Author: Nonprofit Commons

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Using Signature Character Strengths in 3D Games & Simulation for June 10th Nonprofit Commons Meeting

This Friday, June 10th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature Dr. Cynthia Calongne (Lyr Lobo) and Dr. Andrew Stricker (Spinoza Quinnell) with a discussion on understanding signature character strengths, and how those can be used in games and simulations.  Following the discussion, there will be a chance to have an in-depth tour of character strength tools.
 
Dr. Cynthia Calongne, is a professor, author, and researcher with 20 years of experience in developing virtual environments and teaching. For 13 years, she worked as a software engineer and a systems programmer for Air Force Space Command and on Capitol Hill. In 2010, Andy Stricker, Mike McCrocklin, and Cynthia Calongne won the first $25,000 Grand Prize in the Federal Virtual World Challenge for the Mars Expedition Strategy Challenge.
 
Dr. Andrew Stricker serves Air University by helping to design, develop, and implement advanced and emerging learning technologies into Air Force educational and professional military education programs. Prior to his arrival to Air University Andrew served Vanderbilt University as Associate Provost for Innovation Through Technology. He was responsible for working with academic, technology and administrative leaders to prioritize, plan and execute the infusion of educational technologies and enabling innovations for improving learning, teaching and research. Andrew also served 27 years as an Air Force officer and scientist specializing in behavioral sciences and human-factors engineering. His graduate work was conducted at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
 
Join us in Second Life! 
 
Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 
Friday, June 10th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 
http://bit.ly/NPCinSL
 
AGENDA (all times below PT) 
8:30 am Introductions
8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
8:50 am Mentor’s Central
9:00 am Featured Presentation
9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements
 
The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 
 
http://nonprofitcommons.org

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

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Creative Commons and Fair Use for June 3rd Nonprofit Commons Meeting

This Friday, June 3rd, TechSoup’s Nonprofit Commons in Second Life will feature a discussion on understanding creative commons licensing, and guidelines for content fair use for your nonprofit and educational projects. 



Join us in Second Life! 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, June 3rd, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL



AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:50 am Mentor’s Central
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements



The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 



http://nonprofitcommons.org

Share image by Got Credit, licensed CC BY 2.0, available on Flickr.

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

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Open Forum for May 27th NonProfit Commons Meeting

This Friday, May 27th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature an open forum and is a chance to chat on relevant tech, upcoming events, and a roundup happenings and updates on what other NPC community members are working on. We will also revisit some of last week’s conversation on tools for digital storytelling in preparation for the #Storymakers2016 contest deadline.

Has your library or nonprofit organization created video or photo stories? If so, you’ve got until May 31st to enter TechSoup’s Storymakers 2016 digital storytelling contest. You could win up to $5,000 so hurry and enter today! http://ow.ly/VOTa300lVZj

Join us in Second Life! 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, May 27th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL

 

AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central – Tech Updates
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Open Forum 
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements

 

The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 

http://nonprofitcommons.org

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

Posted on

Tools for Digital Storytelling for May 20th Nonprofit Commons Meeting

This Friday, May 20th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will focus on tools for digital storytelling. Video, photos, and other digital media, can be powerful ways to tell the story of your nonprofit organization or social good project. Join our mentor leader Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond (Zinnia Zauber in SL) and community organizer Joyce Bettencourt (Rhiannon Chatnoir in SL), as they talk storytelling tools. Come ready to share your story and any useful tools you use!
 
Join us in Second Life! 
 
Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 
Friday, May 20th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 
http://bit.ly/NPCinSL
 
AGENDA (all times below PT) 
8:30 am Introductions
8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
8:50 am Tools for Digital Storytelling
9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements
 
The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 
 
http://nonprofitcommons.org
 

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

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Game On – Game Benefits for Nonprofits for May 13th NonProfit Commons Meeting

image by Vivian ViolaThis Friday, May 13th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature Cynthia Calongne (SL: Lyr Lobo) of Colorado Technical University. Join us as we explore the benefits of games and examine a few serious game design examples to stimulate our creativity. Come prepared to share strategies for rapid game design using the skills we learned from childhood to motivate and strengthen our communities.
 
Cynthia Calongne, known as Lyr Lobo, joined Colorado Technical University’s Computer Science Doctoral department in 1996, and prior to it, was a software engineer for 13 years for AF Space Command and for an environmental organization. She has hosted 200+ keynote addresses, research paper presentations, and workshops. Her team won the $25,000 Grand Prize in the Federal Virtual World Challenge for the Mars Expedition Strategy Challenge, a space simulation, and in 2005, she completed an artificial intelligence grant for the National Science Foundation. Her research began in 1995 when she evaluated a user interface paradigm for using virtual environments on a personal computer.
 
Join us in Second Life! 
 
Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 
Friday, May 13th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 
 
AGENDA (all times below PT) 
  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central 
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation: Game On – Game Benefits for Nonprofits 
  • 9:50 am Open Mic / Announcements
 
The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 
 
 

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

Posted on

Open Forum for May 6th NonProfit Commons Meeting

This Friday, May 6th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature an open forum and is a chance to chat on relevant tech, upcoming events, and a roundup happenings and updates on what other NPC community members are working on.

 

Join us in Second Life! 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, May 6th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL

 

AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central 
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Open Forum 
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements

 

The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 

http://nonprofitcommons.org

 

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

Posted on

Game Development: Knowing Your Audience for April 29th NonProfit Commons Meeting

This Friday, April 29th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature David Fliesen (SL: Joey Aboma) presenting on knowing your user when developing games. Knowing your game audience will help understand how to best reach “the player” by better understanding WHO they are and WHAT motivates them to play. This session will explore Jesse Schell’s Art of Game Design, and include opportunities for learning your own player type, the taxonomy of game pleasures, personality types, and explore everything from psychographics to demographics and geographics to better know the players of games.
David Fliesen (SL: Joey Aboma/OpenSim: Sun Tzu) is a 3D Content Developer at AvaCon, where he also helps as a community manager for the Free Virtual Land for Social Good Organizations (https://www.avacon.org/blog/events/free-virtual-land-for-social-good-organizations/). He graduated last month with a BFA in media arts & animation from the Art Institute of Virginia Beach and has a broad range of virtual worlds and serious gaming experience — developing courses for Rasmussen College in Engineering Virtual Worlds and the MEDATAR serious medical game proof of concept for the U.S. Air Force’s Surgeon General. 
 
This week will also feature a Mentor Central presentation Power of Surprise on the importance of creative thinking and serendipity, by Lynne Berrett (Lissena Wisdomseeker) of http://agelessmindproject.org.
 
Join us in Second Life! 
 
Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 
Friday, April 29th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 
 
AGENDA (all times below PT) 
  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central – Power of Surprise
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Game Development: Knowing Your Audience 
  • 9:50 am Open Mic / Announcements
 
The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 
 
Image by rikaru  AttributionNoncommercialShare Alike

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

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Celebrating Earth Day with Etopia for April 22nd NonProfit Commons Meeting

This Friday, April 22nd, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature Gloria Kraegel (Namaara MacMoragh in SL) who will present on the Etopia EcoVillage and Sustainable Community showcasing real life examples of sustainable living, renewable energy, organic agriculture, urban planning, and intentional community. 

Gloria Kraegel has enjoyed a 30-year career working with nonprofits focusing on issues of capacity and development, working with clients to establish sustainable systems that meet organizational needs and objectives. She has facilitated retreats, conferences, and board development workshops throughout the United States. Her current project is with the Brain Energy Support Team, a US nonprofit that provides PEER support, advocacy, and education. BEST distinguishes itself from other brain injury organizations in that the leadership, services, and programs are built by and for individuals with brain injury and their families.

As her avatar Namaara MacMoragh, Gloria brings her skill and vision to Etopia Sustainable Community, a four-region Second Life simulation showcasing environmental, community, and personal sustainability.

 

Join us in Second Life! 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, April 22nd, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL

 

AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central 
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Celebrating Earth Day with Etopia
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements

 

This presentation, is part of the Etopia 9th Annual Earth Day celebration, including three days of workshops, discussions, events, music, and more. Other events take place at the Etopia community in Second Life:  

9th Annual Etopia Earth Day Schedule 
Thursday April 21
  • 12pm SLT – Three Sisters Celebration, Ribbon Cutting & Earth Day Kickoff
  • 2pm SLT – The Cooperative Difference led by Namaara MacMoragh at the Poetry Corner
  • 7pm SLT – Weakly Bored Meating @ Tsidel’s Cafe 
Friday April 22
  • 8:39am SLT – About Etopia Presentation at Nonprofit Commons – Namaara MacMoragh
  • 10 am SLT – Healing The Earth With Permaculture – fate Paule
  • 11am SLT – Climate Change Workshop with Marly Milena
  • 1pm SLT – Earth Day Open Mic with Bhelanna Blaze and Namaara MacMoragh
  • 3:30pm SLT – Can Solar Power Reverse Climate Change – Patrick Edwin
  • 5pm SLT – KevinMThomas LIVE at the Pavillion
  • 7pm SLT – DJ Dani @ the Farmers Market
Saturday April 23
  • 9am SLT – Simply Impossible Machines
  • 10:30am SLT – Mediation & Sustainable Community – Wraith Serdyuk
  • 12pm SLT – Bridging Etopia and Real World Practices – Namaara MacMoragh (SLMOOC16 Presentation)b
  • 2pm SLT – Closing Reception @ the Water Treatment Plant

The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 

http://nonprofitcommons.org

 

 

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

Posted on

Open Forum for April 15th NonProfit Commons Meeting

This Friday, April 15th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will feature an open forum and is a chance to chat on relevant tech, upcoming events, and a roundup happenings and updates on what other NPC community members are working on.

 

Join us in Second Life! 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, April 15th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL

 

AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central 
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Open Forum 
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements

 

The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 

http://nonprofitcommons.org

Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir

Posted on

Digital Storytelling for Good for the April 8th NonProfit Commons Meeting

 

This Friday, April 8th, TechSoup’s NonProfit Commons in Second Life will focus on digital storytelling, and talk on the #Storymakers2016  digital storytelling campaign which is focused on building capacity for NGOs to use storytelling to create assets for fundraising and advocacy. This week, TechSoup launched it’s annual competition, including new educational how-to’s, webinars, and resources, and we encourage everyone to consider submitting photos or a video. 

 

We also will have Bernhard Drax (Draxtor Despres) to update us on the short digital story about Nonprofit Commons, that he is creating for his World Makers series. He will be filming some during our meeting, so come with your avatar ready to be part of this! – https://www.youtube.com/user/draxtordespres

 

Join us in Second Life!

 

Nonprofit Commons Weekly Meeting 

Friday, April 8th, 8:30 AM PT / SLT

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater 

http://bit.ly/NPCinSL

 

AGENDA (all times below PT) 

  • 8:30 am Introductions
  • 8:40 am TechSoup Announcements
  • 8:45 am Mentors Central 
  • 9:00 am Featured Presentation – Digital Storytelling for Good
  • 9:45 am Open Mic / Announcements

 

The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is a program sponsored by Caravan Studios – http://caravanstudios.org, a division of TechSoup Global, http://techsoup.org. The mission of the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life is to create a community for nonprofits to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their missions. 

http://nonprofitcommons.org

 

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Written by: Rhiannon Chatnoir