Learning+to+build

This is not exactly a step-by-step description because there were (are!) so many things I didn't know and I did not necessarily have a clear plan in setting out. Because the virtual world idea is so new to me, I did not know which questions I should be asking. It is agreed there is a steep learning curve in Second Life and becoming comfortable requires being comfortable with trial and error in addition to asking questions of strangers.

My evolution as Aubergine Serpente started where everyone does: learning to walk without walking into objects (or people) and my favorite, falling off stairs and walkways over water. Trying to master these "simple" navigation skills is as consuming as learning a new language. It did not leave much time for the more complicated process of creating objects and adding scripts.

I found people on ALA Island to be sincerely helpful and giving of their time. The combination of Second Life's innate networking capacity and the innate librarian desire to help someone's informational needs lead me to a series of contacts who either answered my questions or referred me to someone who could.

Below is an example of one "practice session" Aubergine and I had:

media type="custom" key="2806899" Having joined several groups, I now receive IM updates (which are forwarded to my regular email when I am not in-world) announcing various educational events. I am looking forward to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) workshop on basic building skills for educators in Second Life. Attendees will work in small groups with a building mentor from ISTE. This is exactly what Aubergine and I need!

It is also an example of educators in Second Life who want to see its educational uses increase and improve. Workshops like this help people network, share resources (physical and informational), and collaborate. There will be opportunities to ask questions about what is currently happening on ISTE island. The organizers plan to transcribe the dialog and chat scripts and make them available to attendees but will also use them to improve future workshops.

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