SLCC 2007 Proceedings

The Second Life Community Convention 2007 Education Track Proceedings are online:

Second Life Education Workshop 2007 (DOC)

I’ve only had a short time to scan through this 188 page document, and now I am really feeling like I missed out on a truly amazing event in Chicago this past weekend.  Out of state travel is a hard one to sell in a K12 education institution, especially when budgets are tight (Welcome to California).  Next year, if this event comes back to the West Coast, I’ll be there if I have to walk to the event. 

Here are two quotes from the Preface of the document by Claudia L’Amoreaux/Claudia Linden and John Lester/Pathfinder Linden:

“The Second Life K12 community – SLEDT – has 475 members.  Educators working with 13 – 17 year-olds have launced projects from the U.S., the UK, Australia, Tasmania, Singapore, Turkey, and Japan.  Global Kids and the teen library project, Eye4You Alliance, provide creative contexts for teens to practive leadership.  Communities for teen scripters, builders, and mentors have emerged – several teens serve as developers for new adult-owned K12 projects”

. . . .

“What’s ahead?  SLED members are influencing education policy, identifying how learing in SL develops knowledge age skills (SchomePark, Open University), bridging the gap between their Second Life projects and state standards (Ramapo Islands, Suffern Middle School, New York), and designing assessment models and tools.  We offer our enthusiastic appreciation to the SLED community’s emerging leaders for perseverance in the face of often skeptical administrations and for the courage to reinvent yourselves as educators and learners.  WE’re honored to work with you in Second Life.”