Author: Nonprofit Commons

This Friday April 27, come learn about how virtual worlds are being used for new forms of surveying , social science data gathering, and health communications. Elizabeth Dean , a researcher and program manager at RTI International will talk about how her research firm is exploring Second Life , World of Warcraft, and other online worlds for potential in social science research. Learn more about their perspective on virtual worlds survey “laboratories” on their blog.

As always, we have news from TechSoup.org, knowledge from our Mentors Team, and open mic announcements! Join us on Friday April 27 starting at 8:30am PT. See you at the Plush Nonprofit Commons amphitheater.

NONPROFIT COMMONS MEETING

April 27 , 8:30am PST

Plush Nonprofit Commons  Amphitheater

AGENDA

• 8:30am Introductions
• 8:40am TechSoup Announcements
• 8:45am Mentors Central
• 8:55am Elizabeth Dean on Virtual Worlds for Social Research
• 9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

Written by: rikomatic

Virtual Ability, Inc. announces the 2012 Virtual Ability Mental Health Symposium, to be held Saturday, April 28, in Second Life. This symposium offers a variety of perspectives for thinking positively about mental health. 

Alice Krueger, president of Virtual Ability, Inc., noted, “A symposium is a formal meeting where individual presentations are followed by discussion. We intend these sessions to encourage audience participation with the presenters and especially with the content the presenters share. Mental health is too important a topic to ignore.”

The symposium’s keynote presenter is Dick Dillon of Innovaision, LLC. Dillon’s topic is “Why Virtual Counseling Should Be Viewed as Advanced Telemedicine.” He will explain why using virtual worlds for counseling allows better service than “real life” counseling.

Among the interesting topics at the symposium, MermaidSue Bailey, a counselor from the United Kingdom who conducts an active Second Life support group for people with disabilities, will lead a discussion of the importance of peer support for mental health. Roberto Salubrius, a former medical student misdiagnosed with agoraphobia, will use the story of his life to explain why mental health issues aren’t all mental. 

Presentations will take place at various locations in Second Life, including the Sojourner Auditorium on Virtual Ability Island (teleport link).

The full schedule of confirmed presenters is posted inworld and online. For the most up-to-date information, please see the Virtual Ability blog. 

Written by: rikomatic

SF Online Community MeetUp with Marc Siegel of Simraceway

Written by: rikomatic

To mark the occasion of Earth Day, the Nonprofit Commons welcomed Namaara MacMoragh, owner of the Etopia Eco-Community in Second Life, to our weekly meetup on April 20, 2012.

Read on for the full transcript of the meeting….

NONPROFIT COMMONS MEETING
April 20, 2012, 8:30am PST

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

AGENDA

• 8:30am Introductions
• 8:40am TechSoup Announcements
• 8:45am Mentors Central: Harper Beresford with a Review of the Fashion for Life event in SL.
• 8:55am Etopia Island owner Namaara MacMoragh
• 9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

INTRODUCTIONS

[08:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): morning folks!
[08:21] Chayenn: Bonjour Rik
[08:22] HB Eternal: Howdy Rikster
[08:22] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): Good Morning
[08:26] Red (talkwithmarie): hey everybody:)
[08:27] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): is someone taking my picture? Is there anything in my teeth?
[08:28] jacmacaire Humby: Hi everyone…
[08:28] DyVerse Jeffery-Steele (dyverse): I think i see a piece of sourdough toast points at it
[08:28] Red (talkwithmarie): oh oh
[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): whispers: Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Nonprofit
[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Commons!
[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m Rik Panganiban, community manager here from TechSoup.org
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): It’s great to see everyone here today.
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): As you should know, its EarthDay in a couple of days
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): So we’re excited to have Namaara of Etopia coming to speak to us.
[08:31] Red (talkwithmarie): yay!
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): But first, as always we introduce ourselves
[08:32] Red (talkwithmarie): Marie C.-talkwithmarie, aka Red., Greater Boston, Girls project/Girl TV/Talk!withmarie, http://youtube.com/girltvlive, http://youtube.com/talkwithmarie, @talkwithmarie
[08:32] Ronnie Rhode: Denise Harrison, The Garden for the Missing, http://www.gardenforthemissing.org/ and SLURL http://slurl.com/secondlife/Remora/203/148/21, Project Jason, assistance for families of the missing, http://www.projectjason.org.
[08:32] Chayenn: Monique Richert, Protect Yourself 1, Inc; Baltimore MD, protectyourself1.org, facebook.com/PY1US ; @PY1US
[08:32] HB Eternal: Harold W Becker, The Love Foundation, Florida, http://www.thelovefoundation.com @lovefoundation
[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Please type into the text chat your real life name, location, organization, URL and Twitter handle — if you like!
[08:32] Em Ellsmere: Tina Walker, The ALS Association, Washington DC, http://www.alsa.org, @alsassociation
[08:32] Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, Inc. www.virtualability.org
[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): This is for our meeting today and our records for later.
[08:32] Sister Abeyante: Sister Patrice Colletti, SDS Milwaukee, WI @SisterAbeyante http://4equalrights.blogspot.com/ as well as a volunteer with Virtual Ability, Inc.
[08:32] Panny Bakerly: Jeanne Booth, Freeport Historical Society, Freeport, NY www.freeporthistorymuseum.org; @FrptHisSoc
[08:32] bulaklak: Michael DeLong, TechSoup, www.techsoup.org, @TechSoup @MichaelDeLongSF
[08:32] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Bruce Hestley, Transgender American Veterans Association, Akron, OH, http://www.tavausa.org
[08:32] Zinnia Zauber: Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond, Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance, Sequim, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. http://www.sequimartsalliance.org http://www.facebook.com/sequimartsalliance @renneemiko
[08:32] Brena Benoir: Brenda Bryan, Preferred Family Healthcare, Kirksville, Missouri, www.pfh.org, @brenabenoir
[08:33] Ozma Malibu: Sandra Andrews, Floaters Org, Arizona, Mexico & On the Road, @ozma
[08:33] alebez: ale bezdikian, online community coordinator, techsoup, @alebez, @techsoup
[08:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Rik Panganiban, Oakland CA, Nonprofit Commons / TechSoup.org, http://nonprofitcommons, @betterverse @npsl
[08:33] jacmacaire Humby: Jacques Macaire HUMANBE http://www.humanbe.com Action Tank and Council on Sustainable Development France and International @Humanbe
[08:33] Glitteractica Cookie: Susan tenby, Online Community and Social Media director, TechSOup, SAn Francisco, CA usa @suzboop @techsoup
[08:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): anyone else?
[08:35] Kali Idziak: Jessica Dally, Community Voice Mail, Seattle, WA @jessicadally @cvmnational
[08:35] DyVerse Jeffery-Steele (dyverse): Ricky Davis San Antonio Online DJ, Peer support for chronic illness www.restorecenterforhealthyliving.com
[08:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): welcome all
[08:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): And if I wasn’t clear, you don’t ahve to be with an organization. We still would love to know who you are!

TECHSOUP.ORG UPDATES

[08:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): And now lets get an update from TechSoup.org, the founder of the Nonprofit Commons
[08:37] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): hello im not with a group or organization
[08:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Lissy, that’s fine. Who are you and where are you from?
[08:37] bulaklak: Hi, all! Happy Friday, if it is Friday in your area.
[08:37] Glitteractica Cookie: And how did you hear about NPC? What brings you here?
[08:38] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): this is only my second day back at sl after a yeear off , im looking for a group i would like to devote my time to
[08:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): great thanks for coming!
[08:38] bulaklak: Welcome, Lissy!
[08:39] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): ty
[08:39] bulaklak: So…as Rik mentioned this Sunday is Earth Day. TechSoup honored this day this week with our latest episode of Nonprofits Live hosted by InKenzo
[08:39] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): welcome Lissy 🙂
[08:39] Buffy Beale: whispers Buffy Bye, Bridges for Women, Victoria BC Canada, http://www.bridgesforwomen.ca @bridges4women
[08:39] bulaklak: We talked all about green tech with guests from the San Francisco dept. of the environment and 350.org
[08:40] jasminia Jinn: got it
[08:40] bulaklak: The recording is up: http://bit.ly/HPAjMK
[08:40] bulaklak: Please watch it to learn all about current green tech issues
[08:40] bulaklak: These are a team effort, of course, produced by TechSoup
[08:40] bulaklak: with InKenzo as our bubbly emcee
[08:41] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Welcome back to SL Lissy
[08:41] Buffy Beale: yay InK!
[08:41] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): thank you
[08:41] bulaklak: We also have a webinar coming up on April 26 about finding funders for your cause
[08:41] bulaklak: You can RSVP here: http://bit.ly/IRT2Rj
[08:42] bulaklak: This is in partnership with the Foundation Center
[08:42] bulaklak: Who do amazing work
[08:42] bulaklak: That’s about it for today
[08:42] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m sure we could all use help finnding more funders!
[08:42] bulaklak: Thanks all and have a great weekend!
[08:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Folks it really helps the NPC when you attend other non-SL webinars and trainings, soI highly encourage you to take advantage of them
[08:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok so lets move on to the mentors

MENTORS CENTRAL

[08:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who speaks for Mentors Central today?
[08:43] Zinnia Zauber: Harper Beresford, the lead of Fashion for Life, is joining us today for Mentor Central. Fashion for Life is the fashion arm of the Relay For Life movement in Second Life supporting the American Cancer Society.
[08:44] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): awesome!
[08:44] Buffy Beale: cheering!
[08:44] Gentle Heron: YAY Harper!
[08:44] Harper (harper.beresford): Hi, everyone! 🙂
[08:44] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you Harper for being here!
[08:44] Harper (harper.beresford): Thanks for inviting me, Zinnia 🙂
[08:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): very cool!
[08:44] Brena Benoir: Woohoo Harper
[08:44] Zinnia Zauber: my pleasure!
[08:44] Second Life: Orson Winterwolf is offline.
[08:44] Harper (harper.beresford): As Zinnia said, I was the lead for Fashion for Life, which is the opening event for the Relay for Life season in SL 🙂
[08:45] Harper (harper.beresford): This year we raised as of today: 5,431,850 L
[08:45] Harper (harper.beresford): for the American Cancer Soceity
[08:45] Namaara MacMoragh: wow! that’s great
[08:45] Harper (harper.beresford): Fashion for Life is a 10 day event across 10 sims
[08:45] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): woot!
[08:45] Harper (harper.beresford): where SL content developers donate content which is sold with all proceeds going to Relay for Life as well as selling their own content
[08:46] Harper (harper.beresford): it’s specifically content that is worn on avatars–hair, skins, dresses, accessories, etc
[08:46] Harper (harper.beresford): everyone who works on the project does so on a volunteer basis–builders, organizers, etc
[08:46] Harper (harper.beresford): and designers participating donate on a leveled sponsorship basis
[08:47] Second Life: Charles2 McCaw is online.
[08:47] Harper (harper.beresford): our aim for Fashion for Life is encompassed in our mission statement, which you can find on our website
[08:47] Harper (harper.beresford): http://www.fashionforlifesl.org/
[08:47] Harper (harper.beresford): “Simply put, our mission is to maximize donations to the American Cancer Society via the SL Relay for Life while creating a great sales environment for in-world avatar content (including lowered lag). Our goal is provide complete transparency in financial and operational actions to all residents. And to have fun doing this!”
[08:47] Second Life: DASH (dash.renoir) is online.
[08:47] Harper (harper.beresford): When we adhere to the mission,we find we are very successful and get a lot of fun out doing Fashion for Life.
[08:48] Harper (harper.beresford): This year we received additional sponsorship from Dream Seeker Estates Corporation, who underwrote all our sims
[08:48] Harper (harper.beresford): which was a very generous contribution
[08:48] Harper (harper.beresford): we were also assisted in promotion by Linden Lab
[08:49] Harper (harper.beresford): So I have explained, I think, what Fashion for Life is.. I feel like I have said about 2 minutes worth of stuff but do you have questions?
[08:50] jasminia Jinn: How old is the organizatin
[08:50] Harper (harper.beresford): Relay for Life is a branch fo the American Cancer Soceity specifically
[08:50] Harper (harper.beresford): Fashion for Life has run for 6 years in Second Life under various names
[08:51] jasminia Jinn: 🙂
[08:51] mdubensky: It seems like a lot of work for only 10 days, why don’t you have it year round?
[08:51] Harper (harper.beresford): we took the “For Life” moniker last year so we could differentiate ourselves from other RFL activities in SL
[08:51] Harper (harper.beresford): the Relay for Life season in SL extends from March to July
[08:51] Harper (harper.beresford): in part because people get worn out with RFL constantly being in place here
[08:51] Harper (harper.beresford): and because the people who run these things volunteer also need a break
[08:52] Em Ellsmere: how many staff/volunteers do you have?
[08:52] Harper (harper.beresford): so we coincide with the general fund raising season for RFL
[08:52] Harper (harper.beresford): for Fashion for life, we had me as lead, two folks to assist and 10 builders
[08:52] Harper (harper.beresford): all volunteer
[08:52] Zinnia Zauber: Building those connections with RL and SL, how do people know the money that is earned goes to the actual American Cancer Socieity?
[08:53] Harper (harper.beresford): That’s a great question. The Relay for Life board in SL has set up very rigorous standards for us to follow
[08:53] Harper (harper.beresford): this includes using THEIR scripted vendors in world, which are carefully vetted by the in world board members and even more importantly, Jeff Montague, who represents the American Cancer Society
[08:54] Harper (harper.beresford): so all activities of money, logo usage, etc, are monitored by him
[08:54] Harper (harper.beresford): and i will be frank, he looks
[08:54] Harper (harper.beresford): he is very particular about our adhering to their standards of PG content, money handling, etc
[08:54] Zinnia Zauber: That is great!
[08:54] Harper (harper.beresford): when we did fashion for life, we used a specific separate avatar to gather monies, which was only accessible by Harper’s driver and Jeff Montague
[08:55] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): This is a great example of a community widefundraising effort for a good cause
[08:55] Buffy Beale: It sure is, maybe he can come give us some tips here too
[08:55] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I wish all funderaisers in SL were so rigorous
[08:55] Harper (harper.beresford): those monies were then turned over to the RelayforLife AmericanCancer avatar via a kiosk
[08:55] Harper (harper.beresford): it was the only way i was going to personally volunteer my time for any fund raising in SL
[08:55] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Great idea, Buffy. We’d love to have Jeff here to talk about it
[08:55] Harper (harper.beresford): i have been always critical of how fund raisers are run in SL
[08:56] Harper (harper.beresford): and when I got the opportunity to be associated with them, I asked Jeff many question
[08:56] Harper (harper.beresford): s
[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok we should move on I’m afraid….
[08:56] Em Ellsmere: thank you Harper
[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): but thanks so much for the report Harper! and all the work taht youdo!
[08:56] Harper (harper.beresford): thank you! 🙂
[08:56] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): thanks Harper!
[08:56] Buffy Beale: thanks Harper it’s a great event and become a signature one for SL
[08:56] Brena Benoir: Thank you Harper!
[08:56] Gentle Heron: Great info Harper, and a great cause.
[08:56] Harper (harper.beresford): visit our website at http://fashionforlifesl.org 🙂
[08:56] Zinnia Zauber: This is great, Harper!
[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Namaara can you come down please?
[08:57] Zinnia Zauber: I think we need to have you join us again sometime for more info!

ETOPIA ECO-COMMUNITY

[08:57] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We are happy to have back Maraara MacMoragh to the NPC
[08:57] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂
[08:57] Buffy Beale: Cheering for Namaara!
[08:57] Brena Benoir: Good idea Zinnia!
[08:57] Zinnia Zauber: Rah Namaara!
[08:57] Namaara MacMoragh: good morning
[08:58] Namaara MacMoragh: hehe… I have a gift giver I couldn’t rez
[08:58] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): In honor of Earth Day, we asked Namaara to come talk with us about Etopia Eco-communities
[08:58] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Namaara, give it to me and I can rez it
[08:58] Namaara MacMoragh: Sure… Rik thanks
[08:58] Gentle Heron: YAY Namaara, and welcome.
[08:59] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): take it away!
[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: First, I want to say WOW! Harper that was a great report and success for your fundraising.
[08:59] Harper (harper.beresford): thanks 🙂
[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: I want to say thanks to everyone for this opportunity to share with you. I love having the opportunity to
share more of the work we’re doing at Etopia.
[08:59] Namaara MacMoragh: Last month we collaborated with Virtual Ability to sponsor
music, networking opportunities, and presentations about Brain
Injury. It was very successful and the Brain Energy Support
Team (http://brainenergysupportteam.org) raised $L 8,000 in
individual donations. I also made new friends and learned a lot.
[09:00] Gentle Heron: /me smiles.
[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: I see my chat is giving those symbols
[09:00] Namaara MacMoragh: hang on a sec I can fix that….
[09:00] Zinnia Zauber: Rah BEST!
[09:01] Namaara MacMoragh: hehe… that didn’t work
[09:01] Namaara MacMoragh: anyway… please hang in there and I’m open to questions too
[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: about last month… it was so much fun
[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: To me that’s what the collaborations, presentations… events…
bring to individuals… the opportunity to learn and build
community.
[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: And that’s what Etopia is about.
[09:02] Namaara MacMoragh: WilliamTheWise Goodman founded Etopia in 2007 with a vision
of bringing into SL awareness of real world environmental issues
and demonstrating that there are solutions. In 2009 I purchased
the sims from him and began a movement toward expanding the
ideas to embrace things that I was also engaged in
professionally and personally; cooperatives, nonprofits, and organizational sustainability.
[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: There’s a Buddhist concept “esho funi” which is oneness of self
and the environment. This is the mantra, actually motivation, for developing Etopia for the future.
[09:03] Namaara MacMoragh: The core of Etopia is “Sustainable Living” in all its aspects and
this year, our 5th year in SL, we are celebrating that idea by
embracing our residents and their real world contributions as
part of our SL community. And April 22nd is not only our 5th
birthday, but it’s (not coincidently) Earth Day.
[09:03] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): wow, congrats!
[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: (note to self… sloppy chats are good reason for using presentation HUD)
[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: Yes, we’re so excited to be around for 5 years
[09:04] Gentle Heron: /me smiles at Namaara!
[09:04] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): 🙂
[09:04] bulaklak: happy birthday!
[09:04] Buffy Beale: wow, 5 years is a lifetime!
[09:04] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): that’s like20 years in the real world
[09:04] Second Life: Naring’nari (joey.aboma) is online.
[09:04] bulaklak: lol Rik
[09:04] Namaara MacMoragh: It certainly feel like a long time, but we’re aware it’s a flash in the pan.
[09:04] Second Life: Etopia Birthday & Earth Day Gift owned by secondlife:///app/agent/e87973b9-4e5f-41f9-b9a4-3efa6d1d8b43/about gave you ‘! Etopia Birthday & Earth Day gift’ ( http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/117/125/22 ).
[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: I see so many great sims going away and I’m determined to stay.
[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: We have so much to offer and so many great folks we collaborate with.
[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: But let me continue… hehe…
[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: Earth Day marks the start of what’s considered the “modern”
environmental movement in 1970. I don’t know how many of you
were around then, but I was a teenager and by 1973 I was an
environmental activist turning my parents’ back yard into a demo
project of things I was learning from Mother Earth News.
[09:05] Namaara MacMoragh: There was a lot going on in 1970 besides the breakup of the
Beatles. In America the hippies really! brought the idea of
environment to the forefront of our thinking (right after protesting
Viet Nam). Actually, there was a book by Rachel Carson
published in 1962, Silent Spring. That book, about watershed
issues, and Carson’s activism raised awareness about the need
for environmental stewardship and concern for public health.
[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: The Earth Day Theme for 2012 is “Mobilize The Earth.” You can
find out more at http://earthday.org Even the EPA has a web
page celebrating Earth Day at http://www.epa.gov/earthday
[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: Am I moving too fast?
[09:06] Namaara MacMoragh: My RL avi has had too much coffee this morning.
[09:06] Harper (harper.beresford): lol
[09:06] bulaklak: hehe
[09:06] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m fine. Others?
[09:06] Second Life: David Burden (corro.moseley) is offline.
[09:07] bulaklak: Good pace for me, thanks!
[09:07] jasminia Jinn: OK
[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: great…
[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: There’s also a lot going on all over SL this weekend (especially
Etopia).
[09:07] Sister Abeyante: /me scrolls back easily if needed.
[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂
[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: Etopia welcomes environmentalists, educators, nonprofits, and
others to share their message and engage in sustainable
community building.
[09:07] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): yup, keeping up 🙂
[09:07] Namaara MacMoragh: For example Calicann set up a Humane Education shop on our
Etopia Island Plaza and is also hosting drumming circles in our
Forest.
[09:08] Namaara MacMoragh: We are proud to also be home to Options Senagal. Options
Senegal is the technical training, product supplier and support
center and on-going sales, marketing and customer service
organization for Ecolign Economic Interest Groups (GIEs) in
Senegal. Their focus is economic development that is
environmentally-minded.
[09:08] Namaara MacMoragh: You can read more about their build at Etopia here:
http://optionssenegal.com/2012/03/29/meet-avatar-jasminia-jinn/
[09:08] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Wow, fantastic!
[09:08] Namaara MacMoragh: Jasminia is here today.
[09:08] jasminia Jinn: Hi all
[09:08] bulaklak: How have you made your message easily shareable? Do you have a specific strategy around that?
[09:08] Namaara MacMoragh: Jasminia will be hosting a tour and presentation about the
project on Sunday, 4/22 at 1pm SLT. Details are on the event
card included in the Etopia gift (big birthday box up front here).
[09:08] Glitteractica Cookie: Good question Bulaklak
[09:09] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Perhaps Jasminia could come back another time and talk more about that?
[09:09] jasminia Jinn: Sure
[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: Wonderful!!
[09:09] Second Life: jasminia Jinn is online.
[09:09] Namaara MacMoragh: Did I mention Jasminia will be hosting a tour and presentation about the
project on Sunday, 4/22 at 1pm SLT. Details are on the event
card included in the Etopia gift (big birthday box up front here).
[09:09] Gentle Heron: YAY Jasminia!
[09:10] Namaara MacMoragh: We have a presentation by Windy Schor on Monday about Wind
(you should see our turbines). We also have a water
reclaimation plant, peak oil display, and Food Cooperative.
[09:10] Namaara MacMoragh: Speaking of Cooperatives, I’ll be talking about Co-ops and
economic empowerment on Sunday morning at 10:30 SLT.
[09:10] Namaara MacMoragh: Etopia is not only educational, it is fun. We really! are about
community and showcasing the work our residents and friends
are doing in the real world that impact not only the environment,
but our work and our lives.
[09:10] Namaara MacMoragh: There’s soooo much more I could share, but I’ll stop here and
ask that you visit us as part of your exploration of Second Life.
[09:11] Namaara MacMoragh: Are there questions or more comments?
[09:11] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Can you tell us any tips about how you have lasted this long, despite all of the challenges of Second Life?
[09:11] Buffy Beale: Question: Do you have a presence in any other grids or do you focus on SL?
[09:12] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): @Namaara, Can you share a slurl for the Sunda Co-Ops talk?
[09:12] jacmacaire Humby: Do you accept exchange with other SIM like Eco Commons?
[09:12] Namaara MacMoragh: I will admit I’ve invested quite a bit in fees out of my consulting work. But we’ve been around mostly because of the folks that live and work at Etopia. We have fun and work together to keep Etopia vibrant.
[09:12] Namaara MacMoragh: Other grids…
[09:13] Namaara MacMoragh: we’re working with Anya from Fearless Nation to work out mutual presence and at some point there may be an Etopia on SpotOn3D
[09:13] Namaara MacMoragh: slurl for the co-op presentation is in the notecard in the gift
[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: Yes I would be open to exchanges with other sims like the EcoCommons
[09:14] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): awesome, thanks!
[09:14] jacmacaire Humby: 🙂
[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: SL is a great collaboration platform.
[09:14] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): for those who ask about how virtual worlds can help protect the earth, what do you tell them?
[09:14] Namaara MacMoragh: We support one another and spread the word aobout our work.
[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: I avoid the mercury discussion and focus on the diminished travel costs and carbon footprints from that perspective
[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: I also focus on productivity and quality of the time spent working and personally
[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: Did that answer the question Rik?
[09:15] Namaara MacMoragh: And did I get everyone’s questions?
[09:15] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Well I mean from a larger climate change perspective
[09:15] bulaklak: What is the mercury discussion?
[09:16] bulaklak: With respect to SL?
[09:16] jacmacaire Humby: What is the aim of Etopia? Profit or Non profit?
[09:16] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): i.e. we have presidential candidates who as part of their platforms deny that climate change exists
[09:17] Namaara MacMoragh: To be honest my background, Rik, is in organizational sustainabilty. Global warming and the bigger conversations are handled through the many presentations our more knowledgable folks do.
[09:17] Namaara MacMoragh: Also the mercury issue is about the content in computers and it’s affect on the earth via land dumps etc
[09:17] Namaara MacMoragh: Etopia is not a nonprofit corporation.
[09:18] Namaara MacMoragh: It’s an extension of a vision of an urban development firm (WilliamTheWise is Zev Piass in real life)
[09:18] bulaklak: Ah, got it. Thanks, Namaara!
[09:18] Namaara MacMoragh: and my own vision of how we can live and work together
[09:19] Namaara MacMoragh: (whew… I think I’m caught up now)
[09:19] Delia Lake: I did a presentation on mercury for Global Kids in January here in sl. I believe it is posted on their website, and I also have a copy of the slideshow on the platform at the Center for Water Studies if anyone is interested
[09:19] Gentle Heron: /me is glad Delia and Namaara coexist.
[09:19] Namaara MacMoragh: We would love to have you present at Etopia if you’re interested Delia.
[09:19] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Well that’s already a powerful contribution to the public discourse, if we can model better ways of liing on the earth
[09:19] Namaara MacMoragh: thank you Gentle… me too.
[09:19] Delia Lake: sure, Nam, I’ll give you a copy
[09:19] Namaara MacMoragh: Be sure to get a gift and visit us at http://etopiaisland.org.
[09:19] Delia Lake: and ty Gentle 🙂
[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: Is there anything else?
[09:20] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Delia reminds me that there are probably other groups that wor kon environmental issues here with us today
[09:20] Buffy Beale: Great job Namaara for a worthy issue
[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: I’d love to chat with all of you and see how we can collaborate.
[09:20] jacmacaire Humby: Thank you Namaara… 🙂
[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: Thank you all for having me here today and visit us.
[09:20] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who elsse is here representing an environmental cause or development issue?
[09:20] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂
[09:21] jacmacaire Humby: Come to visit us in Eco Commons..
[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: I love EcoCommons
[09:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks again Namaara, as always
[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: I walk through now and again when I’m not cleaning up Etopia
[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: lol
[09:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): we admire what you and your team does at Etopia so much!
[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: Thank you Rik… I’m always happy to be here
[09:21] Zinnia Zauber: Awesome!
[09:21] bulaklak: Great presentation! I learned a lot.
[09:21] Namaara MacMoragh: whether I present or not 🙂
[09:21] Gentle Heron: Great work Namaara.
[09:22] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): If I wasn’t active at theNPC, Etopia is where I would be
[09:22] Namaara MacMoragh: wow! Rik, that means a lot
[09:22] Namaara MacMoragh: I love working with TechSoup and NPC
[09:22] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Delia, can you remind folks about the work that your group does?
[09:22] Red (talkwithmarie): ty Namaara! super work!
[09:22] jacmacaire Humby: and Eco Commons Rik 🙁
[09:22] Namaara MacMoragh: It was one of my first places when I entered SL in 2008
[09:23] Namaara MacMoragh: ty Marie
[09:24] Delia Lake: yes. I’d be glad to do that
[09:24] Zinnia Zauber: Awesome!
[09:24] Delia Lake: my focus in sl is Water and other issues of basic sustainability
[09:24] Namaara MacMoragh: We have a great water reclaimation plant
[09:25] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I think water is pretty important! It’s a principal ingredient of coffee!
[09:25] Namaara MacMoragh: absolutely Rik
[09:25] Gentle Heron: also the principal ingredient in human bodies.
[09:25] 01 Hifeng: xD *sips her coffee*
[09:25] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): that too!
[09:25] Delia Lake: I manage the Center for Water Studies here in sl. the Center is a public space were we have discussions and presentations about water and also a number of teachers use the site for classes over the years
[09:25] Namaara MacMoragh: agreed Gentle
[09:25] Namaara MacMoragh: I think we can work together for sure Delia.
[09:26] Delia Lake: there are 7 realistically portrayed water ecosystems there
[09:26] Delia Lake: with notecards that have information
[09:26] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): nice! What is the SLURL of those?
[09:26] Second Life: Ronnie Rhode is online.
[09:27] Delia Lake: I’m also involved with the Abyss which is a project started by NOAA and now managed for JAMSTEC which is the Japanese marine and earth sciences agency
[09:27] Namaara MacMoragh: I’ll include the slurl and this message in my Earth Day talks, too Marie
[09:27] Namaara MacMoragh: oops, Delia
[09:27] Namaara MacMoragh: (embarassed and confused apparently)
[09:27] Delia Lake: this is the Center lm
[09:27] Delia Lake: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Better%20World/48/28/21
[09:28] Delia Lake: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Second%20Earth%203/128/128/21
[09:28] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): great!
[09:28] Delia Lake: the second is Abyss
[09:28] Delia Lake: I am particularly interested in collaborating with others in sl
[09:28] Second Life: Petlove Petshop is online.
[09:29] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thats what we’re here for, Delia
[09:29] Delia Lake: and am very much committed to inventing ways that we can transfer knowledge and engagement between sl and rl organizations
[09:29] Red (talkwithmarie): ty Namaara:) would love those too.
[09:29] jacmacaire Humby: Don’t hesitate Delia.. You know me.. 🙂
[09:29] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Any other eco-focused groups want to mention whaat they are doing before wego to Open Mic?
[09:29] Delia Lake: imo, we all need to develop a better WaterSense
[09:30] Second Life: Ronnie Rhode is offline.
[09:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): here’s a list of EarthDay 2012 activites in SL for your reference: http://www.betterverse.org/2012/04/earth-day-2012-events-in-second-life….
[09:30] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): oh cool!
[09:30] Buffy Beale: thanks Rik, nice one
[09:30] Namaara MacMoragh: thanks Rik
[09:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ping me if I forgot any
[09:31] jacmacaire Humby: Thanks Is Eco Commons do something?
[09:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I stole it from Carl Icann
[09:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Jac, only if someone organizes it
[09:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): but not that I know of
[09:32] Gentle Heron: Say it this way, Rik. I’m crediting Carl Icann for the original list. (Never admit theft! It’s creative recycling!)
[09:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): haha , sure Gentle

OPEN MIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

[09:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok lets move on to open mic
[09:32] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): lol 🙂
[09:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who has something to announce to the community?
[09:32] 01 Hifeng: can i announce something? 😮
[09:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): please put up your hand or say ” me me me!”
[09:32] Namaara MacMoragh: creative recycling… love it
[09:32] Gentle Heron: I do! Two short, one long… uhhhh, what is that in Morse code?
[09:32] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): being good stewards of content 😉
[09:32] Zinnia Zauber: hand up
[09:33] 01 Hifeng: I’m Kesja Plecha, president of Blueberry Dreams Foundation
[09:33] 01 Hifeng: we’re doing immunity and cancer research
[09:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): hifeng, go ahead
[09:33] 01 Hifeng: we’re looking for volunteers
[09:33] 01 Hifeng: especially someone good with people that could manage events to some extent
[09:33] Sarvana Haalan: i DO
[09:33] 01 Hifeng: venue owners who would like to organise fundraiser at their place
[09:34] jacmacaire Humby: Hand up
[09:34] 01 Hifeng: content creators, etc
[09:34] Second Life: DASH (dash.renoir) is online.
[09:35] 01 Hifeng: we’re just starting in sl as foundation
[09:35] Second Life: Oronoque Westland is offline.
[09:35] Buffy Beale: Welcome!
[09:35] 01 Hifeng: i was here earlier though, before Blueberry Dreams was founded
[09:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): we would love to have set up anoffice at the NPC if you are interested
[09:35] 01 Hifeng: anyone interested can im me 😉
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): talk with the mentors about it, if you want to know more after thismeeting
[09:36] 01 Hifeng: ah, yes, i should do it
[09:36] 01 Hifeng: ok
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): or email me at rik@techsoup.org
[09:36] 01 Hifeng: ok
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok Gentle, you are up!
[09:36] Gentle Heron: I do! Two short, one long… uhhhh, what is that in Morse code?
[09:36] Gentle Heron: My first announcement is WOO HOO THE TECH FINALLY WORKS!
[09:36] Gentle Heron: Hey! Listen to that!: Text to Voice in SL
PRESENTER: Akanil
SATURDAY April 21, 7pm PDT/SLT
Yellow Hibiscus Cabana, Virtual Ability Island
[09:36] Gentle Heron: An intro level workshop to learn how to use Ferd’s Chat to Speech v1.6 Universal Web Translator.
This award winning product uses a web browser to interface with SL, so you hear a voice translation of what is typed into the chat stream.
Get a free copy of the HUD!
[09:36] Buffy Beale: Cheering for you Gentle!
[09:37] Gentle Heron: ***
[09:37] Gentle Heron: And another WOO HOO about tech: The latest SL viewer (and Firestorm too) now interface well with Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech-to-text software. We’ll have a couple of events in May around that technology.
[09:37] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): Wow! 😀
[09:37] Gentle Heron: (that one is a MAJOR victory for accessibility, by the way)
[09:37] Gentle Heron: ***
[09:37] Delia Lake: wow, that’s great!
[09:37] Zinnia Zauber: Awesome!
[09:37] Sister Abeyante: Cool- text to speech AND speech to text!
[09:37] Buffy Beale: That is a huge gain, well done!
[09:37] Gentle Heron: Now the long announcement, and I hope you’ll be patient with me, but I’m very excited about this!
[09:37] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (now start working on voice to chat 🙂
[09:37] Zinnia Zauber: It is super exciting!
[09:37] Buffy Beale: Now to educate everyone about the emoting and long character chats…
[09:37] Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, Inc. announces the 2012 Virtual Ability Mental Health Symposium, to be held in SL on Saturday, April 28.

Our society too often takes mental health for granted and too frequently stigmatizes people with mental health issues. Saturday’s 2012 Virtual Ability Mental Health Symposium offers a variety of perspectives for thinking positively about mental health
[09:37] jacmacaire Humby: Great Gentle!!
[09:38] Gentle Heron: The symposium’s keynote presenter is Dick Dillon of Innovaision, LLC. Dillon’s topic is “Why Virtual Counseling Should Be Viewed as Advanced Telemedicine.” He will explain why using virtual worlds for counseling allows better service than “real life” counseling. You all know him from NPC!
[09:38] Gentle Heron: (Coughran in SL)
[09:38] Gentle Heron: Featured presenters include Dr. Tina Garcia, Frank Hannah, Dr. Marty Jencius, Anya Ibor, and DyVerse Steele.
[09:38] Delia Lake: excellent!
[09:38] Buffy Beale: Yay C!
[09:38] Gentle Heron: Dr. Garcia, a lawyer with TBI, will discuss cognitive rehabilitation and brain injury. Hannah, a retired clinical mental health counselor, will share a method for developing and maintaining positive self-concept and optimum mental health. Dr. Jencius runs the Counselor Education in Second Life yearly SL conference.
[09:39] Gentle Heron: Ibor, executive director of Fearless Nation PTSD Support, will explain the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Steele, a peer support leader for HIV/AIDS and diabetes, will offer information about mental health and minority communities. You know both Anya and DyVerse from NPC as well!
[09:39] Gentle Heron: MermaidSue Bailey, a counselor from UK, will lead a discussion of the importance of peer support for mental health. Roberto Salubrius, a former medical student misdiagnosed with agoraphobia, will explain why mental health issues aren‚Äôt all mental. The audience will be invited to think about the nature of self in the context of a reading from Paul Brok’s book “Into the Silent Land.”
[09:39] Gentle Heron: So please mark April 28 on your calendars now, to save some time to spend learning more about mental health. (WHEW done!)
[09:40] Delia Lake: what are the hours on April 28?
[09:40] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thats fnatastic. Please post to the GoogleGroup about this too!
[09:40] Gentle Heron: first session is at 8am SLT, last one ends at 5:30 pm SLT and after we will probably have a dance (we like to dance)
[09:40] Delia Lake: ok. ty
[09:41] Gentle Heron: Thanks Delia for asking.
[09:41] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): I’m hoping this will be too enticing to my colleagues to pass up… I’ve got a shot at finally convincing them to come inworld 😉
[09:41] Red (talkwithmarie): woot!woot! Gentle:)
[09:41] Gentle Heron: We’ll have the schedule up on our website.
[09:41] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok zinnia you are up
[09:41] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you!
[09:41] Zinnia Zauber: The Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference is in Washington DC May 16 – 18.
[09:41] Buffy Beale: Gentle, the SL Text to Voice translator is huge I hope you let Lindens know!
[09:41] Zinnia Zauber: I will be teaching a workshop there on May 16 called “Authentic Avatar – Inspiring Trust With Your Virtual Identity”. There will be several of our NPC peeps and partners there as well, like Coughran.
[09:41] Zinnia Zauber: Please check out the website to find out how you can attend the workshops and lectures virtually or in person. http://www.ndu.edu/icollege/fcvw/index.htm
[09:42] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you!
[09:42] Buffy Beale: Yay Z, that’s a great conference!
[09:42] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): congrats, Zinnia
[09:42] Ronnie Rhode: Yay Z:)
[09:42] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you! I am really excited!
[09:42] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok Saravana?
[09:42] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): Sounds like a great talk Zinn! 🙂
[09:42] Sarvana Haalan: I will be presenting a Virtual Worlds 101 presentation at a local Meetup in May… http://bit.ly/HXZmJS
[09:42] Zinnia Zauber: thanks Jerry!
[09:42] Sarvana Haalan: NPSL will be presented to th eattending nonprofits
[09:43] Sarvana Haalan: it’s theTech and Social Change Meetup
[09:43] Sarvana Haalan: that’sm it
[09:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thats great Sarvana. Where will this be?
[09:43] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): very cool, Sarvana
[09:43] Gentle Heron: Great networking Sarvana.
[09:44] Sarvana Haalan: Baltimore, MD… looking into th epossibility of streaminh
[09:44] Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks for representing us Sarvana. Let us know if we can give you any TechSoup/NPC collateral to hand out
[09:44] Sarvana Haalan: *streaming
[09:44] Sarvana Haalan: will do
[09:44] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok Jac you are up!
[09:44] jacmacaire Humby: Thanks
[09:44] jacmacaire Humby: for those interested, I invite you to open discussions with year questions and answers based around case studies of recent sustainable development strategies at 10 am SL (PDT) or 19:00 CEST on 25 April 2012 at ARCHI21 World (222,41,23)
[09:44] Buffy Beale: Great going Jac!
[09:45] jacmacaire Humby: You are all welcome.. 🙂
[09:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): that’s great Jac
[09:45] Gentle Heron: Jac’s work is so inspiring.
[09:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok and last but certainly not least, Mr. Bulaklak!
[09:45] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Send out a notice Jac
[09:45] jacmacaire Humby: :))
[09:45] Jen (jenelle.levenque): I need to be reminded
[09:46] jacmacaire Humby: I will do..
[09:46] bulaklak: Hello again! TechSoup’s founder and co-CEO Daniel Ben-Horin, whom I am sure some of you remember coming to speak here last year, has been writing some interesting pieces on the Stanford Social Innovation Review
[09:46] bulaklak: One piece explored the generation divide in social innovation, looking at scrappiness vs. strategic thinking
[09:47] bulaklak: Beth Kanter picked up the story and asked Daniel to continue the discussion on her blog
[09:47] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): Intriguing! 🙂
[09:47] bulaklak: Please read that summary here and chime in if you have an opinion on the topic
[09:47] bulaklak: http://www.bethkanter.org/scrappy/
[09:47] Glitteractica Cookie: Internally at TechSoup me and my team are considered “scrappy”
[09:47] Glitteractica Cookie: we would love to hear your comments on his blog
[09:48] bulaklak: It’s about the pace the younger generation wants to move at, making change happen now
[09:48] Buffy Beale: lol Glitter
[09:48] Glitteractica Cookie: I am way bigger of a proponent of scrappy innovation than strategic innovation
[09:48] Glitteractica Cookie: NPC was all about scrappy skunkworks
[09:48] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Is’nt “Scrappy Skunkworks” a band from the 80s?
[09:48] Buffy Beale: It seems with any tech one has to plow through the naysayers
[09:48] bulaklak: lol Rik
[09:48] Glitteractica Cookie: it should be, Rik
[09:48] Buffy Beale: *new tech
[09:49] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): yes, we’d like it done yesterday, thank you kindly 😉
[09:49] Glitteractica Cookie: anyway, please comment cuz I’d love to see NPC members represented in that dialogue, for obvious reasosns
[09:49] Buffy Beale: ok sounds good
[09:49] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok well as always you leave the NPC with lots moreevents, links and news than you came with. So I’m calling this a win.
[09:49] Buffy Beale: Rik I wanted to make one comment
[09:50] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok go ahead buffy
[09:50] Buffy Beale: and thank Zinnia and Brena so much for their decorating at the Common Ground party last night
[09:50] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you Buffy!
[09:50] Red (talkwithmarie): oh yes! so gorgeous!
[09:50] Zinnia Zauber: We have a great team!
[09:50] Red (talkwithmarie): im still in pink:)
[09:50] Zinnia Zauber: Next month our color is Aqua!
[09:50] Buffy Beale: was amazingly brilliant and everyone who missed it please try to get to the next one and join the fun
[09:50] Namaara MacMoragh: (quietly) gotta run… thanks again … see everyone soon
[09:50] Namaara MacMoragh: 🙂
[09:51] Buffy Beale: great job you guys made me laugh!
[09:51] Buffy Beale: thanks
[09:51] Buffy Beale: out
[09:51] Red (talkwithmarie): awesome you two creative mentors:)
[09:51] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you Buffy!
[09:51] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): let’s thanks Namaara for coming to talk with us again!
[09:51] Glitteractica Cookie: thanks Namaara, great stuff
[09:51] Second Life: Kali Idziak is offline.
[09:51] Buffy Beale: Cheering for Namaara!!
[09:51] Zinnia Zauber: Rah Namaara!
[09:51] Buffy Beale: oh, and also to thank Par I’m sure he had a hand in things too for last night
[09:52] tharciene: sim
[09:52] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): and thanks to all of you for all that you are doing to make the worldabetter more sustainable place
[09:52] Glitteractica Cookie: thanks all, I guess that is a wrap?
[09:52] Glitteractica Cookie: see you all next week
[09:52] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): I am so glad i stumbled across this meeting , its been great , nice to meet you all
[09:52] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Everyone celebrate EarthDay in your own way
[09:52] Zinnia Zauber: So happy to have you join us Lissy!
[09:52] Buffy Beale: nice to see you Lissy and welcome back to SL
[09:52] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m going to hug a tree
[09:52] Lissy Waydelich (lissy.racer): thank you 🙂
[09:52] Buffy Beale: lol Rik
[09:52] Zinnia Zauber: Mentors Meeting is at 10! Here!
[09:52] Buffy Beale: Have a great weekend everyone
[09:52] Buffy Beale: Happy Earth day to youuuuuu
[09:53] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): if you are new or just want some advice, the Mentors are here right after this meeting
[09:53] Zinnia Zauber: Please get your refill and see you in a moment!
[09:53] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): otherwise, have a great Friday everyone!
[09:53] Buffy Beale: ok Z back shortly afk
[09:53] alebez: thank you everyone! have a beautiful weekend.
[09:53] Second Life: alebez is offline.
[09:53] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): excuse me while I harvest the avatar list
[09:53] Red (talkwithmarie): have a great weekend:)
[09:53] Zinnia Zauber: Take care everyone and see you soon!

Written by: rikomatic

What if every student and teacher in a district had access to a unified virtual space filled with engaging educational experiences, designed just for them?  This is not science fiction, this is being built in the Metro-Atlanta area today.

On April 13, the Nonprofit Commons hosted Steve Mashburn and Snoopy Pfeffer to talk about the Noble virtual world being created for metro-Atlanta schools.  Steve Mashburn is the coordinator of online education for Forsyth County Schools in Georgia, and Snoopy Pfeffer is the founder and CEO of Dreamland Metaverse, an OpenSim hosting provider.

I was inspired by how articulately Mashburn connected the Noble Virtual World initiative with their larger vision of 21st century citizenry, a “blended learning” approach, and re-defining what “school time” means.  And rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, they seem to understand that different students , different teachers, and different classrooms have different needs and interests.

Read to find out more about this very interesting educational virtual world project….

Mashburn began by explaining what the Forsyth County School district includes.  Metropolitan Atlanta region consist of 13 counties plus the cities of Atlanta, DeKalb, and Buford. Forsyth County is on the extreme north part of the metro region. The Forsyth County School system includes 38,000 students and more than 3,000 full-time teachers. They operate 35 schools — 19 elementary schools, nine middle schools and five high schools.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Forsyth County Schools is dedicated to improving student achievement through technology-enriched learning opportunities. “Our vision,” wrote Mashburn, “is to use classroom technology to engage students in asking questions and choosing tools to facilitate real world problem solving.”

Interactive digital whiteboards have been installed in all classrooms across the district. Beyond hardware, Instructional Technology Specialists are assigned to each school to work with teachers to model teaching and learning strategies for technology integration. Teachers are provided on-going professional development to experiment, initiate, and create new models of teaching and learning for dynamic and changing curricula.  A learning management system (LMS) brings together teachers and students in an online environment. 

They are committed to a “blended learning” model, where online learning and traditional classroom learning happen in a coordinated fashion. According to Mashburn, this is not an alternative way to do school, but the “very future of education itself.”

They view virtual worlds technology as “the next logical step” beyond learning management systems (LMS) toward more interactive and engaging tools. They are using a phased approach, where a small group of teachers will pilot the use of virtual worlds, and slowly create demand among students and parents.  They predict this will be more effective than mandating it for every teacher and classroom at the same time.

VISION FOR NOBLE VIRTUAL WORLD

The district has a larger vision of developing 21st century citizens through virtual world learning experiences.  Different forms of learning will be possible, from students working alone, in collaboration with each other, and with teachers. “Our learning model enables all students, with a diverse range of personality traits and learning styles to be successful,” wrote Mashburn.  

They view virtual worlds as a means for engaging students in a different way with the real world, and allowing them to construct their own knowledge in a shared space. The emphasis will be less on “doing” assignments and more on “being” different roles. Students will — through their avatars — “be” :

• scientists who do experiments to solve a problem,
• engineers who use math concepts to construct a bridge,
• graphic designers who use color theory to design a business logo.

Mashburn sees virtual world learning as going beyond traditional online learning — even game-based learning which is always pre-set and calculated.  In his view, the virtual world allows for more unexpectedness, spontaneity, and teachable moments that make learning and teaching enjoyable.

“At the heart of it,” summarizes Mashburn, “avatars in a virtual world are people interacting with other people.”

VIRTUAL WORLD PROVIDER

Snoopy Pfeffer introduced the company Dreamland Metaverse, which offers hosting on the OpenSim platform for various customers, from educational institutions to Fortune 500 companies. They offer both OpenSim regions and entire grids.

Building upon the OpenSim foundation, Dreamland Metaverse creates additional functionality for their customers, such as the Forsyth Country Schools.   Much of this functionality for the schools focuses on creating different levels of access for students, teachers and administrators.  While students are locked to the Nobel virtual space, teachers and administrators can travel to other OpenSim worlds to network, get resources and experience other virtual environments.

For more info about the Noble Virtual World see http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/34932.  You can find more information about Dreamland Metaverse at http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com.

Written by: rikomatic

As you probably know, this Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day 2012! To mark the occasion, the Nonprofit Commons welcomes Namaara MacMoragh, owner of the Etopia Eco-Community in Second Life.  

Since 2007, Etopia has been showcasing how we can live more sustainably through the virtual world. Namaara will provide an update on what’s new with this ground-breaking online community and how we can all celebrate and protect the planet on Earth Day and beyond.

Also during “Mentors Central” Harper Beresford will provide a review of the “Fashion for Life” event in SL. Plus we’ll have updates from TechSoup and the every popular community Open Mic. To participate, come to the Plush Nonprofit Commons amphitheater in Second Life on Friday April 20, starting at 8:30am PT.

NONPROFIT COMMONS MEETING

April 20, 2012, 8:30am PST

Plush Nonprofit Commons  Amphitheater

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

AGENDA

• 8:30am Introductions
• 8:40am TechSoup Announcements
• 8:45am Mentors Central: Harper Beresford with a Review of the Fashion for Life event in SL.
• 8:55am Etopia Island owner Namaara MacMoragh
• 9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

More about Namaara MacMoragh

Namaara MacMoragh, aka Gloria Kraegel is President and Lead Consultant with GReat Kreations in Washington USA. During the last 30 years she has helped nonprofits throughout the United States build capacity and create systems that meet their organizational objectives. For the last five years she has been forging virtual connections and systems as part of her collaborative work with colleagues and clients around the world on issues of organizational sustainability and continuance. Gloria has  brought her work into Second Life as Namaara MacMoragh, owner of the sustainability-themed sims that make up the Etopia EcoCommunity. You can learn more about Etopia at http://etopiaisland.org.

Written by: rikomatic

NONPROFIT COMMONS MEETING
April 13, 2012, 8:30am PST
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

AGENDA
• 8:30am Introductions
• 8:40am TechSoup Announcements
• 8:45am Mentors Central
• 8:55am Steve Allen Mashburn and Snoopy Pfeffer , Noble Virtual World for Atlanta Students
• 9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

INTRODUCTIONS

[08:30] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): welcome merlin
[08:30] Merlin Moonshadow: Hi, Rik!
[08:30] Merlin Moonshadow: Hello, Zinnia and everyone. 🙂
[08:30] Zinnia Zauber: Hi Merlin!
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok lets get started since people are getting seated
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Welcoe everyone to the very lucky Friday April 13 meeting of the Nonprofit Commons
[08:31] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m Rik Panganiban, communit ymanager of the NPC
[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Joining me up front is bulaklak of TechSoup.org — which founded the NPC
[08:32] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We’re very happy to see all of you this morning.
[08:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We’ve got a great project in Atlanta we are going to learn about in a bit.
[08:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): But first as always we do introductions
[08:33] jacmacaire Humby: sorry
[08:33] Chayenn: monique richert, protect yourself 1, Inc ., Baltimore, MD , protectyourself1.org, @PY1US
[08:33] Zinnia Zauber: Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond, Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance, Sequim, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. http://www.sequimartsalliance.org http://www.facebook.com/sequimartsalliance @renneemiko
[08:33] Ronnie Rhode: Denise Harrison, The Garden for the Missing, http://www.gardenforthemissing.org/ and SLURL http://slurl.com/secondlife/Remora/203/148/21, Project Jason, assistance for families of the missing, http://www.projectjason.org.
[08:33] Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, Inc. www.virtualability.org now with blog, Facebook, even Twitter (all available at the website)
[08:33] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Pleaase , if you like, type into the text chat your real life name, organization, location in the world, URL and twitter handle ( or any combination thereof)
[08:33] Buffy Beale: Buffy Bye, Bridges for Women, Victoria BC Canada, http://www.bridgesforwomen.ca @bridges4women
[08:33] Dancers Yao: Kara Bennett, Elder Voices, Los Angeles, CA Health Care and Human Rights
[08:33] Zotarah Shepherd: BEACH College, Santa Rosa, CA
[08:33] Chad Mikado: Chad Gobert; National Service Inclusion Project; UMass Boston; www.serviceandinclusion.org
[08:33] Ethelred Weatherwax: Dave Dexter, Neenah Historical Society, Wisconsin USA
[08:34] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Bruce Hestley, Transgender American Veterans Association, Akron, OH, http://www.tavausa.org
[08:34] Eraldo Carlucci: David Cranmer – President Virtual Event Planners International
[08:34] alebez: Ale Bezdikian, TechSoup, SF, ca., @TechSoup, @alebez
[08:34] bulaklak: Michael DeLong, Community Manager, TechSoup Global, San Francisco, CA www.techsoup.org @MichaelDeLongSF @TechSoup
[08:34] Sister Abeyante: Sister Patrice Colletti, SDS, Milwaukee, WIsconsin. Mentor with Virtual Ability, Inc. also blogger at: http://4equalrights.blogspot.com/
[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m rik panganiban, nonprofit commons / Techsoup.org, http://nonprofitcommons.org, @npsl @betterverse
[08:34] Snoopy Pfeffer: Snoopy Pfeffer, Founder & CEO of Dreamland Metaverse, http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com/
[08:34] Merlin Moonshadow: Michael Smith at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
[08:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): oh I ‘m in lovely Oakland, CAlifornia
[08:34] Snoopy Pfeffer: snoopy.pfeffer@yahoo.com
[08:34] jacmacaire Humby: Jacques Macaire HUMANBE http://www.humanbe.com Action Tank and Council on Sustainable Development France and International @Humanbe
[08:35] Mashburn Allen: Steve Mashburn, Forsyth COunty School, Georgia smashburn@forsyth.k12.ga.us
[08:35] Tek Blitz: Mike Parks – Georgia Tech @mparks
[08:35] Scarlett Sismondi: Sharon Collins – East Carolina University
[08:35] Namaara MacMoragh: Gloria Kraegel, President, GReat Kreations http://greatkreations.com and Etopia EcoCommunity Sims. http://etopiaisland.org
[08:35] Ozma Malibu: Sandy Andrews, Floaters Org, Arizona Mexico and On the Road, @ozma
[08:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): welcome folks from Georgia! such a lovely state
[08:36] Gentle Heron: Georgians are just peachy!
[08:36] Chad Mikado: 🙂
[08:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): < roan >
[08:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): anyone else?
[08:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): morning, Glitter!
[08:37] Glitteractica Cookie: Hi
[08:37] Glitteractica Cookie: I’m Susan Tenby, Online Community and SOcial Media Director, TechSoup
[08:38] Glitteractica Cookie: San Francisco, CA USA @suzboop @techsoup
[08:38] Glitteractica Cookie: Sorry I am late, login issues
[08:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): np
[08:38] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): good day all 🙂
[08:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (have a seat in the audience , Snoopy. I’ll call you up in a bit.)
[08:38] Snoopy Pfeffer: sure thanks 🙂

TECHSOUP UPDATES

[08:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Ok next up we have our regular update from TechSoup. Keep an eye out for opportunities and events that your nonprofit might care about.
[08:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): bulaklak?
[08:39] bulaklak: Hello!
[08:39] Brena Benoir: Brenda Bryan, Preferred Family Healthcare, from Kirksville, Missouri (currently in Jefferson City, Missouri, www.pfh.org, @brenabenoir
[08:39] bulaklak: Excited as always to be here.
[08:39] Buffy Beale: yay bulaklak
[08:39] bulaklak: And especially excited to announce next week’s episode of Nonprofits Live, our interactive online event hosted by InKenzo
[08:40] bulaklak: We’ll be talking all about green tech next week
[08:40] bulaklak: On Tuesday, April 17 at 11am Pacific
[08:40] bulaklak: Please register in advance
[08:40] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/HCHMMP
[08:40] bulaklak: These are really fun events where you get to live chat with TechSoup
[08:40] bulaklak: And hear from experts in the field
[08:41] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): very important topic
[08:41] bulaklak: And very timely, as Earth Day is this month
[08:41] Kali Idziak: Jessica Dally, Community Voice Mail, Seattle, WA sneaks in
[08:41] bulaklak: Last month, TechSoup partnered with ISIS to co-host a hack-a-thon addressing the issue of gathering sensitive health data from teens and pre-teens
[08:41] bulaklak: And interesting and sticky problem
[08:42] bulaklak: But the hackers brought some really fresh thinking to it
[08:42] bulaklak: We have a recap up on our blog, including a great video by Alebaz
[08:42] bulaklak: oops
[08:42] bulaklak: Alebez
[08:42] bulaklak: whom you know as the recapper of these meetings every week
[08:42] Glitteractica Cookie: do yyou have the link handy, Bulaklak
[08:42] bulaklak: Check it out http://bit.ly/IDdoCd
[08:43] Glitteractica Cookie: there it is!
[08:43] bulaklak: Of course I do, Glitter =)
[08:43] alebez: it was fun to shoot. 🙂
[08:43] bulaklak: And lastly, I just want to tease everyone with an upcoming major enhancement to TechSoup.org
[08:43] bulaklak: Can I get a sound-off of who here has visited or visits TechSoup.org
[08:43] bulaklak: ?
[08:43] Buffy Beale: hand up
[08:43] Glitteractica Cookie: W00t
[08:43] Sister Abeyante: hand up
[08:43] Mashburn Allen: yes
[08:44] Rhiannon Chatnoir: /me raises hand
[08:44] Ethelred Weatherwax: yes
[08:44] Jen (jenelle.levenque): /me raises hand
[08:44] Gentle Heron: yes
[08:44] bulaklak: Awesome!
[08:44] bulaklak: So get ready for some big changes next month
[08:44] Dancers Yao: yes
[08:44] bulaklak: Some big great changes to the search features and they way information is displayed
[08:45] bulaklak: I can’t say a whole lot now but want to get everyone excited about it
[08:45] bulaklak: So stay tuned!
[08:45] Red (talkwithmarie): oh the suspense…
[08:45] bulaklak: And that’s all I got for today. Excited to hear from the mentors and Snoopy.
[08:45] bulaklak: Back to you Rik
[08:45] Buffy Beale: lol talk
[08:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thansk Bulaklak.
[08:45] Glitteractica Cookie: top seret stuff
[08:46] Snoopy Pfeffer: thanks Bulaklak 🙂

MENTORS CENTRAL

[08:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): And now for Mentors Central
[08:46] bulaklak: haha Glitter more like I don’t really have the marketing copy yet stuff
[08:46] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you!
[08:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): who speaks for the mentors today?
[08:46] Zinnia Zauber: Well, looks like our speaker today isn’t inworld. So that gives us Mentors a chance to ask you a question.
[08:47] Zinnia Zauber: Do you know about us NPC Mentors?
[08:47] Zinnia Zauber: Do you need help with anything?
[08:47] Gentle Heron: I notice we have some people in the audience today who are new to NPC, Zinnia.
[08:47] Zinnia Zauber: Do you know we have this segment of the meeting to share awesomeness?
[08:47] Gentle Heron: So maybe a brief overview would be in order…. who the mentors are and what we do during and after the NPC meetings.
[08:47] Zinnia Zauber: Super, Gentle!
[08:48] Zinnia Zauber: Let’s hear from some of our great Mentors.
[08:48] Zinnia Zauber: How we are hear to help our community.
[08:48] Gentle Heron: During the meetings, we have 10 minutes to share small skillsets.
[08:48] Gentle Heron: After the meetings, we offer our assistance to others in the NPC community for larger tasks.
[08:49] Buffy Beale: Sure Zinnia, we meet following this meeting and are there to help with what ever is needed
[08:49] Zinnia Zauber: I can share that I help our members with appearance, branding, events, and color choices.
[08:49] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): A problem solving resource 🙂
[08:49] Ozma Malibu: So if you have a question or need help getting started, stay for the meeting or ask us!
[08:49] Buffy Beale: so if anyone needs help with their office or just new and learning to get around in SL all welcome to join in
[08:49] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): are there any folks new to Second Life that might be interested in some help?
[08:50] Gentle Heron: Or new to NonProfit Commons…. we help with new NPC members also.
[08:50] Zinnia Zauber: We are a team that help you use virtual worlds.
[08:50] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): Great for brain storming ideas
[08:50] Merlin Moonshadow: Do the mentors assist newcomers to SL with the basics – navigation, controls, etc?
[08:50] Zinnia Zauber: Several of us work inworld, teach inworld, promote inwork, and so forth.
[08:50] Gentle Heron: Yes, we assist brand new avies.
[08:50] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): or getting some feedback/thoughts about ideas you may have
[08:50] Zinnia Zauber: Yes, we do Merlin.
[08:51] Jen (jenelle.levenque): Yes Merlin
[08:51] Merlin Moonshadow: I’m interested in mentor training so that I can learn to effectively help guide newcomers that I may bring inworld.
[08:51] Zinnia Zauber: We also encourage the NPC community to share with us what baffles them to express how vital VW use is to others who don’t work inworld.
[08:51] Zinnia Zauber: That is great, Merlin!
[08:52] Zinnia Zauber: Then you should join us at our meetings and learn, Grasshopper.
[08:52] Merlin Moonshadow: Seems like a good skill set to have if I’m going to act as an advocate for firtual worlds.
[08:52] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): plz stick around for the Mentors meeting right after this one
[08:52] Merlin Moonshadow: Right up there with spelling. :/
[08:52] Glitteractica Cookie: I am also wondering if folks are interested in us bringing back the ask the tech expert mentor hour?
[08:52] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): @Merlin, Absolutely 🙂
[08:53] Merlin Moonshadow: Can I get a group invite?
[08:53] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, maybe I will ask Rik to send a more detailed msg on this to the NPC google group later in the week
[08:53] Zinnia Zauber: Glitter, we have discussed that we want to expand our 10 minute segments to a workshop format.
[08:53] Glitteractica Cookie: nice zinnia
[08:53] Zinnia Zauber: So, great minds think alike.
[08:53] Glitteractica Cookie: 🙂
[08:53] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): yeah 10 mins is barely time to introduce a topic, not reall do a training
[08:54] Valiant Westland: Thanks for the TP
[08:54] Zinnia Zauber: Please don’t be shy about asking any mentor for help. If you don’t know, if they don’t know, we will find the right person to help!
[08:54] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): great.

NOBLE VIRTUAL WORLD FOR ATLANTA SCHOOLS

[08:54] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Okay lets move on to our featured topic….
[08:54] Zinnia Zauber: And, it is also a wonderful way to make new friends in SL.
[08:54] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Mashburn and Snoopy, plez come on down
[08:54] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you!
[08:55] Red (talkwithmarie): thx Z:)
[08:55] Snoopy Pfeffer: hello everybody
[08:55] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (is there a formal SL group tag for the Mentors?)
[08:55] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Let’s welcome them to the NPC!
[08:55] Buffy Beale: hiii Snoopy and Mashburn, cheering!
[08:55] Gentle Heron: Welcome Snoopy and Mashburn.
[08:55] Snoopy Pfeffer: thank you for the invitation 🙂
[08:56] Merlin Moonshadow: /me applauds
[08:56] Mashburn Allen: thank you
[08:56] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We invited them here to talk about a very exiting project: bringing virtual world tools to hundreds of classrooms in the metro-atlanta area!
[08:57] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Please go ahead and introduce yourselves
[08:57] Snoopy Pfeffer: thank you Rik
[08:57] Mashburn Allen: I am Steve Mashburn teh Coorindator of Onlien education for Forsyth County Schools.
[08:57] Snoopy Pfeffer: I am the founder and CEO of Dreamland Metaverse, a leading OpenSim hosting provider.
[08:58] Snoopy Pfeffer: We focus on top quality OpenSim hosting.
[08:58] Mashburn Allen: I would like to introduce my supervisor — Jill hobson is the back over there.
[08:58] Mashburn Allen: I would like to present the following topics and then answer questions.
[08:58] Mashburn Allen: OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
TECHNOLOGY
VISION OF NOBLE
COMPONENTS OF NOBLE
TECHNICAL END — Snoopy
[08:59] Mashburn Allen: First OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT
[08:59] Mashburn Allen: I would like to clarify who we are.
[08:59] Mashburn Allen: Metropolitan Atlanta is the 9th largest city in the United States with 5,268,860 people.
[08:59] Mashburn Allen: The metro region consist of 13 counties plus the City of Atlanta, the City of DeKalb, the City of Buford.
[08:59] Mashburn Allen: and others — but these are the ones that operate school districts
[09:00] Mashburn Allen: Forsyth County is on the extreme north part of the metro region.
[09:00] Mashburn Allen: Forsyth County Schools is the 9th largest school system in the state of Georgia with almost 38,000 students and over 3,000 full-time teachers.
[09:00] Mashburn Allen: We operate 35 schools — 19 elementary schools, nine middle schools and five high schools. We also operate a non-traditional high school, a night school and a virtual school.
[09:00] Mashburn Allen: This week we learned that we have the highest high school graduation rates in the metro Atlanta area. I believe our alternative high schools and our technology have much to do with that.
[09:01] Mashburn Allen: TECHNOLOGY:
[09:01] Mashburn Allen: Technology has the power to improve teaching and learning like never before. Forsyth County Schools is dedicated to improving student achievement through technology-enriched learning opportunities.
[09:01] Mashburn Allen: Our vision is to use classroom technology to engage students in asking questions and choosing tools to facilitate real world problem solving.
[09:01] Mashburn Allen: Our school district decided to use technology, not just to do the same things more efficiently, but to create a “state of the art” collaborative classroom.
[09:01] Mashburn Allen: We have installed interactive whiteboards in all of our classrooms across the district. The classroom package includes the interactive whiteboard, a ceiling mounted projector and integrated sound and video system. It’s having a tremendous impact on keeping our students more engaged.
[09:02] Mashburn Allen: To support the school system’s technology initiatives, Instructional Technology Specialists are assigned to each school to work with teachers to model teaching and learning strategies for technology integration.
[09:02] Mashburn Allen: Teachers participate in on-going professional development to experiment, initiate, and create new models of teaching and learning for dynamic and changing curricula.
[09:02] Mashburn Allen: Through the Technology Integration for Performance Standards (TIPS) course, teachers receive intensive instruction in standards-based unit design with an emphasis on technology integration using the myriad of resources available, classroom technology management strategies, and professional productivity skills.
[09:03] Mashburn Allen: We furnish access to a earning management System (LMS) to every teacher in the district. Right now we are averaging 8000 students logged into the LMS at 7:00 every night.
[09:03] Mashburn Allen: Although no district in the United States has attempted to blend online education with the traditional classroom on this scale, we believe our 21st century classroom is not an alternative way to do school, but the very future of education itself.
[09:03] Buffy Beale: wow
[09:03] Ozma Malibu: fantastic.
[09:03] Mashburn Allen: We see virtual worlds technology as the next logical step for us as we attempt to move online education away from the LMS into more interactive and engaging tools.
[09:03] Mashburn Allen: We are implementing virtual world technology similar to the way we implemented the LMS. we will not force every teacher to use virtual worlds technology — we have started with a small dedicated group and let the excitement build so that students and parents will demand it.
[09:04] Mashburn Allen: This approach works much better than having the central office pass down a mandate.
[09:04] Mashburn Allen: Although SL and OpenSim have been used in education for 7 or 8 years now, it has been mostly by early adapters who have implemented it on a classroom level.
[09:04] Mashburn Allen: The newsworthiness of our story is not that we have implemented a virtual world in every classroom (with 38,000 students that is almost impossible to do overnight)
[09:04] Mashburn Allen: but rather that we have made the commitment to virtual worlds on a systemic level with the total support of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Schools and all the upper-level district administrators
[09:04] Mashburn Allen: VISION OF NOBLE:
[09:05] Mashburn Allen: Please understand that we are still in the start-up phase and most of what follows is theory.
[09:05] Mashburn Allen: We are dedicated to developing literate and productive citizens of the 21st century by using a 3D virtual worlds technology that immerses students in differentiated, challenge-based learning experiences.
[09:05] Mashburn Allen: Designed to support the idea that every child can learn, NOBLE (New Opportunities for Better Learning Environments) allows students to work individually, to work in collaboration with each other and to work with teachers to gain the skills necessary to meet and surpass the requirements of the national Common Core Curriculum.
[09:05] Mashburn Allen: Continuous evaluation and feedback allow students to plan, revise, and reflect on their own learning.
Summative assessment is based upon academic competencies within contexts that are relevant, meaningful and authentic.
[09:06] Mashburn Allen: In NOBLE students will not “do” science experiments, math problems or art activities.
[09:06] Mashburn Allen: Instead they will use their avatars in a 3D virtual world to “be” scientists who do experiments to solve a problem, engineers who use math concepts to construct a bridge and graphic designers who use color theory to design a business logo.
[09:06] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE is not about creating a layer of superficial knowledge or developing an arbitrary skill set but is concerned with engaging students with the world.
[09:06] Mashburn Allen: As social constructivists, we believe that students not only construct their own knowledge but that they do so within a social context.
[09:06] Mashburn Allen: Furthermore, we believe that three main threads of Jung’s analytical psychology should be considerations in developing online education:
[09:07] Mashburn Allen: 1. Personality Types – instruction is differentiated for different learning styles.
2. Archetypal Formations – archetypal structures and functions guide student work and development.
3. Synchronicity – non-causal connections have significance and teachable moments are treasured.
[09:07] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE believes that the interaction of today’s students with digital media and games have changed the parameters in which schools must operate.
[09:07] Mashburn Allen: School can no longer assume that students will learn with through lectures and worksheets.
[09:07] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (so true!)
[09:07] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (yes!)
[09:07] Mashburn Allen: Popular media has raised the bar for educators in terms of engaging students and we must meet the students where they are in the realm of the modern digital world
[09:08] Mashburn Allen: if we wish our students to achieve the mastery of the skills and literacies necessary for success in college and in the work force.
[09:08] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE will use online and face-to-face deliveries to create a nurturing and vibrant 21st century environment that supports ALL students in developing academic excellence, social responsibility, respect for others, and a passion for lifelong learning.
[09:08] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE supports a dynamic curriculum that uses a 3D virtual world to create academically challenging, immersive, learning experiences for students. Real and direct application of academic concepts is given meaning through rich, interactive project-based learning activities where student’s avatars not only “learn by doing” but do so within a social context with others.
[09:08] Mashburn Allen: Everyone has had an experience with someone who “knew his stuff” but couldn’t get along with others well enough to get the job done. At NOBLE our motto is Learn to Do, Learn to Be.
[09:09] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE cultivate the type of learning that is possible today—learning based on access to online resources and tools from around the globe, learning that supports customized content for every student, learning that is game-like in its ability to inspire and motivate along and learning with face-to-face traditional instruction when that is the best way to deliver the instruction.
[09:09] Mashburn Allen: Our learning model enables all students, with a diverse range of personality traits and learning styles to be successful. Furthermore, unlike most online learning (even game-based learning which is always pre-set and calculated), the virtual world allows a degree of unexpectedness, the opportunity for the spontaneous, the occurrence of a teachable moment that so often makes teaching and learning a delight.
[09:09] Mashburn Allen: At the heart of it, avatars in a virtual world are people interacting with other people.
[09:09] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (nice!)
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: ok — thats the pis in the sky — heres how we are doing it
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: NOBLE students Learn by Doing, Learn by Being.
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: 1. Use models and simulations to study the science of weather
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: 2. Decode messages with an Enigma machine to learning mathematical reasoning.
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: 3. Creating a role-playing game where the Founding Fathers write the Constitution to reflect an alternate set of values to learn about social norms.
[09:10] Mashburn Allen: We think that this engaging and motivating approach provides a platform for developing the technological, artistic, cognitive, social, and linguistic skills that today’s students need
[09:11] Mashburn Allen: Rather than defining school as a separate place in time and space from the concerns and communities of children’s lives, NOBLE reaches out into the home, into local and global communities to which students belong.
[09:11] Mashburn Allen: This does not mean that students are expected to be “at school” 24/7; it does mean that all experiences are leveraged as potential contexts for learning, building on nascent interest-driven participation motivating student engagement.
[09:11] Mashburn Allen: The following link contains specific information about our NOBLE program.
http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/34932
[09:11] Mashburn Allen: Before I turn the presentation over to Snoopy for the technical part, I wish to thank Dreamland Metaverse for all of the effort they have made in out behalf.
[09:12] Mashburn Allen: They have been a pleasure to work with and I am pleased to announce today that we are planning to triple our regions on Dreamland Metaverse for the next school year.
[09:12] Mashburn Allen: Snoopy?
[09:12] Snoopy Pfeffer: Thanks again for the invitation! I am happy to be here and to have the opportunity to talk about our project with the Forsyth County Schools and about what we offer.
[09:12] Snoopy Pfeffer: Dreamland Metaverse offers OpenSim hosting as fully managed services. Customers do not have to care about the underlying technology platform – like here in SL.
[09:12] Snoopy Pfeffer: We are the most experienced OpenSim hosting provider, longest in business, since 2008 already.
[09:13] Snoopy Pfeffer: Since the very beginning, we are known for best service quality and an outstanding customer service. We offer OpenSim regions and full OpenSim grids.
[09:13] Snoopy Pfeffer: Our customers include top content creators, well-known educational institutions and corporations, up to some Fortune 500 corporations. Most of our customers are professional OpenSim users..
[09:13] Snoopy Pfeffer: What we do for OpenSim development:
[09:14] Snoopy Pfeffer: I am one of the OpenSim core developers and I mainly focus on adding new functionality to OpenSim, fixing bugs and implementing requirement of professional users.
[09:14] Snoopy Pfeffer: In the past, I did regularly help my customers by fixing OpenSim issues, that had impacted their projects. For example, I did fix a big to make it possible to use complex, scripted HUDs in OpenSim.
[09:14] Snoopy Pfeffer: We are proud that Forsyth County Schools has chosen us as OpenSim hosting partner. This co-operation is important for us and allows us to strengthen our offer for educational institutions even more.
[09:15] Snoopy Pfeffer: We did already implement additional functionality to fulfill the specific requirements of institutions like the Forsyth County Schools.
[09:15] Snoopy Pfeffer: OpenSim provides so called “user levels”, similar like Second Life. Normal users have the user level 0, whereas grid gods have the user level 200.
[09:15] Snoopy Pfeffer: Such user levels can be used to distinguish users with different rights, like students (0), teachers (i.e. 50), administrators (i.e. 100) and grid gods (200).
[09:15] Snoopy Pfeffer: Based on that user level concept, we have added OpenSim functionality that ensures a safe and secure virtual world experience for students, while not unnecessarily restricting the functionality of teachers and administrators.
[09:16] Snoopy Pfeffer: These restrictions include the rights to upload assets and to create groups as well as HyperGrid related permissions.
[09:16] Snoopy Pfeffer: HyperGrid is an OpenSim technology, that allows users to travel to other virtual worlds. It is understandable, that students should not be allowed to travel to other places, while teachers like this functionality, because it allows them to get virtual world contents for their lectures.
[09:16] Snoopy Pfeffer: On the other hand users from other virtual worlds need to be blocked from visiting such a closed virtual world. Such “foreign” users are not allowed to contact local users via instant messages or by sending them friendship invitations.
[09:17] Snoopy Pfeffer: We have added all this functionality and more to OpenSim, to provide educational institutions a safe virtual world environment for their students, while not unnecessarily restricting the possibilities for authorized teachers and administrators.
[09:17] Snoopy Pfeffer: Additionally we have added bulk functions on our web based control panel. They allow administrators to add or update user memberships and to invite or eject users from groups, which are used for access control to parts of the grid.
[09:18] Snoopy Pfeffer: We are looking forward, to further intensify our co-operation with all our customers, existing and new ones, to make the benefits of OpenSim more widely available to educational institutions and other professional users.
[09:18] Snoopy Pfeffer: You can find more information about Dreamland Metaverse and what we offer at http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com/
[09:18] Snoopy Pfeffer: Thank you for your attention. 🙂
[09:18] Ozma Malibu: FANTASTIC and a thorough understanding of the issues. wow.
[09:19] Buffy Beale: This is so terrific, well done!
[09:19] Ozma Malibu: I want to move to Georgia.
[09:19] Chayenn: great project
[09:19] Eraldo Carlucci: Snoopy provides the highest level of customer support that I’ve experienced
[09:19] Snoopy Pfeffer: thanks
[09:19] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Really inspiring your vision, thanks for sharing it
[09:19] Mashburn Allen: thank you
[09:19] bulaklak: Amazing!
[09:19] Snoopy Pfeffer: thanks Eraldo 🙂
[09:19] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): well we have time for a few questions
[09:19] Ozma Malibu: oh good
[09:19] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Can I ask about teacher training?
[09:19] Merlin Moonshadow: This does sound like an amazing program.
[09:19] Kate B (captainflint006): thank you
[09:20] Zotarah Shepherd: What an awesome project. Are you publishing about the progress of your program so other school districts can see the value of education in virtual worlds and use this model?
[09:20] Ozma Malibu: how is it funded? are you working with higher ed on the research?
[09:20] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): How are you getting your teachers ready to use VW tools, which can be very complicated to master?
[09:20] Sister Abeyante: @ Mashburn- This is a fantastic project… can you share a “ball park” price tag for a district to design and implementing something this major?
[09:20] Ozma Malibu: Hi Mashburn. Congratulations – this is very good, as you know. I am in edtech in Arizona. What LMS are you using? How did you get the Superintendant on board?? How great that you get to have really good professional development because a lot of good edtech initiatives fall to the wayside due to the lack of good PD. I am curious about the use of Jungian theory as I haven’t seen that in ed initiatives. And, what is your educational background? whatever it is, it certainly seems to work. (Oh and in AZ we do have a cool math non-competitive math game that will be available online & we are expecting children to login in the evening. Digital divide issues are still a concern.)
[09:20] Buffy Beale: lol Oz
[09:20] Mashburn Allen: We offer an initial teacher training — face -to face and then ongoing suppport as they begin their ptojects
[09:20] Kate B (captainflint006): beats my multi user sim on a stick program in Australia
[09:20] Ozma Malibu: desperate for answers Buffy 🙂
[09:20] Mashburn Allen: ANGEL is our LMS — we are the largest ANGEL account inteh world I believe — maybe 2nd
[09:21] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (sorry what is “LMS”?)
[09:21] Mashburn Allen: I have a ED.S. in Instructional technology — myh these was omn Jungian Concepts in Online Learning
[09:21] Mashburn Allen: learnng management system
[09:21] Mashburn Allen: like Blackboard, MOodle, etc
[09:21] bulaklak: (thanks, Rik, I was wondering, too)
[09:21] Gentle Heron: LMS = learning management system like SLoodle or Blackboard.
[09:22] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): (thanks)
[09:22] Mashburn Allen: Moodle I meant
[09:22] Rhiannon Chatnoir: so then what LMS are using Mashburn
[09:22] Buffy Beale: 🙂 Oz
[09:22] Ozma Malibu: Mashburn, they certainly picked the right person!
[09:22] Rhiannon Chatnoir: k
[09:22] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (been hanging around a lot of teachers & ed tech folks lately… pick that one up 🙂
[09:22] Mashburn Allen: SLoodle is an interface between Mooidle and SL
[09:22] Rhiannon Chatnoir: nod
[09:23] Snoopy Pfeffer: SLoodle is one of the most popular tools for educators
[09:23] Merlin Moonshadow: I’m curious as to how quickly the teachers and students learn to navigate in OpenSim and how they take to the virtual environment.
[09:24] Mashburn Allen: well it is a steep learning curve for teachers — the kids master it overnight LOL
[09:24] Snoopy Pfeffer: hehe 10 minutes? 😉
[09:24] Merlin Moonshadow: That’s pretty much what I figured. 🙂
[09:24] Ozma Malibu: So how *did you get the Superintendent on board? He or she must give you a free rein.
[09:24] Mashburn Allen: we built capacity
[09:24] Mashburn Allen: and that took years
[09:24] Rhiannon Chatnoir: I also have the question on since are on Open Sim, are you building your own content, utilizing the free resources, bringing in developers, etc?
[09:24] Mashburn Allen: you cant start here — you have to build the thinking
[09:25] Mashburn Allen: on content? YES to everything you said
[09:25] Rhiannon Chatnoir: lol
[09:25] Snoopy Pfeffer: there is also great free contents for OpenSim, like from Linda Kellie
[09:25] Rhiannon Chatnoir: yes
[09:25] Merlin Moonshadow: How did you start out? What kind of projects did you use as test runs to generate interest?
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: I taught an online endorsement course for state certification
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: in online teaching
[09:26] Kate B (captainflint006): i use the kid avatars from Linda Kellie and created school uniforms identical to their RL
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: as part of tghat course we explored SL
[09:26] Rhiannon Chatnoir: /me is also working on a project for disabled students at UGA and Georgia Tech that is NSF funded, how is this iniative funded?
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: local funds
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: and my boss said DO THIS
[09:26] Mashburn Allen: lol
[09:26] Eraldo Carlucci: Mashburn, just to needle you…….why aren’t we having this meeting in Opensim?
[09:27] Rhiannon Chatnoir: good that have that buy in 🙂
[09:27] Mashburn Allen: Im a guest here
[09:27] Ozma Malibu: I want a boss like that.
[09:27] Snoopy Pfeffer: hehe
[09:28] Rhiannon Chatnoir: there are groups like Pathfinders’s grid hoppers group and others that do explore OpenSim sites, so there are opportunities to visit others
[09:28] Mashburn Allen: she is good — ecveryone is Forsyth County is great — thats why we have a good school system — get good people an dthey make thkings happen
[09:28] Rhiannon Chatnoir: but, if this project is fairly closed, imagine opening up a tour could be a bit sticky
[09:28] Mashburn Allen: well — the thing about opensim is you contoll access
[09:29] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (yes, should be just a matter of granting “day passes”)
[09:29] Snoopy Pfeffer: well grids can allow just certain users, based on the user level, to do HyperGrid traveling
[09:29] Mashburn Allen: so I can send invitations out make accountg have a toiur and then close it up again
[09:29] Mashburn Allen: try doing things like that in SL
[09:29] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Do you anticipate most students will interface with the VW through the digital whiteboards or laptops or desktops? Seems like a lot of technology needs for this.
[09:29] Merlin Moonshadow: How can we keep in touch with what you’re doing in Forsyth? Your success could open a lot of doors for the rest of us.
[09:29] Rhiannon Chatnoir: nod, must be refreshing to have more granular control 🙂
[09:29] Mashburn Allen: the website link is the best way
[09:30] loczek1996: polish?
[09:30] Merlin Moonshadow: /me seconds Rik’s question above.
[09:31] Snoopy Pfeffer: may I aks who of you uses OpenSim already?
[09:31] Mashburn Allen: oh – sorry didnt see that
[09:31] Snoopy Pfeffer: ask*
[09:31] Eraldo Carlucci: +1
[09:31] Mashburn Allen: we have four compueters in every classroom
[09:31] loczek1996: sex?
[09:31] Mashburn Allen: and we encourage the use of learning stations —
[09:31] Mashburn Allen: not having class has to go to a computer lab
[09:31] Zotarah Shepherd: Have you published anything yet in a Journal?
[09:31] Mashburn Allen: or use notebook carts
[09:32] Mashburn Allen: naw –Im a DOER
[09:32] Mashburn Allen: lol
[09:32] Zotarah Shepherd: Without publishing it would be hard to sell the idea to schools.
[09:33] Mashburn Allen: Im at the end of my career — that part has no appeal to me at this stage — I retire in a year
[09:33] Snoopy Pfeffer: yes, OpenSim needs more success stories as well as the different kinds of applications for it
[09:34] Mashburn Allen: its gonna happen — no doubt about it
[09:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Well this is a super interesting project , but I think we need to close for today
[09:34] Snoopy Pfeffer: thank aou again for the invitation
[09:34] Kate B (captainflint006): Great thank you
[09:34] Eraldo Carlucci: Great presentation Mashburn and Snoopy!
[09:34] Snoopy Pfeffer: you*
[09:34] Mashburn Allen: thank you
[09:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Snoopy and Mashburn, can you reitierate how people can stay in touch with you and stay up to date on this initiatie?
[09:34] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): initiative?
[09:34] Snoopy Pfeffer: my email address is snoopy.pfeffer@yahoo.com
[09:34] Merlin Moonshadow: Thanks, Mashburn and Snoopy!
[09:35] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): very intriguing work
[09:35] Mashburn Allen: the website link is the best way
[09:35] Buffy Beale: thanks Snoopy and Mashburn, great info and presentation!
[09:35] Ozma Malibu: What is the website?
[09:35] Mashburn Allen: my email is smashburn@forsyth.k12.ga.us
[09:35] Snoopy Pfeffer: news are also published on the web site http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com/
[09:35] Ozma Malibu: oh thank you both for the contact info.
[09:35] Mashburn Allen: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/34932
[09:35] Snoopy Pfeffer: welcome
[09:35] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): please feel free to come back once there is more to report. We’d love to see some examples of student work !
[09:36] Mashburn Allen: thank you!
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): we’ll of course publish this info on our blog soon
[09:36] Mashburn Allen: there is n more on the website
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): lets hear it for Mashburn and Snoopy!
[09:36] Buffy Beale: cheering!
[09:36] Merlin Moonshadow: /me applauds
[09:36] Snoopy Pfeffer: I can also ask some other clients – like some universities – if they are interested to talk about their projects
[09:36] Gentle Heron: Thank you Mashburn and Snoopy.
[09:36] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): snoopy, definitely
[09:36] Mashburn Allen: dANG — i DONT HAVE A GRACEFUL BOWING AMIN!
[09:37] Merlin Moonshadow: I would love to hear what others are doing, especially in higher ed.
[09:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): lol
[09:37] Dancers Yao: excellent….thx
[09:37] Snoopy Pfeffer: I will ask them
[09:37] Chayenn: very interesting bravo

OPEN MIC

[09:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok well now lets transition toward our last agenda item: OPEN MIC
[09:37] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who has announcements for the community?
[09:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): While you get those ready, let me remind you of all the ways you can find NPC on the web….
[09:38] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Nonprofit Commons blog: http://nonprofitcommons.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/npsl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nonprofitcommons

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/TechSoup-Second-Life
Google Calendar: http://bit.ly/2tMEYh
Wiki: http://npsl.wikispaces.com

About TechSoup:
http://www.techsoup.org/stock/howtousetechsoup.asp
http://flavors.me/techsoup
http://flavors.me/nonprofitcommons

Weekly Networking Event: Wharf Ratz, Aloft, Tuesdays, 7-9pm SLT
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aloft%20Nonprofit%20Commons/168/22…

Monthly Networking Event (3rd Thursday):
Common Ground, Plush, 5PM-7PM SLT
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/128/22…
[09:38] Zotarah Shepherd: For Higher Ed information attend VWER meetings each Thursday at 11:30am slt.
[09:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): any announcements?
[09:39] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): raise your hand please
[09:40] Glitteractica Cookie: or if you don’t know how to raise your avatar hand, say me please!
[09:40] LisaSchaefer Ruby: Tek is raising both hands
[09:40] Buffy Beale: Raises Hand
[09:40] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): really?
[09:40] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok Tek and then Buffy
[09:40] LisaSchaefer Ruby: he is in my viewer
[09:40] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I can’t see his caht
[09:40] Tek Blitz: lol maybe i should rebake
[09:41] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ah there you are. go ahead, tek, if you haven’t already
[09:41] Tek Blitz: sorry i wasn’t raising my hand
[09:42] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): oh no? Lisa said you were
[09:42] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): (ok, I’ve got something that might be of interest to share as well…)
[09:42] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Go ahead Buffy and then Jerry
[09:42] Buffy Beale: thanks Rik
[09:42] Buffy Beale: I received a note from Ellie Brewster, our own Nany Kayo is giving a presentation on Sunday
[09:42] Buffy Beale: here’s the note:
[09:43] Buffy Beale: Due to unavoidable technical difficulties, Nancy K. MacDonald Miller’s lecture on violence against women in Native American communities has been postponed for one week.

The new time for the lecture is Sunday, April 15, at 11 am Pacific, 2pm Eastern and 7pm GMT. Please join us then, on Minerva, the research and study space for the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at The Ohio State University.

To access our space, please use the instructions on this page: http://elliebrewster.com/minerva/

For further information, please contact

Dr. Sharon Collingwood

Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
The Ohio State University
286 University Hall, 230 North Oval Mall
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1311

Twitter: @EllieBrewster

Blog: Exploring the Virtual Classroom http://ebrewster.wordpress.com/
Minerva Events: http://elliebrewster.com/minerva/

Visit Minerva Island in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Minerva/16/14/22

Avatar: Ellie Brewster (Second Life, Re
[09:43] Buffy Beale: that’s it thanks
[09:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): very important topic
[09:43] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok Jerry?
[09:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): I’ve been participating in the Virtual Worlds, Games and Education MOOC these last several weeks
[09:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): https://p2pu.org/en/groups/a-virtual-worlds-games-and-education-tour/
[09:44] Buffy Beale: nice one Jerry
[09:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): It’s an offshoot of the VWBPE conference
[09:44] Rhiannon Chatnoir: yes.. I have been too.. w00t!
[09:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): If you’re even vaguesly interested in any of those topics
[09:44] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): I’d encourage you to check out the course activities
[09:45] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): that’s all
[09:45] Rhiannon Chatnoir: we have even been venturing off together in WoW, Minecraft, etc
[09:45] Glitteractica Cookie: I need to fly a few minutes early all. See you next week.
[09:45] Buffy Beale: bye Glitter
[09:45] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): Yes, it’s been a great experience.
[09:45] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): bye Glitter
[09:45] Merlin Moonshadow: I really wanted to participate more, but haven’t had time the last few weeks. 🙁
[09:45] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks Jerry good to know
[09:46] Jerry Buchko (jerrybuchko): thanks Rik
[09:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok well that wraps it up for this week I think
[09:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks again for coming to anotehr weekly NPC meeting
[09:46] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Thanksespecially to our guests Mashburn and Snoopy
[09:47] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Please stick around if you have questions or need help
[09:47] Merlin Moonshadow: Thanks for hosting and providing the opportunity to find out more about this program. 🙂
[09:47] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): otherwise, have a great Friday and restful weekend!
[09:47] Buffy Beale: You too Rik thanks for another great meeting
[09:47] alebez: thank you for a great meeting, all. have a good one!
[09:47] Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): my pleasure
[09:48] bulaklak: Thanks, Rik! Have a great weekend, all.

Written by: rikomatic

On Friday April 13, we are very pleased to be able to welcome Steve Allen Mashburn of the Forsyth County Schools in Georgia, as well asSnoopy Pfeffer of Dreamland Metaverse, to talk about a project that will be bringing an opensim virtual world into every classroom in metro-Atlanta district in Georgia. Called the NOBLE Virtual World, this opensim-based 3d environment will allow educators to transport their students to far-off lands and places of the imagination, such as the Berlin Wall during the Cold War or a castle in the Medieval era. Comprised of 35 schools with 35,000 students, the metro-Atlanta district will offer each school teacher the opportunity to use this 3D world in their classroom.

To learn more, come to the Nonprofit Commons this Friday April 13, starting at 8:30am. We’ll also have news from TechSoup.org, knowledge sharing from our Mentors Team, and general announcements. See you at the Plush Nonprofit Commons!

Dreamland Metaverse

Dreamland Metaverse is a privately held company, founded in 2008 and focusing on OpenSim hosting services for the international market. Our staff and partners are located in Europe, North America and Asia. Our founder and CEO is a recognized specialist in the IT and virtual world area, with many years of experience in leading edge computer technology and business development for bigger companies. Scientific background: degree in computer science and Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester, NY.  Development activities: OpenSim core developer and Open Metaverse Foundation developer.

Dreamland Metaverse is the leading hosting provider of top quality OpenSim regions and grids. We offer OpenSim regions in OSGrid and as standalone regions. Our customers include private customers, educational institutions and companies, up to Fortune 500 corporations. Our goal is to provide an excellent service for a fair price. Our references show, that we offer best service quality and an outstanding customer service. We offer professional OpenSim hosting services since 2008. We are the oldest and most experienced OpenSim hosting provider. As active OpenSim core developers we know how to ensure best availability and reliability. Since many years our OpenSim services are known for highest service quality.

Written by: rikomatic