Here is the edited chatlog of the presentation by Barry Joseph and Daria Ng of Global Kids on their new virtual education project: “Let’s Talk Sustainability.” They spoke at the June 10, 2011 meeting of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life. Sounds like a very exciting youth-led project on environmental issues. Here’s are few choice quotes below.
Why Global Kids came back to Second Life:
Barry: We were very sad to see TSL [Teen Second Life] close – it was a very special place… Then last Fall, the detail all became clear TSL was not closing. Rather, it was being merged with SL – we would finally have a mixed-age grid. For the first time we began to think about what sort of programs could be done, for the FIRST TIME, that leveraged that. Sure, adults could always come into TSL but only after paying for a background check and waiting weeks, at best.There was no way to do casual interaction.
When we heard the American Honda Foundation was looking for new ideas, we used that opportunity to come up with Let’s Talk Sustainability. Last January we received the funds, to our delight. So in many ways, today, this marks the return of GK youth-facing programs to Second Life.
About Let’s Talk Sustainability :
Daria: Let’s Talk Sustainability is an intensive youth development program that will support high school youth to develop expertise regarding sustainability, online broadcasting, and virtual world construction. Global Kids youth in New York City will combine this expertise to produce a talk show, featuring live interviews with scientists and other STEM-related professionals, pre-produced videos, and game show like activities. This will be a virtual talk show, filmed before a live studio audience within the virtual world Second Life, and will be later archived with downloadable materials that will be made available for a broader audience and classrooms around the world.
If you want to receive updated news and announcements about Let’s Talk Sustainability, you can sign up on the document here: http://tinyurl.com/3jqvk3o. You can follow progress on this project at http://www.olpglobalkids.org/virtual_worlds/lts/.
The full , edited chatlog follows Note that Barry Joseph is “globalkids Bixby” in Second Life and Daria Ng is “Astra Toki.” Read on….
Full Chatlog
[8:43] Rik Riel: So we are joined today by Astra and globalkids bixby of Global Kids
[8:43] Rik Riel: let’s give them a warm welcome
[8:43] Buffy Beale: cheering madly
[8:44] globalkids Bixby: Such a pleasure to be back.
[8:44] Gentle Heron: YAY Global Kids.
[8:44] Lotta Flux claps warmly and smiles
[8:44] Hydra Shaftoe: welcome aboard
[8:44] Astra Toki: thanks for having us
[8:44] globalkids Bixby: Rik, do you want us just to take it away?
[8:44] Rik Riel: they are here to talk to us about a very special project launching soon called Talking Sustainability.
[8:44] Rik Riel: I’m sure you are all going to be very excited about it.
[8:45] Rik Riel: Go ahead globalkids and astra
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: Even better: Let’s Talk Sustainability
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: Thanks Rik!
[8:45] Rik Riel: oh yeah!
[8:45] talkwithmarie Resident: welcome
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: It’s exciting to be back here at the NPC
[8:45] Rik Riel smacks forehead
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: because in many ways it signals a return of sorts for Global Kids (not that we ever left)
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: before we start klet me first please ask who here is familiar with GK’s work in Sl
[8:45] globalkids Bixby: If so, plese give a Woot. If not, please give a… “not”
[8:45] Mimi Muircastle: woot:)
[8:45] Buffy Beale: woot
[8:45] Lotta Flux: woot woot!!
[8:46] Gentle Heron: yes for the former Teen SL
[8:46] CarynTopia Silvercloud: woot
[8:46] globalkids Bixby: 5 years ago, Gk began its regular work in SL primarily , but not exclusively, in TSL
[8:46] Tuty Inkpen: woot
[8:46] globalkids Bixby: You can learn all about our work at olp.globalkids.org in the virtual worlds section
[8:47] globalkids Bixby: We were very sad to see TSL close – it was a very special place – and we spoke of this recently in SL : http://www.olpglobalkids.org/2011/03/a_funeral_for_teen_second_life.html
[8:47] Hydra Shaftoe: globalkids has done some good work
[8:47] globalkids Bixby: However, the biggest challenge for workign with youth these past years was jut KNIOWING TSl woudl close, but never knowing whem
[8:47] globalkids Bixby: So for a long time we stopped launchign new SL-based youth programming
[8:47] Lotta Flux wipes a small tear away for TSL
[8:47] globalkids Bixby: Then. last fall, the detail all became clear
[8:47] Buffy Beale: same Lotta
[8:47] globalkids Bixby: TSL was not closing. Rather, it was being merged with SL – we would finally have a mixed-age grid
[8:48] globalkids Bixby: For the first time we began to think about what sort o programs could be done, for th FIRST TIME, that leveraged that
[8:48] globalkids Bixby: sure, adults could always come into TSL
[8:48] globalkids Bixby: but only after paying for a background check and waiting weeks, at best.
[8:48] globalkids Bixby: There was no way to do casual interaction.
[8:48] globalkids Bixby: When we heard the American Honda Foundation was looking for new ideas, we used that opportunity to come up with Let’s Talk Sustainability.
[8:49] globalkids Bixby: Last January we received the funds, to our delight
[8:49] globalkids Bixby: So in many ways, today, this marks the return of GK youth-facing programs to Second Life.
[8:49] globalkids Bixby: wand on
[8:49] globalkids Bixby: balloons
[8:49] globalkids Bixby: So I’d like to now turn things over to Astra (Daria) who will full you in on all fo the exciting details and hten if there is time, ask you your advice about some key details we are trying to figure out
[8:50] globalkids Bixby: Astra?
[8:50] Astra Toki: thanks globalkids Bixby
[8:50] Astra Toki: Let’s Talk Sustainability is an intensive youth development program that will support high school youth to develop expertise regarding sustainability, online broadcasting, and virtual world construction.
[8:50] Astra Toki: Global Kids youth in New York City will combine this expertise to produce a talk show, featuring live interviews with scientists and other STEM-related professionals, pre-produced videos, and game show like activities.
[8:51] Oronoque Westland: my univ students wish GK would expand so they can join
[8:51] Astra Toki: This will be a virtual talk show, filmed before a live studio audience within the virtual world Second Life, and will be later archived with downloadable materials that will be made available for a broader audience and classrooms around the world.
[8:51] globalkids Bixby: (As Astra describes the project, please keep in mind any opportunities you see to connect youth – high school perferred, but college as well, with the program. We will ask for details towards the end)
[8:52] globalkids Bixby: (also, link to the new blog section for the program can be found here: http://www.olpglobalkids.org/virtual_worlds/lts/)
[8:52] Astra Toki: Our youth will be introduced to a broad range of concepts related to the topic of sustainability including energy, urbanization, pollution, biodiversity, global warming, and global health.
[8:52] Astra Toki: The youth will select 3 subtopics and produce an hour-long talk show about each one.
[8:53] Astra Toki: Each show will be designed to introduce their youth audience to what professionals are doing in these fields and showcase what youth can do today to live in a more sustainable world.
[8:53] Astra Toki: Summer will be an intensive 5 week long, summer bootcamp, in which the Global Kids Youth Leaders will come together to learn about sustainability, research their related subtopics, and develop the required technical competencies for the program.
[8:54] Astra Toki: Youth Leaders will meet with content experts at STEM-related institutions to learn more about the topics and gain confidence speaking with adults about sustainability.
[8:54] globalkids Bixby: (I wish I could type that fst with such litle typos)
[8:54] Astra Toki: (lol)
[8:54] Astra Toki: Youth will then select the sub-topics for the three broadcasts and break into teams to develop materials for each episode.
[8:54] Astra Toki: They will work with staff to identify experts who can be interviewed to provide content for the broadcasts and to be interviewed live as well.
[8:55] Astra Toki: Youth will also develop topic-related quiz questions for quiz-like games that they will use to engage the live audience members, and they will construct the sets and costumes to be used within Second Life.
[8:55] Astra Toki: So, what might the activities that youth do look like?
[8:56] Astra Toki: They will Participate in interactive, experiential workshops that teach skills related to understanding the science of sustainability.
[8:56] Astra Toki: They will learn how to effectively communicate content on sustainability to a peer audience in an engaging manner.
[8:56] Astra Toki: They will become proficient in the use of the virtual world Second Life (e.g. designing their avatar, learning to walk and communicate, designing structures, etc.)
[8:57] Astra Toki: They will meet with experts from various organizations to learn more about their topic and practice their interviewing skills.
[8:57] Astra Toki: They will develop video broadcast and production skills relevant within a virtual world setting.
[8:57] Astra Toki: By the end of the summer, the youth will have produced material for the three shows, including pre-recorded material, interview questions for the quest experts, and activities to do with the audience.
[8:58] Astra Toki: Before the start of the school year, Global Kids staff will reach out to its existing educational partners to have them bring their classes to the broadcasts.
[8:58] Astra Toki: During the Fall and early Winter, each of the three shows will be held within Second Life, with an audience composed of middle school and high school youth from educational institutions around the country and the world currently active in that space.
[8:58] globalkids Bixby: (the experts Astra referenced that will be interviewed by the youth, of course, are STEM-related professionals already within Second Life)
[8:58] globalkids Bixby: …This is where Treet TV comes in…
[8:58] Astra Toki: Global Kids will be partnering with Treet TV, the world’s first virtual television network. Treet TV is an entertainment network that serves virtual worlds viewers and producers.
[8:59] globalkids Bixby: (took the words right outof my mouth)
[8:59] Astra Toki: Global Kids youth leaders will also meet with experts from various NYC institutions, such as the New York Hall of Science, the American Museum of Natural History, Center for Architecture, the local Farmer’s Market, and more, to interview experts and learn more about their sustainability topics.
[8:59] Astra Toki: You can stay up to date on LTS through our blog: http://www.olpglobalkids.org/virtual_worlds/lts/
[8:59] globalkids Bixby: (and here, as well, the Fall broadcasts are an opportunity to help us identify the organized youth audiences still in SL)
[9:00] Astra Toki: so that was a lot of information!
[9:00] Astra Toki: are there any questions so far?
[9:00] talkwithmarie Resident: wow! Thank you. exciting project
[9:00] Hydra Shaftoe: sounds cool 🙂
[9:00] Gentle Heron: How are you connected with the other sustainability and “green” projects going on in SL?
[9:00] Astra Toki: From the audience, we would love if you could spread the word about our fall shows when they come around and you can stay on top of when those will take place at http://www.olpglobalkids.org/virtual_worlds/lts/.
[9:00] globalkids Bixby: We hope to do somethign that takes picees of things done before, but, liek the movie the Matrix, have nev been combined in JUSt this way
[9:00] talkwithmarie Resident: when will the summer program officially start? is it only open to NYC?
[9:01] Astra Toki: it starts july 11th
[9:01] globalkids Bixby: Yes, the summer program is in person, in NYC
[9:01] Astra Toki: It’s open to NYC high school aged youth
[9:01] talkwithmarie Resident: thx
[9:01] Buffy Beale: Question: Where in Second Life will you be hosting the show?
[9:01] Mimi Muircastle: will there ever be a west coast project?
[9:01] globalkids Bixby: Things we would really love from you woudl be advice about whay organized youth groups there are – e.g. schools, after school, museums, etc
[9:01] globalkids Bixby: If we can expand the program, we would love to have a west coast component – but first things first
[9:01] Astra Toki: also, if you know of STEM professionals to connect our youth with
[9:02] Mimi Muircastle: ty
[9:02] globalkids Bixby: we are still workign with Treet on the exact location. Just the listserv to find out more when we do, please.
[9:02] Astra Toki: If you want to receive updated news and announcements about Let’s Talk Sustainability, you can sign up on the document here: http://tinyurl.com/3jqvk3o
[9:02] Buffy Beale: o, ty global
[9:02] globalkids Bixby: Also, if you think we are out of our minds, or overreaching, please certainly let us know now
[9:02] Gentle Heron: Question: How are you connected with the other sustainability and “green” projects going on in SL? How are you identifying SL contacts?
[9:03] globalkids Bixby: gentle, great question – we are just starting that. Are you someone who can be a resource for us and introduce us to that community?
[9:03] Gentle Heron: I know much more about disability communities in SL, sorry.
[9:03] Rik Riel: the NPC has a whole island of tenants who could be resources on the ECO Commons
[9:04] Astra Toki: thanks rik
[9:04] globalkids Bixby: Rik, could NPC help set up a meeting with them and us at some point?
[9:04] Rik Riel: sure lets set up a strategy meeting and we can line up the relevant groups to be there
[9:04] CarynTopia Silvercloud: we are a green org that would love to connect – Topia Arts Center
[9:04] Buffy Beale: Yes, was going to say, we set aside some space for a teen sandbox on Eco, and started a group but it got stalled on trying to deteremine the criteria for inviting teens
[9:04] globalkids Bixby: Thank you Rik. Thant would be great.
[9:05] In Kenzo: awesome progress!
[9:05] globalkids Bixby: CarynTopi a- Sweet – how can we learn more about you. Please respond in IM
[9:05] globalkids Bixby: Well, thank you all so much for the time today
[9:05] Lotta Flux: Just a great project!
[9:05] globalkids Bixby: Perhaps we can come back when the broadcasts are ready, if you like to hear more about how this all turns out
[9:05] Mimi Muircastle: I would!
[9:05] globalkids Bixby: Until then, as always, we look to you, the NP community in SL, to help us make sure we do this right
[9:06] Astra Toki: i second that
[9:06] Buffy Beale: for sure, and also, I’m not sure if Global Kids still are, but I really appreciated the space on your Aloft sim you donated to the NPC
[9:06] globalkids Bixby: The work you do is all so important and we are excited to be taking part again to bring positive attention to our field
[9:06] Mimi Muircastle: will you have your own sim in SL?
[9:06] globalkids Bixby: Oh, we alreadt do
[9:06] globalkids Bixby: We forgot to mention
[9:06] globalkids Bixby: Our TSl island is NOW in the main grid
[9:07] Buffy Beale: yay!
[9:07] Mimi Muircastle: ty – good to know
[9:07] talkwithmarie Resident: awesome!
[9:07] globalkids Bixby: PLEASE go check out the volcano -= every four hours youth programmed it to erupt – pretty awesome
[9:07] Rik Riel: woot
[9:07] Gentle Heron: Can you give a SLURL please?
[9:07] Tuty Inkpen: yes slurl please
[9:07] Lotta Flux: yes, please!
[9:07] Gentle Heron: I assume this is a teen-safe environment.
[9:07] Lotta Flux: or LM
[9:07] Tuty Inkpen: promise not to get too excited and leave now … lol
[9:07] Buffy Beale: lol Tuty
[9:08] Tuty Inkpen: 🙂
[9:08] Oronoque Westland: how are participants chosen for the summer program?
[9:08] globalkids Bixby: Yes, don’t go yet! But later go to http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Global%20Kids/50/50/50
[9:08] Astra Toki: we’ve first reached out to many of the youth global kids works with
[9:08] Mimi Muircastle: had the same question Oro:)
[9:08] globalkids Bixby: If that doesnt’ work, then please IM me (and friend me)
[9:08] Astra Toki: from the nyc public schools we have a presence in
[9:08] Astra Toki: students need to fill out an application, but it isn’t exclusively for Global Kids youth, and we still have spots left
[9:09] Oronoque Westland: I am not finding a link to apply via the website
[9:09] Astra Toki: it’s not there on the website, but i can email it to you!
[9:10] globalkids Bixby: I know there are others speaking today, so we shouldd probably return the stage to Rik
[9:10] Rik Riel: this is awesome guys
[9:10] Astra Toki: Thanks for your time, everyone
[9:10] globalkids Bixby: Thank you all once again for lettign us spend this time with ypu this morning/afternoon/evening
[9:10] Rik Riel: I personally can’t wait for this !
[9:10] Mimi Muircastle: great program – good for kids and good for the world:)
[9:11] Rik Riel: such a great way to leverage Second Life to bring together youth, global issues and a global audience
[9:11] talkwithmarie Resident: Hi Trill! Welcome to NPC!
[9:11] Rik Riel: let’s give Global Kids a hand
[9:11] Hydra Shaftoe wishes the teen grid was still around.
[9:11] Wendolynn Schumann: *•.¸’*•.¸ ♥ ¸.•*´¸.•*
[9:11] Wendolynn Schumann: .•*♥¨`• BRAVO!!!! •¨`♥*•.
[9:11] Wendolynn Schumann: ¸.•*`¸.•*´ ♥ `*•.¸`*•.¸
[9:11] talkwithmarie Resident: applause
[9:11] Buffy Beale: applauds!!!
Written by: rikomatic