Betterverse: Nonprofits in the Virtual World

Metanomics Virtual Talk Show Features Noam Chomsky on October 12!

The Second Life talk show "Metanomics" will feature noted scholar and political activist Noam Chomsky for a very special episode on Tuesday October 12th at 12pm PST.

Professor Chomsky is a professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who has written and lectured on wide range of subjects from linguistics to philosophy, intellectual history, contemporary issues, international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.

Robert Bloomfield hosts this special episode of Metanomics at 12pm PST on October 12. 

[Link to Metanomics website.]

Whyville and PBS-affiliate to Launch Social Issue Games Program for Youth

We received the news that Texas PBS affiliate KLRN is working with the youth-oriented virtual world of Whyville.net to launch a program to teach young people how to make games around social issues.  Supported by a grant from the AMD Foundation, the project promotes social issue game creation as a means to inspire young people to learn science, technology, education and math (STEM) skills, while also creating awareness about social issues from poverty to the environment.  Kids will be documenting the game development process using short videos, which will then be shown on PBS.

Sounds like a well-rounded project that leverages the enormous reach of the virtual world with the unique ways that game creation can teach specific subjects and skills. I'm looking forward to seeing what kinds of games these kids create!

The full press release follows after the jump...

[Press release source.]

Linden Lab Revises Teen Grid Plan: 13-17 Year Olds Coming to Main Grid (Sorta)

As we announced in August, Linden Lab has been planning on closing the Teen Grid of Second Life at the end of this year due to lack of support and sustainability for the youth-only virtual space. What was not so certain was who was being brought into the Main (adult) Grid.

Originally it was announced that only 16-17 year olds were being brought over.  But Linden Lab has revised that policy and has come up with a plan for younger residents as young as 13 years old to come into the Main Grid, in a limited way. Here's what Terrence Linden explained on their blog:

The 13- to 15-year-old students affiliated with these organizations will be unable to visit any regions except those of their hosting organization, and those accounts will not have the ability to search the Grid or to purchase items from the Marketplace. Unlike on Teen Second Life, adults that work with these students will now be a part of the broader Second Life experience, allowing them to bring rich educational content to their students. The ability to invite organization-approved guest speakers and other approved members of the community to safely interact these students will further enhance their learning experience.

For more details, see the Teen Second Life transition wiki page and their blog.

This is exciting new for Global Kids, since we work with young people from a range of ages, often in conjunction with other adult educators and experts.  Of course, I was already excited about the Teen Grid transition.  So now I'm doubly-stoked.

University of Texas Video Report on Massive 15 Campus Second Life Project

Last September, the University of Texas announced that they were planning a massive development of 50+ sims in Second Life to bring all 15 UT campuses into the virtual world. Here's a neat machinima video from the University of Texas describing some of what they have learned about using virtual worlds for education and collaboration in their audacious year-long experiment.

Here's a direct link to the video , plus many more videos of what the UTs have been up to in Second Life.

"Fallingwater" Virtualized: The Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum

The Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum is one of those great examples of what you can do with virtual worlds that no other tech can match.  A serene and elegant educational space in Second Life, the Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum is intended to teach visitors about the life, work and continuing legacy of this quintessentially American architect.

I've visited a couple of times and been very impressed with the quality of the builds and how they integrate into the surrounding flora and landscape.  It's a fitting tribute to the architect, who was so passionate about the interrelationship of human structures with their natural surroundings. Seeing this realized in a purely virtual realm is somewhat surreal but appropriate.

Grand Re-opening of Virtual Harlem this Sunday in Second Life

Nearly three years ago, I first visited "Virtual Harlem" in Second Life.  It looks like there has a been a lot of work done in the interim, as they are set to re-open the sim this weekend for visitors.

Dr. Bryan Carter of the University of Central Missouri sends out word about the "Grand Re-opening" of the Virtual Harlem experience will take place this Sunday, September 26 at 1pm PST.  The event will feature live jazz, museum tours and a chance to check out various locations that are being built out by students and teachers related to Harlem in the Jazz Age. Virtual Harlem is a "collaborative learning initiative whose purpose is to study the New York Harlem Renaissance through the construction of a collaborative virtual-reality scenario that represents Harlem as it existed in the 1920s and 30s."

Click here to teleport to Virtual Harlem.

 

Symposium on Emerging Tech for Environment, Politics in Second Life October 19-21

We just got word that registration is open for the 2010 Symposium for the Future organized by the New Media Consortium.  Taking place in Second Life from October 19-21, the symposium focuses on "emerging technologies and the ways they can be applied in the service of teaching, learning, research, and creative inquiry."

It looks like an interesting conference, examining various technologies as they apply to these important subjects:

• Sustainability
• Renewable energy; clean energy
• Global warming and its impacts
• Ethics in the digital age
• Politics in a globally connected World
• Social issues

The full announcement follows after the jump...

Introduction to Wound Management in Mayo Clinic in Second Life Tomorrow

Last month, the Mineapolis Star Tribune reported that the world renowned medical research facility the Mayo Clinic has begun hosting medical lectures and events in Second Life.  I popped in today to take a look at their island in Second Life, where you can find a replica of their main complex in Rochester, NY, a bookstore, and a conference center.  It's set within a naturalistic setting, where you encounter pine trees, a brook, winding paths and wildflowers. 

On Tuesday September 21 there will be a presentation and Q/A session with Dr. Julie Tilley giving a basic introduction to wound management. The event begins at 1:30pm PDT.  Click here to teleport to the space.

Dr. Julie Tilley, PT, D.PT, MSEd, CLT-LANA, CWS, FACCWS is the Clinical Education Specialist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic.  The lecture will be conducted both via voice and text.

Betterverse Fans: Get 15% Off VW Technology Seminars in UK October 7 and 13

We received the news that on October 7 and 13, there will be two seminars in London and Birmingham on different emerging virtual technologies, led by the virtual world firm Daden, Limited.  Daden of course is the firm that recently created a virtual map of UK science and education centers in Second Life and won top prizes at the Federal Virtual World Challenge last year. So they know a few things about virtual worlds.

About the seminars:

The seminars are designed to help businesses develop a greater understanding of how virtual worlds and chatbots can be used within their organisations. Both seminars will be held in London on 7th October 2010 and Birmingham on 13th October 2010 with an abridged version repeated in Second Life later this year.

Chatbots and their uses within businesses - will explain the different types of chatbots, such as virtual sales assistants on the web, and discuss their benefits and potential to increase sales and reduce demands on staff resource.

Training and Education in a Virtual Environment - looks at the ways virtual worlds are being used to deliver cost effective alternatives to traditional training methods. At each event guest speakers will also be sharing their experiences.

Click here for more information or register for either of the sessions.

Special Offer for Betterverse Readers: use the promo code Betterverse15 for 15% off the seminar price!

Intel Creates Virtual Platform that Can Support 500 to "Thousands" of Simultaneous Users

Intel announced recently that they have come up with new way of architecting an OpenSim virtual world to support 500+ simultaneous users.  This is a huge leap from the typical 80-100 users that is typically the limit on any Second Life-based 3D virtual platform. 

But they aren't stopping there. Intel Engineer Dan Lake claims that Intel are working toward the capability to support "several thousand" users on a single region, which sounds truly incredible.

For governments, educators and nonprofits working in virtual worlds this is huge news as it greatly increases the potential reach of their virtual builds, experiences and events.  Imagine a virtual world political convention attended by thousands of avatars in a single region. Or a university island where hundreds of students from around the world could study together. This could change everything.

More about this on New World Notes and Metaverse Journal.