Second Life ™

Join us this Wednesday for “Chatting it Up with EdTechTalk.”  Presenters include: Leesa Biedermann (Lisa Parisi) Edith Halderman (Lisa Durff) and Hoser Rhode (Jose Rodriguez)

EdTechTalk is the premiere online site for free live shows by educators for educators. This home-grown webcasting site has weekly shows dealing with a variety of educational issues.  Come learn how to get involved and increase your learning and your PLN.  Find out about starting your own show.

SLT TIME:  5 p.m. SLT ( 7 p.m. CST, 8 p.m. EST)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%202/88/127/22

This past Wednesday night Demb Oh ( aka Steve Dembo) shared his Discovery Student Adventure to South Africa. The trip sounded so exciting!  Listening to Demb Oh, his passion and excitement were clear on how meaningful this experience was to him, the other educators and the students who traveled with him. The teachers and students visited the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, spent time with children in a South African school, swam with the sharks, and traveled through the Bush. They even helped relocate some of the animals.

Discovery Education has sponsored 3 trips so far, to Australia, South Africa and China with more being planned. Check out the student and educator blogs for first hand information, see photos and videos from their trips. As a DEN educator you can learn how you can go on one of the next trips for free here.

If you haven’t been in Second Life lately, you’re in for a pleasant surprise — Second Life just got a ‘facelift’.  I suggest you head on over and see for yourself, but if you want to find out what has changed, head on over to the Second Life blog.  I think you’ll be pleased with the changes.  In fact, why don’t you share your favorite ‘lift’ in the Comments section below.

DATE: Aug 26

WORKSHOP: Pack your Curiosity and GO! Part 2

PRESENTER: Demb Oh

DESCRIPTION:  3 trips, 9 teachers, 36 students, and the adventure of a
lifetime! From Cape Town to Johannesburg, and then on to the African
bush, come see what happened to STAR Discovery Educators as they
journeyed around the world and used technology to share their
experiences in real time.  And then learn how you can begin your own
Discovery Student Adventure!

SLT TIME:  5 p.m. SLT ( 7 p.m. CST, 8 p.m. EST)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%20II/132/131/22

cc licensed flickr photo by teach42: http://flickr.com/photos/teach42/3628824474/

Technology is great, when it works. And when it doesn’t… flexibility and teamwork are key. Last night’s presentation by Geekybird Fanbridge (Matt Monjan, RL) in the 2 DP auditorium showed that where there’s a will, there’s a way. He delivered “Discover the Undiscovered” via the voice of Amadeo Writer (Joe Brennan RL) without missing a beat. Those in attendance were able to learn even more about the new interface and the amazing features of the revamped Discovery Streaming site.

He covered topics such as student access to the site, tips on using Closed Captioning, Discovery Student Adventures, the increase in the number of resources (not only videos, but over 20,00 images and even educational songs!), the Teacher Center and Atlas Interactive Map, and so much more. I know that I personally have viewed several presentations this summer on the upgraded site and I come away with something new each time! Matt shares his presentations at his Geekybird site in The Birdhouse. Thanks, Geekybird, (and Amadeo) for helping us to “discover” even more!

Be sure to catch the webinars during the week of August 24 on incorporating Discovery Streaming with Web 2.0 tools and additional webinars on the enhanced Discovery Streaming site during September.

And please join us next week, Wednesday, August 26 (5 p.m. SLT, 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central)  in Second Life for “Pack Your Curiosity and Go! Part 2″ when Demb Oh (Steve Dembo) will share how 9 teachers and 36 students experienced the adventure of a lifetime. From Capetown to Johannesburg, to the African bush, come see what happened to STAR Discovery educators as they journeyed around the world and used technology to share their experiences in real time. And then learn how you can begin your own Discovery Student Adventure!

See you in-world!

Wednesday evening, August 12, an informal chat session was held at DEN in SL (2DP) for newbie questions, or DEN related questions, or anything anyone wanted to share. Six educators stopped by to discuss a variety of topics from how to create a sign in SL to technology integration practices and frustrations to revamping technology curriculum. Everyone came away with something, which supports the DEN goal of connectiong teachers to their most valuable resource - each other!

Join us next Wednesday, August 19, (5 pm  SLT, 6 pm CST,  8 pm EST) as presenter Geekybird Fanbridge (Matt Monjan, RL) helps us to  “Discover the Undiscovered” with a guided tour of the new and improved Discovery Education site. Participants will also get a bonus screening of the Discovery Student Adventures in South Africa. See you there!

A great time was had at the “Sharks after Dark” event co-hosted by DEN in SL and PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors in Second Life.

First everyone learned how to use their gear.  Groups of six were sent on automated, guided, informational shark dives. There was time to explore the expanded sim after the tour.  We swam with the sharks, surfed, hang glided and rode horses.

If you haven’t had a chance to experience this fabulous sim, head over to explore the reefs, the caves, the island and more at Dive World !

Don’t miss out out on this fantastic adventure to help celebrate Discovery Shark Week!  It will be held on Saturday, Aug 8th from 8 AM SLT - 10 AM SLT.

This past Wednesday we gathered by the sandbox to check out our dive gear. Those who register now, will need to inform us if they need dive gear.  You can still register for the event. Confirmation emails will be sent out with further instructions.

Only registered avatars will be able to attend.

The IDiscover SLeuthing game was a big success, and we want to do it again! There will be a planning meeting next Monday, August 10, in meeting room 202 at the DEN in SL headquarters at 5:00 SLT. Anyone who is interested in being a part of the committee to plan IDiscover SLeuthing II is invited to join us for this preliminary discussion.

If you have any questions, email Celestia Cazalet/Elaine Plybon.

It is time once again for the Discovery Channel Shark Week (August 2-8), and we are celebrating it in grand style! Yes, the very popular shark dive that took place last year is coming back even bigger and better on PADI’s new, larger sim called Dive World. Join us for the excitement as we dive through the fantastic ocean ecosystem PADI has created and learn more about the ocean environment.

Wednesday, August 5, at 5:00 p.m. SLT, there will be an orientation session to assist those who have never dived before. You will learn how to wear a dive suit and swim effectively. We’ll start at 2DP and give you landmarks to the session.

In order to attend the dive on Saturday, you will need to sign up. Registration is limited to the first 60, so be sure to get your registration in early. We will accumulate a wait list, also, so if you aren’t one of the first 60, you might still be able to attend. To register, visit the Dive wiki.