I'm still at it. Slogging away in Second Life. Since I last posted, I've been back "in-world" a couple of times.I finally learned how to fly with relative ease (it's as simple as using the page-up and page-down keys to change altitude....duh).
Today I spent some time going back through the basic navigation tutorials on SL Orientation Island. As with any new learning experience, I find I need to dive in and learn what I don't know. Then I can go back in and focus on the "assignments" -- gaining the skills I've realized I'll need.
Today I spent some time exploring NOAA/ESRL, which is an island set up by the National Weather Service (U.S. Department of Commerce).
(http://slurl.com/secondlife/Meteora/128/128/0 -- if you're in Second Life you can also try searching for Meteora or NOAA Virtual Island).
That's me on a glacier on the NOAA island. At the glacier station you can "animate" the glacier and see how the formation changes as the glacier melts.
I hovered above a map of the U.S. which showed current weather across the country. I rode a weather balloon into the atmosphere and took a plane ride through the eye of a hurricane. Topped it off with a ride in a submarine and an underwater stroll. Whales and dolphins and jelly fish swam by. Very cool.
My favorite station on the NOAA island was the Tsunami area. It's a virtual click-to-learn exercise. You click on the Tsunami sign and get the first "page" of the lesson -- how tsunamis are formed underwater. Then you go underwater and see how the plates shift. Each click takes you through the next phase, until finally you are encouraged to run to high ground as a huge tsunami crashes in on the beach destroying the houses.
Talk about experiential learning.
If, like me, you've been reluctant to try Second Life, I can only say just do it and see for yourself.
In my first second life experience, I was called a bitch. My second Second Life experience was much better. And when Karl Kapp invited me on a tour of SL, I was delighted. It makes a big difference to someone like me to have a guide.
All this to say, I'm keeping an open mind.
6 comments:
Thanks for sharing your SL experience; it's been fun to follow along with you on your journey. I think it's great that you've been patient with it, especially after a such a rocky start.
I'm ashamed to admit I haven't given it a try yet, although it is on my To-Do list. Maybe I'll run into you once I finally get in there!
The fact that it's not on everyone's to-do list shows how low on the radar virtual worlds are for most organizations -- and nothing to be ashamed of. All in good time, I suppose. Let me know if you find yourself there and are looking for any more pointers from a dorkie newbie such as myself.
I think at some point you're going to have to take me on a tour. I've just never been able to allocate a big enough block of time to SL to get through the orientation programme!
Karyn...I'd be happy to show you what little I know!
And it looks like the federal government is looking to expand their real estate on Second Life:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37966&dcn=todaysnews
I wonder...Would you have to file SL taxes with the SL IRS branch?
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