Highlights from NPC Meeting June 12, 2009

Get your organization featured at SL’s 6th Birthday. Live connect with Learning and Virtual Worlds Conference in Wisconsin. Presentation on Kidsbridge. Open Mic

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Zinnia Zauber and Second Life’s 6th Birthday
SL6B

I want to thank the 13 organizations that sent me their information and images to be part of the NPC exhibit for the Second Life 6 Birthday (SL6B) called Nonprofit Commons – Common Good – Common Goals – Common Ground. Rah!

The theme for the SL6B celebration is “The Future of Virtual Worlds” and my goal is to highlight what we do here at NPC through networking, reaching new audiences, and immersive environments that change the way people think about important issues. The success of virtual worlds is through positive active participation as they are not websites but worlds to explore and connect with real people with real missions of positive change.

Buffy Beale: Great going Z, and also the collaboration project of Transitions, A Place for Dreams. we all met here at the NPC

Please be part of this and send me info! If others want to share stories, please do! 13 groups involved so far…You have the whole weekend to get in your info.

Your mission and contact info is a great start! Also, a Logo Texture Photo of you in your Org’s place in SL, a Notecard about your Org and you Org Website. Put it in a folder with full permissions on everything and send it to Zinnia Zauber. It will only take you 10 or 15 minutes and you will get good promo.

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Rik Riel and Rhiannon Chatnoir from global kids
Learning and Virtual worlds conference going on in Madison

Rik Riel: We have some folks live and direct from Madison joining us. Mixed reality!

Rik Riel: Anyway from June 10-12 about 40 VW educators using a variety of virtua lworlds are in Madison as part of the 1st RezEd education conference. Global Kids is the sponsor in association with the Games Leraning and Society folks, organizing the larger GLS summit. We’ve had some amazing speakers, including Robin Harper and James Paul Gee and lots of great insights about how to do youth outreach and engagement using these tools. My colleague Lutz Zapedski is the main organizer. I think she just popped in.

Ozma Malibu: ASU is there of course!

Rik Riel: hi Lutz. I’m just bringing everyone up to speed on the RezEd conference. Can you give people and idea of how its going?

Lutz Zapedzki: well rik I’ll let you give some of the findings since you are up to speed on that. I’ll just say that it has been really exciting to have the first rezed conference as you all know rezed.org is now over 2,000 memberes, but this is the first time we have been able to get together in person and what has been refreshing, is the fact that we dont have to spend anytime making the “sell” for VIrtual worlds and learning/or non-profit work. Everyone in the room is already very much with us and knows all of the affordances so instead we can spend the time really getting in to the nitty gritty and discussing the challenges and opportunities. In addition to SL there are people frome have lots from WOW, kidscom.com, Habbo Hotel, Whyville, Smallworlds, Metaplce, Quest Atlantis. SL by far outnumbers those educators in other worlds. SL has done the best job of creating a cohesive community of people in education. Those here at the RezEd conference in Wisconsin are mostly higher ed. As you alls know therea re more than 100 educational institutions on the grid

[questions about teen grid, and adult content on main grid…] [discussion that this could be a good topic for a future meeting]

Rhiannon Chatnoir: well as we all know.. the main grid is what you make of it, but yes, Global Kids programs mostly take place within Teen SL

Rik Riel: one of teh main things that folks ahve talked about is how important it is for VW developers to include educators early on in dev process

Lutz Zapedzki: I would say that educators, are yes, worried about how their administrators will respond to all of the media about adult content and so that is definitely a hurdle

Rik Riel: VWs are great places to bring together educators, youth and parents. But they are n’t yet being used much for that

Nany Kayo: Lutz, thank you. It is a controversial point, with adult content providers often arguing that there is no impact on educational uses of SL from the presence of adult content

Rik Riel: Global Kids generally thinks that the move toward PG and adult content spaces makes sense

Nany Kayo: Its good to hear a clear opinion from a an infomred source

Rik Riel: but there also needs to be clearly delineated and moderated education spaces

LizaJune Stoop: Has anyone made the point that SL might be a great place for kids to learn to cope with unwanted advances?

Rik Riel: “unwanted advances”? like sexual advances?

LizaJune Stoop: YEs.

Lutz Zapedzki: Quick update, off the point, we are putting up the keynote from Robin Harper in 5 minutes on RezEd.org

Rhiannon Chatnoir: well in order to be an adult in the teen grid you are background checked and agree to a code of conduct or risk being banned.. as you do if you are caught as an adult on that grid

Lutz Zapedzki: she didnt really speak to the adult content issue you all are raising now but it was a great presentation. all of the other presentations will be up in the next week as well and video

Rhiannon Chatnoir: but, that doesnt mean, like in any other educational atmosphere you couldnt approach the concepts of safe space and good internet protocols with youth

Lutz Zapedzki: we will also be putting up a live podcast interview for the RezEd conference with THomas Malaby, who’s new book, an ethnography on the making of Second Life is going on sale this week

Rik Riel: not a problem. Check http://www.rezed.org for more videos, reports, podcasts and stuff from the event soon!

Rik Riel: be in touch with Lutz if you have further questions about our VW education work. amira@globalkids.org

Rik Riel: and we heart the NPC !
Lutz Zapedzki: we are redesigning rezed. it will be launched and officially out of beta this summer so be on the look out for a new and improved rez ed

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Randi Kopp (Dusty Artaud) with Kidsbridge

I am marketing consultant and I am working with Kidsbridge. am also lousy typist so i will use speakeasy, just interrupt with comments any time. At present, Kidsbridge has no virtual world presence. Kidsbridge is writing grant poposals with this in mind — either for building a prototype as a proof of concept, or for creating a full-blown presence– depending on funding.

KIDSBRIDGE TOLERANCE MUSEUM
Kidsbridge Tolerance Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to character education, tolerance and the celebration of human diversity. In March, 2006 Kidsbridge created a mini-museum (a.k.a. “learning lab”) on campus at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing, New Jersey. This environment features the exhibit “Face to Face: Dealing with Prejudice and Discrimination,” an exhibition originally created by the Chicago Children’s Museum. By using a combination of educational signage, interactive kiosks and group activities, Kidsbridge helps children and families recognize and respond appropriately to instances of bias and prejudice.

To date, more than 400 TCNJ undergraduates and ten professors have already successfully interacted with approximately 6,000 elementary and middle school children. The partnership of Kidsbridge with TCNJ is precedent-setting, as it is the first time that a museum and a college have collaborated to create a program-in-residence that teaches diversity appreciation, conflict resolution and character education to local and regional low-income elementary and middle school children, leadership youth groups and inner-city summer day campers. In addition, Kidsbridge conducts an anti-bullying/conflict resolution/victim empowerment program in Trenton,NJ schools for at-risk youth who are truant, suspended and being referred for detention.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
1. Learn to recognize and dispel stereotypes, including those with “different” abilities.
2. Explore ways of dealing with prejudice and discrimination through the experiences of other children.
3. Gain perspective about prejudice and discrimination through studying historical signage and photographs.
4. Understand that they are not alone in being subjects of prejudice and discrimination.
5. Create awareness that name-calling and labelling are forms of prejudice and discrimination.
6. Understand exclusion as a form of prejudice and discrimination.
7. Learn that being a silent bystander is comparable to doing a harmful action, and how to speak up.
8. Feel inspired and empowered to take action against prejudice and discrimination.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The “Face to Face” exhibition introduces children and teens to the many differences among us all, including physical abilities, as well as religious, cultural, racial and social backgrounds.Museum experience is designed to help visitors recognize discrimination and stereotyping that may result from these differences.
• Large graphic panels introduce visitors to exhibit subject matter, content, and the definitions of prejudice and discrimination.
• Seated computer/video stations feature real children’s stories, allowing the visitor to explore how these kids responded to these experiences and their feelings about the situations.
• Certain exhibit areas include strong language and experiences, so teachers and students explore the exhibit together.

“DIFFERENT” ABILITIES & EXCLUSION
Exclusion because of differences in abilities is a form of prejudice and discrimination.
In the kiosk picture to the right, students learn that being a silent bystander is comparable to doing a harmful action. In the pictures to the left, you see TCNJ student John with his seeing-eye dog Marco, who talks with students about what it is like to be a college student and unable to see.

NAME THAT STEREOTYPE
Name That Stereotype consists of kiosks designed to teach children and teens how to recognize and dispel stereotypes.The message conveyed is that stereotypes (whether they are blatant or subtle) are always negative, and that people should not judge others by how they look or the group to which they belong.Students learn that both adults and kids use stereotypes, and that the media – in particular TV – uses stereotypes heavily in game shows, sit com laugh tracks and commercials.
In this picture, students listen to a video interactive game show led by lively host. The child pushes a button each time he or she hears a stereotype, and the host responds.

SCHOOL BUS SHOWDOWN
The School Bus Showdown consists of a seated interactive video station.I love this one perfect for interactive virtual environment. Video features a school bus scene in which a child is being heckled while looking for a seat and no one is letting him sit down.Six kids have room in their seats for him – three scoot over and three do not.The visitor then chooses from a series of rewind buttons to explore the reason each child had for letting or not letting the excluded child sit down.The kids’ thoughts reveal conflicting emotions about the decisions they made. Two kid hosts will discuss the conflicting issues, reiterating that it is hard to go against the group and you’ve got to be brave, but sometimes it’s important to do the right thing.

PEACE DINER & NAME SHREDDER
In the Peace Diner visitors sit and listen to an audio tape of name calling. An instructional video advises visitors to participate in a role playing exercise using a variety of tools and strategies for dealing with name calling.These strategies are written on cut-outs shaped as shields ( see picture).Children choose the shields with which they are most comfortable and place these on a “power pack” in front of them. They then role play these responses with an adult.
[9:29] Dusty Artaud: The second activity in the Peace Diner is the Name Shredder where visitors can write a hurtful name down on a slip of paper and then feed it into a paper shredder and watch it be destroyed. Name Shredder very powerful, kids cry.

PUPPET THEATER
Here visitors make their own puppets and prepare – in groups of 3 or 4 -a skit that they then perform before classmates.Puppet shows are effective because they :
1. Powerfully reinforce the tolerance and character education messages.
2. Are a proven educational medium for enhancing students’ language development especially in the areas of oral communication.
3. Enhance affective growth through promoting self-confidence, social skills, and increased empathy.
Creating a puppet – then writing & performing skits – helps kids to affirm the museum lessons they have learned.Educational drama also provides insights for teachers who are watching with the students.Where is the RL Museum?near Trenton, NJ on the college of new jersey

HERO ROOM
In the Hero Room visitors are introduced to famous heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. Heroes are differentiated from other famous people like celebrities (many children view celebrities as heroes).Less famous heroes, old and young, are introduced with the use of wall exhibits and books.
Each child is asked to pick one of these heroes and verbalize what about them makes them a hero. A sample of actual Child Heroes follows in the next few slides. Are the exhibits packaged so that they can be loaned or rented to other children’s museums?haven’t done that so far.

KIDSBRIDGE RUNS ON VOLUNNTEERS
Kidsbridge collaborates with TCNJ’s Children’s Social Development Lab and TCNJ’s education and psychology departments.Over 100 college students have participate annually as docents. Kidsbridge is always looking for additional volunteers (including retired teachers) to serve as docents.

Ozma Malibu: very nice dusty, i like the storytelling activities as they focus on positives
HOw can we help from SL?
Dusty Artaud: you’d be amazed at the transformations that occur right before your eyes as kids get it
Louise Later: Does the hero room include Helen Keller? It is great
Smash Lane: This should be on the teen grid too
LizaJune Stoop: It works with adults too!

2.0 EXPANSION GOALS FOR 2009
*Current Status*
• Outdated computer lab
• 1.0 Website with no specialized sections for student, teachers, parents and volunteers
• Museum experience between students and teachers limited to one-time physical event
• No assessment capabilities beyond observation and notes taken by TCNJ psychology students
*Desired Status*
• Update computer lab equipment & technology (or partner with TCNJ Lab)
• Unify experiences in physical space with a robust online user experience (website, blog, VW)
• Allow the experience to continue beyond the walls of the museum (website, blog, VW)
• Record usage data for regular and detailed assessment (Moodle?)

CONTACT INFORMATION
email: DustyArtaud@gmail.com
website: http://www.kidsbridgemuseum.org
blog: http://kidsbridgemuseum.wordpress.com/
YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A0IOgDf3kU

We are very grass roots. I am trying to expand our presence. I believe we should be virtual – SL or other. Like Global Kids, i think we should have a presence in both places

LizaJune Stoop: The best material I found for kids has been with the conflict resolution and mediation groups.

Ozma Malibu: Im going to be using SLoodle for oversight/data collection/community, Dusty, will let you know how that goes

Rhiannon Chatnoir: if you want lots of reference on how Global Kids approached working within Teen SL.. check out the blog we have been keeping the last few years http://holymeatballs.org

LizaJune Stoop: National Student Councils also has some wonderful material.

Glitteractica Cookie: I think having a presence in multiple VWs is a larger topic that deserves a longer segment
Dusty Artaud: would be great to have transferable prototype
Glitteractica Cookie: i would love to have a meeting about that
Rhiannon Chatnoir: yeah that is almost a round table/workshop event in and of itself
Louise Later: I will do what i can about inclusion and adult teaching
Glitteractica Cookie: if someone is interesteed in leading that topic we could have a forum around it
Coughran Mayo: lets plan that Rhiannon/Glitter. Good topic for NPC to sponsor
Ozma Malibu: I am interested in the topic, haven’t gotten far in figuring out how to do it
[9:38] Glitteractica Cookie: i would like us to sponsor it, yes
Rhiannon Chatnoir: could be very interesting.. even drag in possible some of the other outlooks and resources Rezed.org has built up on various worlds
Coughran Mayo: put on next weeks agenda for intro discussion
Dusty Artaud: if you have any suggestions for Kidsbridge please let me know.
Glitteractica Cookie: ok, let’s make it an 30 min, half of an NPC agenda item
Ozma Malibu: we can add then to the SL CC track ?
Rhiannon Chatnoir: in regards to say tech logistics/building help.. you should poke Amulius Lioncourt .. Dusty.. he does weekly office hours for NPC and can help in regards to the tech parts

http://www.kidsbridgemuseum.org/main/index.cfm

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OPEN MIC
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What about the new NPO Techs group?
They meet on thursdays 8:30 am
NPO Techs is just getting started but we ought to be able to help soon.
NPO Techs group is a fairly new group that has popped up within NPC that focuses on those of us focusing on tech relateed things within orgs and those wanting to know more in how things tech can be implemented here in SL or otherwise
Rhiannon Chatnoir: we have had a few meetings… Louise has been leading them .. 🙂
Louise Later: for all levels of techs including the people who are the NPO tech becuase you can clear a paper jam. Folks should bring their requests for help to the Thurs 8:30 meeting?
Adalace Jewell: maybe we should blog more on the npo tech group on nonprofitcommons.org
Rhiannon Chatnoir: share experiences, pick each others brains, etc
Louise Later: great idea
Rhiannon Chatnoir: we also have started talking about what sorts of technical things those within the NPC and otherwise would like to have explained and even maybe illustrated 3D demos of within SL

jacmacaire Humby: HUMANBE will be at PARIS AIR SHOW http://www.paris-air-show.com/ on the stand POLE PEGASE Hall 4 B45 B46 B53 B54 in BOURGET France JUNE 15-21, 2009 to present a NEW GENERATION OF RIGID AIRSHIPS able to chsnge the future of the transport..

Penguin Kuhn: We are in the process of getting the tenant directory up to date. http://npsl.wikispaces.com/Tenants Lots of changes this week
Smash Lane: Buffy, keep me informed of the Tenant List please, I’m updating the list on the wiki
Buffy Beale: Ok Smash, I’m working with Bj/Kali and Johnny Austin, will let you know when its settled

Cowgrl Crystal: I have started my support group. It is Sleep Disorders Support and for now I have gotten office space donated on R.O.F. It is not a registered non profit, but until Narcolepsy Network agrees or disagrees to support me, I’m doing this on my own and will donate any funds to them myself. If you have room here I would love a small space or somewhere that I could post information. My Support Group will attempt to give support to any of the many Sleep Disorders.
Unfortunately I took my presentation to Seattle and couldn’t even get them to look at it. 🙁

Ricken Flow: I am starting a non profit that will be getting started in Second life Metabody community health center in order to be established as a non profit in texas i need three board members if anyone is interested contact me.

In Kenzo: Yes, @avatarcamp is next week!

Louise Later: I wanted to remind people about Helen Keller Day in Second Life™ 6/27. More about it next week. Robin Roar: If you would like to help out with HKD I can invite you to the Virtual Helping Hands Group, let me know and I will hit you up with a group tag

In Kenzo: This time next week I’ll be at State of Play with many awesome avatars. And we’ll be streaming live with events in SL and other virutal worlds. June 19th and 20th

In Kenzo: followed by a Metaverse Meetup in NYC on the 20th So you are welcome to join us on Foundations after NPC next week with amazing speakers from State Department, heads of virtual world companies, policy makers and virtual world researchers. Definitely will send a note with more details to Googlegroup and reminder via group notice. Glitteractica Cookie: please send to google group too

Murray Haefnir: If any one needs help with doing a 501(c) organization, Jenelle and I have experience with creating them and doing the IRS paperwork. If you are not in the US we have no experience. In Kenzo: Murray, that’s great. I have two groups looking for fiscal sponsors also. Smash Lane: Could probably use help with the 501(c) application Murray. Murray Haefnir: be glad to SmashMurray Haefnir: we have also done a group exemption for one so they can charter chapters

CJ27 Jigsaw: Am doing an about SL prsnentation to 1,000 peeps in 2 weeks. If anone can send a “Why we shoud be there as a NP ” article or paper, I’d love to use it. And any stats about useage of SL by NPs too. Emai: jonesc@aauw.org
Cowgrl Crystal: I’d love that also my e-mail sleepycowgrl@comcast.net
Cicero Kit: I have some articles I have written on non-profits in SL… I can email those over… shows the possibilites for NPs here
Murray Haefnir: If anyone has ideas and experience with fundraising ideas both rl & sl we could use that expertise as well
LizaJune Stoop: It might be helpful for TechSoup to publish something about the monetary value of the support they are giving us.
Glitteractica Cookie: Liza– i would love help on that and Malin would also be a good one to contact about tracking stuff.
LizaJune Stoop: It should be something we can include in our grant requests to show that we have additional support.
Malin Dahlstrom: I’m happy to help.
Rhiannon Chatnoir: CJ27 … email me.. Global Kids has a white paper that Rik published after the 2007 SLCC nonprofit parts.. that goes into that concept more deeply
Glitteractica Cookie: liza– yes, i would love any assistance to prove impact in that way
LizaJune Stoop: Sounds like we need a fundraising support group…
Rhiannon Chatnoir is rhiannon@thevesuviusgroup.com
Serene Jewell: There are some links at: http://npsl.wikispaces.com/Introduction to the case for nonprofits in SL. I’d like to improve that page.
Penguin Kuhn: http://www.nonprofitcommons.org/node/199

Glitteractica Cookie: I am happy to make a quick announcement, 12 years ago was the date of my cancer diagnosis, 1997, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and I am happily in remission, and was just reminded by the group IM from the SL Cancer Survivor’s group, so L’Chaim (that means, “To Life” for a few of you who may not know) yaay! Being a cancer Survivor brought me into SL
[Massive heartfelt congrats and love to Glitteractica ensues…]

In Kenzo: BTW, a few of us after Health Panel got to talking about a Marrow Donor Registration program here inworld, if anyone here wants to work on that let me know.
Rhiannon Chatnoir is on the Marrow doner’s registry
Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks for donating Bone Marrow, I needed it

In Kenzo: 6/27 is Helen Keller Day + Aids screenign day

LizaJune Stoop: On the topic of the Health conference, someone there mentioned the idea of a CoDA group in SL. I’d like to work on that. CoDA is Co-Dependants Annonymous – an affliction of many nonprofit participants!

Rhiannon Chatnoir: would even be a cool thing to do a virtual NPC blood drive.. even if we can’t all do it together

Glitteractica Cookie: I will be conducting interviews this week, for those who want to be interviewed for my book on online community for socail change. please email me at susan@techsoup.org is you want in.

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Media Mentions:

Glitteractica’s article in Huffington post! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-tenby/nonprofits-blaze-virtual_b_212…

Coughran also got a piece about PFH in SL in this publication, Network World: http://www.nonprofitcommons.org/content/more-nonprofit-commons-press-pre…

any1 Gynoid now has 10 articles in a row “On CNN” and just earned Super Star status as iReporter … you can too… IM me for my instructions.. Cheers!

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Contact and More Info:

blog: http://www.nonprofitcommons.org

Wiki: http://npsl.wikispaces.com

Twitter: @npsl http://www.twitter.com/npsl
Hashtag: #npsl

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/TechSoup-Second-Life

Written by: SereneJewell