Heidi Trotta

In looking at K-12 using virtual worlds, I am reminded that I have really just focused on one virtual world, that of Second Life.  We all know that there is only so much time in a day yet I keep thinking that the best use of my lunch time, other than a walk on the campus, would be to broaden my knowledge in other platforms.  To be current, I really need to be more aware of what is happening in the business end of virtual worlds and to start to investigate these environments by reading and attending more online virtual conferences.

Up-and-coming platforms include Google’s Lively and the Webflock by the Electric Sheep company are good places to start  . More to come later as I broaden my focus …

I was watching the movie Akeelah and the Bee the other day and I was thinking of the quote mentioned in the film,  “Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?”  

Life’s turbulent waters have a tendancy to drown any such notions from our mind.  Being tumbled around, these thoughts have been the last on my mind in recent years… yet today, I am reminded that every once in a while, someone or something comes along just for the sole purpose of encouraging us NOT to forget. 

I never, ever, thought I would be awarded one of the NMC Virtual Learning Prizes for 2008.  I knew that the competition was tough and there were many talented and knowledgable Second Life educators applying with excellent proposals.  I had been working on a Second Life project, the ”Virtual Endangered Ecosystem - Salt Water Marsh” for a year with two science faculty from Seton Hall.  The project had not been approved for funding at the university for some reason this past year.  I had seen the call for NMC proposals and I was so excited. By having our proposal  accepted, I could thank these faculty, in some small way, for putting in so many hours of their own personal time to help me develop out the design.     

Eight grants were issued from 75 applicants  … I feel truly humbled that our idea was chosen.  When I actually found out, I started to cry.  We were really being given the opportunity to recreate our learning environment.  And for me personally?  Well, it represents a candle of encouragement, beckoning me to enter the light. 

I was trying to get together a title slide for a presentation that reflected a wonderful opportunity I had a couple of weeks ago.  For a week, I worked with a group from Barnfield Academy in Luton, England in the use of Second Life in the classroom, sponsored by Case Western Reserve.

Remembering Wordle, I was quickly able to create a visual I liked that reflected the experience.  This Web 2.0 application will take words off of a blog, del.icio.us or input you provide and given a layout style, font and color, will create a graphic.   The size of the word is determined by the number of times it appears in the input.  Save your word input though in a Word document in case you decide to try other settings and fonts. 

I finally decided on the one below as my favorite.  Check it out …. sooooooo cool and very easy. 

I’m especially proud to post our Seton Hall Virtual World Inniatives banner we released to the Media Grid this week to be posted on their website.  Danielle Mirliss and I have been working to establish a “virtual identity and brand” for our group’s projects in this area.  Wanting to go after some grants for new media, we felt we needed to develop our online presence.   

Danielle has been working on our Second Life avatar, ePirate Beardmore.  She is beautiful, don’t you think?  I was so pleased that Danielle bought the dress for her that I found …. perfect!  Now all she needs is a pet … something unusual. 

Danielle did a wonderful job on the makeup and skin.  I love her hair!  Well, we are getting there, slowly but surely however I really like how our promo materials are turning out.  Next is the completion of the website/blog/wiki! 

I usually don’t blog about my personal Second Life or any topics relating it, however, I wanted to share this Second Life fashion blog that Danielle Mirliss found that I really love.  Called Second Life Fashion Addict by Jhuzen Ketsugo, it contains outfits that I would die for even in real life, especially if I was a little bit younger   Many of her clothing combos I could wear for my “professional” Second Life image (see below).

What I appreciate is that the author of the blog identifies where she has bought everything in the outfit.  In Second Life I have “saved” most of my Second Life earnings, something that is difficult for me to do in real life because of a number of issues, however, I don’t think I will be able to resist some of these “must-haves”.  The only problem with the blog is that the surl’s don’t work for me.  Check it out at:  http://www.slfashionaddict.blogspot.com/