The Latest
- SL Scripting & Holodeck Possibilies
- A Lifeline from the Classroom
- Educational Social Networking
- Virtually Going Back In Time
- Teaching Skills Over Content? Really?
- SL Orientation
- Virtual Class Field Trips
- RUOK? LOL
- A Technology (non) Fiction Tale
- SL Building and Inventory
- Ideal Avatars may Motivate Real World Behavior
- What lessons can Games and Sims teach us about Life?
- SL Communication and Transportation
- Instructional Design for “Digital Natives”
- A future foundation of Education?
SL Scripting & Holodeck Possibilies
April 22nd, 2008 by Craig Miller
SCRIPTING
The programming code used within Second Life is the Linden Scripting Language (LSL), or “scripting” for short.
As Instructables states, “Scripts can make an object move, listen, talk, operate as a vehicle or weapon, change colour, size or shape. A script can make an object (aka “Prim”) listen to your words as well as talk back to you, scripts even let objects talk to each other.” Or as Jeff Barr states, “One of the most important aspects of Second Life is the fact that every prim (building block object) can contain executable code.”
In other words, one may interact with with ANY object within second life. In a true nod to “Alice in Wonderland”, ANYTHING in SL may be animate. Knowing this really keeps one on her toes while exploring the virtual environments.
Since I get bored working in code on my websites (and this blog), I am confident that I will NEVER take the time to script in Second Life. Thankfully, I’ll probably never have to, as there are oodles of free scripts that kind people have left behind in various “buildings” around SL. In my last excursion, I found and added a pulsating red light to my inventory. My reasoning was, “Hey, you never know when a pulsating red light might come in handy…”
If there are any objects or scripts (or objects with scripts) that I might desire, I can purchase it at a virtual store using in-world Linden Dollars (L$). Currently, the exchange rate is roughly 250 L$ to each U.S. dollar. Although money changes hands in SL, one need not spend to play. I selected my own textures for my avatar rather than purchasing clothes, so I have spent a grand total of less than 50 L$ over the past 6 months (mainly to upload images from my computer).
HOLODECK
As I have mentioned in previous entries, I imagine using SL in my future science classes for performing 3D simulation activities in virtual field trips. When cost prohibits traveling to a remote location on the planet, one may still experience the simulated environment in SL. As previously described in the transportation section, one may “teleport” to designated locations within SL. Unfortunately, if one gets separated from the group, she may not have the navigational expertise to rejoin her classmates.
Educationally speaking, one VERY interesting possibility for scripting is the idea of creating a “Holodeck” a la “Star Trek”. The beauty of the Holodeck is that it avoids the risk of getting lost through migration from location to location by requiring students to STAY within the SAME area while the walls of a room change AROUND them.
In order for students to have a rainforest morph into a desert or an animal cell morph into a plant cell around them requires a great deal of scripting in advance by a professional. This would be a costly initial investment; however, it would only need to be purchased once, and could be used repeatedly over time by many. Every Science teacher within a school district could sign up for a specific day in advance and take their classes through each of the Ocean’s Zones from within the district Holodeck. Likewise, History teachers could take their students to famous battle sites or historical cities, and English teachers could take their students into the houses of famous authors.
Simply going to the Second Life Classified Ads can help one get in touch with a person who has the scripting skills to build a holodeck.
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life | | 0 Comments
SL Orientation
March 3rd, 2008 by Craig Miller
MAPS
Second Life has two basic map views, “World Map” and “Mini Map”.
In order to see what is happening ‘In World’ (within Second Life), the player may click on a “Map” button and scroll the mouse wheel to zoom closer/further away.
In order to see what is happening in one’s immediate area, the player may click on the “Mini Map” to see where nearby avatars are in relation to the player. Viewing from above, a shaded cone extends away from the player so that she may see the direction she is facing within the simulation environment.
If one wishes to return to a location, she may set a “Landmark”, and keep it in her “Inventory”. At any time, from any location in SL, the player may “Teleport” to any desired “Landmark”.
VIEWING
There are many ways to view one’s surroundings within the Second Life simulation, and are most easily controlled with keyboard shortcuts.
If one turns off the “Chat” feature and presses the ‘M’ key, the player controls “Mouse Look” View. With this, the player may view any surrounding direction including above and below from the perspective of the avatar. Note: This does not actually move the players avatar in space, effectively meaning that one can look behind oneself without actually turning around.
If one presses the ‘control’ + ‘alt’ keys simultaneously, the view focus becomes the avatar. One may orbit around (including above and below) her avatar from a constant distance. Furthermore, if an object is ‘left-clicked’, the focus becomes the object, and the player may orbit around the object from a constant distance.
If one presses the ‘alt’ key and holds a ‘left-click’ on an avatar or object, she may not only circle the subject, but may zoom in for a close up to observe detail/zoom out to observe perspective. Please note that walls DO NOT contain the view of an avatar. It is absolutely fascinating to be having a conversation with someone or sitting with a group of individuals and pull back to look down upon the group from what seems to be a mile away. Once again, physics does not exist in SL, and out-of-body experiences become VIRTUALLY REAL!
Since objects do not block one’s view and one may take the perspective of any other object in Second Life, pressing ‘control’ + ’shift’ + ‘alt’ keys simultaneously allows the camera view to slide right, left, up, or down from the subject’s natural perspective. In this way, one may look “around” a barrier.
All together, the viewing of Second Life is like being in a ‘dreamscape’.
As a ‘fail safe’, if one cannot properly control the mouse to return to her avatar’s default viewing orientation, pressing the ‘esc’ (escape) key will return the perspective to just behind the head of an avatar.
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life | | 0 Comments
SL Building and Inventory
February 22nd, 2008 by Craig Miller
WHO NEEDS PHYSICS ANYWAY?
The first step towards being a good superhero is to realize that Scientific Laws are for suckers!
In Second Life, gravity does not exist for objects until the law is expressly assigned. Until that point, objects stay where they are placed. That means if one is not careful, it is easy for her to leave an item in permanent levitation, or half way sticking out of the ground/a building/a tree/etc.
Anti-gravity is also helpful when one is flying. When one desires to stop flying, she simply hovers in place. This makes movement immanently easier than constantly needing to adjust for a downwards pull.
Another science-independent power is the ability to create objects out of nothing. Conservation of Matter is completely absent in Second Life! One may build and build and build whatever she desires, and then give each it’s own texture. It’s true, tables may be made of water, walls may be made out of grass, and clothes may be made out of clouds!
Nearly every environment (called an “Island”) has it’s own “Sandbox”, where individuals may work in an open space to create whatever they desire…clothing, furniture, transportation, etc.
Unless one has “master permissions” for the area, these objects are generally able to be left in partial states of completion for a limited number of hours before they are automatically destroyed by the moderator.
Once an individual has built and textured her objects, she may place them into her “inventory“, and store them for future use. At any point, she may access her inventory to retrieve saved objects, note cards, photos, contacts, etc.
I have one final point about defying physics: unlike it’s human counterpart, there is no limit to the amount of items that an avatar may carry around with it. Imagine how much better your real life would be if you could carry around a Harley-Davidson, Ferrari, and a Craftsman Beach Bungalow on your person within a magical pocket, and be allowed to pull each out at your whim.
In Second Life, EVERYONE is a physics-defying Super Hero!
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life | | 0 Comments
Ideal Avatars may Motivate Real World Behavior
February 21st, 2008 by Craig Miller
As a follow up to my last post asking how games & sims can teach lessons that will follow the player into the real world:
A couple colleagues of mine passed along their January/February 2008 copy of “Stanford Magazine“, in order to present me with an article describing the psychological research of people’s connection to to their virtual world avatars.
The article is not simply a collection of studies trying to determine how people choose their avatar’s appearance and act differently in-world while viewing their “ideal” selves; instead, the article collects studies trying to determine how these new behaviors follow an individual back into the real world.
Some of the behaviors being viewed relate to aggressiveness, prejudice, decision making, and exercise.
As a bonus, there is an additional description of one company’s implementation of online communication models within various businesses in order to increase productivity.
Nothing could be more up my alley: my degree is in social psychology, and I teach Digital Media Arts. I could read articles like this all day. I cannot wait to read their results!
btw,
Stanford sucks! GO BEARS!
(Sorry, as a second generation graduate of Cal Berkeley, I am legally obligated by my alumni association to say that whenever I post any reference to the school who named their mascot after a color yet represents the mascot with a tree.)
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life, Avatars, Virtual Worlds | | 0 Comments
SL Communication and Transportation
February 8th, 2008 by Craig Miller
COMMUNICATION
Tonight in Second Life, we learned about some of the different modes of communication in-world.
One may audibly speak with those in the near vicinity, or do an open chat for all in the vicinity to read. It is also possible to privately chat with specific individuals and have the text of the conversation masked from all others in the area.
One can post permanent bulletin boards with text or video on them for all to see. It is also possible to create note cards that may be given directly to people, or placed in receptacles for retrieval
If individuals are not in proximity, one may send an instant message. It is even possible for instant messages to be received by people through their email, and have their emailed responses returned to the in-world environment.
One may also search for all their designated friends who are online and teleport to their locations, as well as receive notification when their “friends” enter second life.
And if one is incredibly happy or upset, she may simply use avatar gestures to get her point across. Dancing, clapping, laughing, yes, no…the avatar can silently communicate one’s point.
TRANSPORTATION
Of course once can walk around; however, flying is even faster.
That’s right, avatars can FLY in Second Life!
I made my avatar green because, heck, when do I ever get a chance to be green? I try to fly as much as I can, because the same principle goes…
In addition to the flying feature, teleportation quickly advances an avatar to any desired destination. It is done quickly, easily, and accurately.
URLs are web addresses. When mixed with Second Life (SL), they become SLURLs. Click on a SLURL link, and one will teleport directly to that spot in-world.
As long as the network is running at full strength (and there are not too many people in the same immediate area trying to do too many things simultaneously), it seems to be an extremely efficient system.
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life | | 0 Comments
A future foundation of Education?
February 4th, 2008 by Craig Miller
Yesterday at 4pm I received an email from Boise State canceling all afternoon/evening courses on campus due to the snow storm that was hitting the area.
Despite the weather, my instructor, classmates, and myself were all able to attend class at 5pm. We did so because our class was held in Second Life.http://secondlife.com/
Although we were scattered across America, we met for nearly two hours. Each person had the luxury to share from the real-world location of her choice. I chose to lay on my couch with my laptop on my chest.
Shockingly, after the initial hassles of setting up everyone’s microphones, we settled into a fairly natural dialogue pattern. One person picked up speaking as another trailed off. The conversation was only slightly more delayed than in face to face meetings.
Additionally, more information was shared than simply by voice, as there was a simultaneous chat message conversation going on at the same time that flowed in and out of the spoken conversation.
Furthermore, people did synchronous web searching for content related to our discussion and typed the address directly into the chat so that all the other people in the group could click on the link and open up a separate browser window directly to that site.
In the future, our instructor will be showing videos/websites/games, and taking us on virtual tours.
As an old school style teacher, I am naturally biased against anything possessing style over substance in education; however, I must admit that negotiating my way through a virtual world for a meeting is much more engaging than simply video conferencing.
In the photos you can see that the sun even set on us during our meeting on an outdoor platform high in the branches of a tree house.
As the world becomes smaller, and we make more contact with experts from around the world, this may be a way to safely connect them to our students (Please notice that real names are not used in SL). One might also use a virtual world to meet outside class time for tutoring or reviews, or even as a place for classes from across the world to exchange information/work on projects together in a modern day version of pen pals.
Since students may create their character’s look (I choose to be green and wear a shag carpet shirt with orange leather pants!), the potential for engagement is high.
For those concerned about the trouble students might get into, there is a “teen only” Second Life that shields them from adult content. Adults are not permitted; however, educators can be given accounts to the teen SL after a screening process.
I have only had one meeting so far in SL, but I can already see some great academic possibilities here.
Posted in Liaison, Masters, Teaching | tagged 2nd Life, Virtual Worlds | | 0 Comments
