlds in order to keep the lock on the gate or keep “control” of the world of learning – in other  words keep the learning  behind the ivory-tower  gate  – in [...]

The SLENZ Update – No 22, November 05, 2008

Three members of the SLENZ Project selection panel at work. Aaron Griffths (Isa Goodman), Dr Clare Atkins ( Arwenna Stardust) and Leigh Blackall (Leroy Goalpost) Three on SLENZ shortlist Three New Zealand education/training institutions have been “shortlisted” for the Second Life Education New Zealand Project. The project, funded by the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission, [...]