Second Life - Ramapo Island

Ramapo Island: A New Dimension in Learning
Peggy Sheehy
http://novemberlearning.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=185&Itemid=135

Second Life - Linden Labs
users build content
Customization of Avitar
Thriving online economy - currency in Second Life goes from to PayPal
Simple building tools
Scripting for comples simulations - similar to C++

Purchasing an Island
16 acres of virtual space
secure "intranet" space
or open and public
Private Island: $700

Ramapo Security
private islands: no on or off - students are only on island can not log in and leave
kids are secure
adults hav eLL background clearance
adult supervision
no access to other residents or content

Using Second Life
Orientation island - UGH
get of orientation it is not that bad

Student Intro - on island 1st year
Peer mentors - with IEPs
dress code in Second Life
Peer mentors
trained in world
edit appearance
joined group
explored
built
Science - built examples of items from science in SecondLife
Math - geo gallery draw verticale angles , mid point
Social Studies - Ellis Island museum and the students added content to the museum with research

English - Of Mice and Men
set up mock trial in second life

Health and Wellness - Body Image component
use of discussion pods to share ideas
had them make their avitar look like them-self
www.campaignforrealbeauty.com
viewed video then then tried to make themself media beautiful
Next day, changed gender and they had to make themselves media beauty
after they changed back the did not care as much about being media beauties"

Perform through their Avitar

Watch out for...
Have and Have-nots
Grid surprises
Prim Counts Prim=primitive shapes (every island will support 15000 prims)
Frustration Levels
Time Management - it is not about finding more time use time you have to do this and include what is already planned to be taught
Updates (most are no longer mandatory)

Future Vision
extend our boundaries
global consortium
F2F exchange
universal curriculum
immersive language acquisition
SLOODLE
Translator

ramapoislands.edublogs.org
Maggie Marat in Second Life
maggiemarat on Skype/Twitter
The Educator's Coffeehouse on ISTE Island 2
peggysheehy@mac.com