Monica's+Blog

Summer 2009--I started using SecondLife in my Level 1 Grammar Class (EAP 91).

Update: I've moved my blog to []. Please visit!

 * Tuesday, June 23. A first glimpse into SL and the imperatives.**

We met in a computer lab classroom on the second floor of 28 this morning. I got it reserved for Tuesdays and Thursdays every week so that we can use Second Life in class. The second floor labs work better with sound in SL than the first floor labs.

"JK" and I worked on imperatives from 7:30-8:30 this morning. Then I introduced Second Life. I had been planning to have her log on and perhaps even get an account, but the remaining 30 minutes went by so quickly...First, she tried to log on to her student account for the first time, but that didn't work for some reason. So I just opened my own account in SL on the instructor's computer station and projected it onto the large screen. I wrote a list of verbs that are possible in SL like "run," "fly," "jump", "walk," and "sit down" on the board. Then I showed her how my avatar could do all those things. Then I told JK to give my avatar commands. So she said things like, "Please sit down," and I'd have my avatar sit down. (I didn't tell her to say "please"--she added that herself as we'd been studying it in the textbook.) She even, of her own accord, worked in some new vocabulary from the chapter we'd just studied--"Please turn right," "Please make a U-turn!" I was really pleased at how even this very quick glimpse into SL turned into speaking practice for imperatives, and how JK was drawing in the new vocabulary and grammar beyond what I'd prompted her to do. By the way, we went downstairs to the Info Commons in the last 5 minutes of class and got her account straightened out. As is often the case, she had just apparently mistyped her ID. Also, she checked out a USB with SL program and CamStudio (the software with which you make the movies in SL) for the quarter. It's so convenient because she can bring it to class, take it home and work on SL activities anywhere.

JK's avatar was "born" today. We ran into the usual trouble--copying the two words at the bottom of the registration page, the ones that are supposed to ensure you're not a robot, which we couldn't read the first two times and thus copied wrong. SL timed JK out for 20 minutes as it does when you mess up on the password or something like that twice. Luckily, we tried it right at the beginning of class and had another activity to do while waiting for it to let her back in. I learned that it's a good idea to get started right away on the day you have the students register and get their avatar! Also, tell them they should not use their own real name for their avatar, for security's sake, and have them write the avatar name and password down. She chose a short name for hers--Luck Davi, easy to spell and remember. Good tip to give students!
 * Thursday, June 25, 2009. An avatar is born.**

I showed JK how to edit her avatar's appearance by right-clicking on her avatar and then selecting "Appearance." I pointed out the controls for editing and let her work for awhile. She had the handout for the first assignment in front of her so that she could also write sentences as she changed her avatar. After she had finished editing, I showed her how to take and e-mail a snapshot of her avatar to me by going under the File menu and selecting "Take Snapshot." For the remainder of class, JK just played on Centralia Island (TCC's island), flew and ran around and explored, and my avatar Athena Naxos the flying cat joined her. We instant messaged on SL too--what a great way to practice today's grammar topic, "That is" and "Those are!" As we flew around, I'd point the cursor to something on the screen (projected in front of the room) and type "What is that?" JK would write back, "I don't no!" And I could tell her, "That's a building!" Then I'd ask her again and she could write back, "That's a building!" Good way to reinforce the grammar in writing.
 * Tuesday, July 30, 2009. Changing the avatar's appearance.**

We teleported over to Yadni's Junkyard (freebie site--very cool!) today to get JK some new clothes.Unfortunately, JK detached her hair when trying to put on some new hair and ended up bald. Try as I might, I couldn't figure out how to attach new hair to her head. All in all, a dispiriting end to the SL session for today.
 * Thursday, July 2, 2009. JK is now bald.**

A banner day--JK struck up a conversation with a wolfperson avatar (AV) in Yadni's Junkyard, who helped her get her hair back AND transform herself into a blue wolfperson! This avatar was really kind and gave JK lots of things to get started--an assortment of wolf bodies, cargo pants, long hair...She even explained how to ride the BMW motorcycle that JK had picked up while shopping last Thursday. There are so many things that happen in SL that I just don't understand still, though. I could have sworn that JK had followed Lunar's (the wolfperson) directions, but somehow her shirt and tail got stuck on the motorcycle, leaving JK's avatar, well, partially au naturel. Totally unphased, JK leaped on the motorcycle and streaked off. I made a movie of today's SL adventure which will soon be posted here and on ITunes U.
 * Tuesday, July 7, 2009. We met a wolfperson and JK went streaking on a BMW motorcycle.**