2008 Woodie Awards
International avatars attend virtual conference
Danielle Wolf: Muleskinner
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News
In the middle of an international conference, one UCM staff member, pseudo-named Starbuck Rich, lowers his head for a quick nap. A click of the mouse by Mike Jeffries, director of CentralNet, is all it takes to wake the sleepy avatar.
Jeffries called Second Life a "glimpse in to the future for learning." He is new to Selmo Park, UCM's island campus, but the 54-year-old is learning how to live in a virtual world.
"I haven't learned how to build anything or even dress myself," Jeffries said as he laughed with his co-workers.
In celebration of Distance Learning Week which ends tomorrow, Bryan Carter, associate professor of English, gave a presentation Monday morning on Second Life. Though Carter was in Paris at the time, he was able to speak to international avatars on UCM's virtual campus. He also moderated the conference, as speakers from around the world battled the language and technological barriers together. His avatar, dressed in a black suit and tie, sat casually on the floor of the virtual stage while moderating.
The speakers discussed their experiences using Second Life in and out of the classroom. Many talked about the challenges of global education, such as time zones and language barriers, while others talked about plans for future improvements of Second Life as an educational tool.
Audience members were represented in their Second Life conference by their avatars. While international viewers in the comfort of their homes, the avatars that represented them wore suits, colonial clothing, gothic garb and even animalistic costumes. In the middle of a presentation, one avatar flew across the virtual stage teleporting to their next location. One even saddled a giant bird and explored the island while listening to the speaker.
Viewers at the UCM location included a few students and several staff members. Holly Davenport, adjunct professor in graphic arts, helped develop Selmo Park in Second Life.
"It was really frustrating at first, and I felt really clumsy," Davenport said. "It just took a while."
Jeffries called Second Life a "glimpse in to the future for learning." He is new to Selmo Park, UCM's island campus, but the 54-year-old is learning how to live in a virtual world.
"I haven't learned how to build anything or even dress myself," Jeffries said as he laughed with his co-workers.
In celebration of Distance Learning Week which ends tomorrow, Bryan Carter, associate professor of English, gave a presentation Monday morning on Second Life. Though Carter was in Paris at the time, he was able to speak to international avatars on UCM's virtual campus. He also moderated the conference, as speakers from around the world battled the language and technological barriers together. His avatar, dressed in a black suit and tie, sat casually on the floor of the virtual stage while moderating.
The speakers discussed their experiences using Second Life in and out of the classroom. Many talked about the challenges of global education, such as time zones and language barriers, while others talked about plans for future improvements of Second Life as an educational tool.
Audience members were represented in their Second Life conference by their avatars. While international viewers in the comfort of their homes, the avatars that represented them wore suits, colonial clothing, gothic garb and even animalistic costumes. In the middle of a presentation, one avatar flew across the virtual stage teleporting to their next location. One even saddled a giant bird and explored the island while listening to the speaker.
Viewers at the UCM location included a few students and several staff members. Holly Davenport, adjunct professor in graphic arts, helped develop Selmo Park in Second Life.
"It was really frustrating at first, and I felt really clumsy," Davenport said. "It just took a while."
Be the first to comment on this story