HealthInfo Island

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

Occasionally I like to remind everyone that there is an excellent source of Health information in SL.Healthinfo Island is a wonderful region to visit whatever your needs. This is the Mission statement:

“The mission of Healthinfo Island is to provide timely, accurate, and accessible information on topics of physical, emotional, and mental health. This is done through interactive displays, links to outside resources, group events, and personalized assistance.

The Consumer Health Library at HealthInfo Island is here to help SL residents with health information needs. “

If you look at the ground you will see a blue arrow . It is a TP hud. Click to see where you want to go.

It is fun to just walk around to discover everything but if you want a certain place use it.

The island is sponsored and maintained by The Virtual Ability group and there are various sites on the island that remain open all the time to visitors. There are sites that change monthly with new information on various illnesses and what is going on in the research and cure information.

This month in the Healthy Living Display area there is an excellent display on Pneumonia. Follow the arrows to learn all about pneumonia , its types, diagnosis, and many resources for more information. Click each poster to read about it.

Check out the exhibit on swine flu and its effects and relationship with humans. That exhibit is down the hill from the Pneumonia exhibit.

The nearby exhibit is so interesting to me. It is a topic I don’t really know that much about so I spent time reading all about tropical diseases. January 29 is World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day so it is very relevant. Since many don’t live in a tropic area we often ignore such diseases but we really should check some of them out for travel purposes, not to mention climate change. I know I have had vaccines before I visited certain countries. Actually I met people who have had a few of these diseases myself.

Not comfortable !!

The Research Pavilion is amazing! It is filled with information about clinical trials from defining them to information about ongoing trials one might be interested in joining. There are some dealing with cancer and heart. It tells one how to contact persons who can talk about enrollment in a study also.

There is a Consumer Health Library nearby with more information about ongoing diseases like Covid.

At the Health Exhibit there are posters with a myriad of questions about certain possible assists for dealing with winter illnesses. Are they real or myths? Click the poster and find out what research says.

Next to that site at the left is one of my favorite places. I have taken many avatars there. It is called the Path of Support. It has posters for the plethora of amazing support groups that exist in sl to help those who need help with so many chronic diseases, addiction, mental health, disabilities and more. Each poster gives a description of the group’s mission and by clicking one can join the group they choose.

This wonderful island gives so much aid to people who need assistance. If you have a question you can contact Eme Capalini or Gentle Heron . I suggest you visit and roam around to see all it has to offer .

This is the center Pavilion. Remember there will be a change of information for February.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

 

Gemma Cleanslate

Kaleidoscope

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

Spark has opened their new venture which is called Kaleidoscope. I learned for the first time that a group of butterflies can be called a Kaleidoscope flying and this is what the build is all about. It is an Education Project to introduce you to the life of this amazing little creature and how hard it is for them to survive.

From the entrance at the top of a mountain in Mexico you will follow a long path with educational information about the Monarch down down a winding stairway. Along the way are places to sit and relax to the music.

As I went along I found a cave under the waterfall and stopped in. It is magical with a swirling light filled with the Monarch stretching high to the top.

Farther down the trail walkway you will find your self surrounded by these delightful orange and black creatures. There are many places along the way just to sit and relax and enjoy the enchantment.

rαvєn вαnríσn кrαу (RavenStarr Resident and her team, who created The Pond and This Mortal Coil have done a wonderful job as usual and it will be here for the next three months.

They have dancing events under the waterfall that is great fun surrounded by the flickering insects as they fly by. I stopped by one party to join in. Begin your magical journey here. You will visit many times after your experience. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pebble%20Isle/52/90/80

I brought one home with me..(you can too.)

Gemma Cleanslate

Virtual Ability

 

By Gemma Cleanslate 

 I have not written about Gentle Heron and Virtual Ability group for a while and was reminded of that when we were asked to attend a most interesting conference, 2023 Rural Disability Research and Practice Summit. Here the emphasis was on how difficult rural communities have such difficulties accessing digital life, and often real life activities. There are so many gaps in infrastructure, access, affordability and so little recognition by not only state government but also national government.

Gentle(Alice Krueger), a real example of having rural living issues, gave her presentation explaining what people could experience in second life that enhanced their real life and made it more enjoyable regardless of disabilities. There are so many on line communities that assist others. Three others made presentations affirming their real life situations and use of the internet and broadband. Gentle would send you access to the entire Summit is you want it.

I thought I would remind you all that there is such a wonderful group in second life that has so much information that can help one experience second life regardless of disability. Virtual Ability offers people places to learn about how to use second life viewers, to chat, mingle, experience exploring and find groups that might assist one with their individual issues.

Just visiting the region is a pleasure. A great place to start is just outside the Sojourner Auditorium where there is a teleport to many other locations on the regions, Virtual Ability (68/168/23), or enter at the Welcome Center. Here visitors can see a map of the region and find out about the background of the whole project and the mission.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/127/127/23

For newcomers to Second Life the stop at the Orientation Path is easily reached by tp. The path has instructions from moving through camera control, flight training and more to make the people feel comfortable enough to move on.

Talking with Bob the Chatty Monkey (an intelligent bot) who inhabits the orientation path is fun so try it if you walk through the instructions path. Social interacting is also addressed as well as using inventory, map skills and teleporting. They can also pick up some basic free clothing to get started. When I stopped in I even grabbed a free pair of loafers that looked great. When one leaves they are ready to fly into second life activities especially if they visit the advanced tutorials area. In your travels stop by Mentor Park and take a balloon ride to see the whole region from above. It is a very pleasant region to visit. There are other ways to access second life for those visually impaired.

Right next to this region is an associated region called Health Island. This is such a boon for any people needing or just interested in any health issues physical or mental.
1. Welcome Center (Current)
2. Consumer Health Library
3. Health Exhibits
4. Conference Center
5. Herb Garden
6. Path of Support
7. Health & Wellness Center
8. Healthy Living Displays
9. Research Pavilion
10. Reading Room
11.Tai Chi Center
12. Outdoor Meditation
All these are available and easily reached by teleport at the entrance area.

I love the Path of support. I have taken friends there who are seeking a group that will support them in time of need. There are so many groups to check out and they all have a poster with the name and by right clicking seeing the group information and invitation to join.

As Gentle says about the island “It's a good idea to plan a monthly visit to Healthinfo island to check out at least one of the displays and exhibits. Informative and useful, they change each month. There's lots of variety! January's topics are: about sleep, lefthandedness, potatoes, dry skin, Braille, COVID test results, and how to interact with someone who has chronic pain. I stopped by one on sleep. This is such a basic need that I think we all have issues with at one time or another or chronically.
Start your tour here.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/128/24

That is not the end of all that Virtual Ability has to offer and I will be writing more about it. The extent of presence in second life is not just on these two regions. If you are interested in becoming a member of the group you can contact Gentle Heron, Treasure Ballinger, or Eme Capalini. To learn more about Virtual Ability and all it’s resources check the website. https://virtualability.org/

Gemma Cleanslate

My First Time Volunteering At VWEC Eduverse

 
By Marcel Mosswood

On April 6, I joined the VWEC (Virtual World Education Consortium) Campfire, at that time we were introduced to the VWEC Eduverse. This place serves as a HUB to help learners and educators to learn and build connections with others. It's a very good idea to build a place like this in Second Life because in general learners or educators who just enter Second Life with the aim of learning will have difficulty starting their exploration, so people need to guide them.

That day we also took a tour to show the various places in this area and their functions. The place I like the most is Commons, it's a place where visitors can relax with colleagues, or hold casual discussions.

The info center

In addition to tours, VWEC also opens opportunities for volunteers who work at the Info Center. On the occasion of this tour, Valibrarian Greg said that it would be good if the Info Center could provide volunteers for 24 hours because Second Life is a platform that can be accessed internationally, that's why I offered to be available at 09:00 PM. I live in a country with a timezone GMT +7 so if there are visitors who come from a country around that timezone then I can talk to them. I'm very happy to have the opportunity to volunteer here, and today April 19th is my first day at the VWEC Info Center for an hour, starting from 09:00 - 10:00 PM.

My job is to converse with visitors to help them become Second Life users for the first time, show them the learning tools they can use, show them various educational communities they can join, and show the possibilities for using Second Life in education.

The Education Resources is a place to find free educational resources

The landing point with some teleporters

The Commons, my favorite place

However, when I became a volunteer there was not a single visitor, maybe because this place is still new and has not been widely introduced, or maybe because there are no visitors from the timezone where I am. But I'm sure one day this place will function as it should and be used by visitors from all over the world. For me, VWEC is a community that is needed by educators who want to use the virtual world to reach students through technology.  

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VWEC%20Eduverse/219/105/45

Marcel Mosswood
 

Virtlantis: Lifelong Learning In and Out of Second Life

By Wesley Regenbogen

Introduction of VIRTLANTIS and a bit of a history behind VIRTLANTIS

Started off as another project ( a 2D project on the web ) in 2006 on the web to provide a platform that was somewhat the same as the current VIRTLANTIS project in Second Life. Kip Yellowjacket joined Second Life on October 29 th, 2006. He saw the potential and operated a 2D project named SLEnglish in the beginning, but soon afterwards he started using the VIRTLANTIS name in Second Life. Unfortunately, the 2D project didn’t go well and thus Kip Yellowjacket decided to focus his project on Second Life.

What is VIRTLANTIS all about and how many people are behind the project ?

VIRTLANTIS main goal in the beginning was to provide language learning in Second Life. But other skills and other cultural oriented activities soon developed afterwards. And art is also part of the project and people can talk about any subject.

In the beginning when Kip Yellowjacket joined Second Life many language teachers also joined the virtual world, and they wondered what Kip Yellowjacket was up to. He explained them what he was creating and they joined up with him to offer language learning activities.

When VIRTLANTIS started in Second Life, he was the only one on the project. But over the years he met people in Second Life and they offered to help him with his project on a volunteer basis. The core project team consists of 10 people that help him with the VIRTLANTIS project. This includes activity organizers and people that help him with VIRTLANTIS in different ways. This number is not consistent, because people can help and then leave for a while and then come back again.

Kip Yellowjacket also helps other language learning communites in Second Life and outside Second Life as well. The main goal is that people can connect with each other.

VIRTLANTIS currently has only one island in Second Life, but they have had two in other virtual worlds. They have the capacity to expand in Second Life as well.

Kip Yellowjacket is going to relaunch an activity, a story telling project, soon again .He created a character called “Wiki Composer,” who was born in Second Life and doesn’t know anything about real life or so-­called first life. He interacts with the participants of the story telling project.

VIRTLANTIS is not the only language learning project in Second Life, but it’s the oldest and the most active one.

Where can you find more information about VIRTLANTIS in and outside Second Life ?

VIRTLANTIS has a Facebook group which is called simply “VIRTLANTIS” of course and also there’s a group in Second Life called “UWA VIRTLANTIS.”  The UWA VIRTLANTIS was created with the help of the University Of Western Australia. The group UWA VIRTLANTIS has (at the moment of writing) 1743 members, although it’s hard to see who’s active and who isn’t.

They have other groups as well in Second Life, as SLenglish, the 2d project he was working on before starting VIRTLANTIS. Their main goal is connecting people together and they help each other with language learning or other subjects that VIRTLANTIS offers.

How does VIRTLANTIS deal with visitors from other time zones ?

VIRTLANTIS has many events taking place at different times.

The visitors come from the U.S. and other parts of the world and also people from Europe.

Even visitors from China and Japan come to visit VIRTLANTIS.

The Facebook group can be found here :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VIRTLANTIS/

Their website is : http://www.virtlantis.com

Their main SL group is called : UWA VIRTLANTIS

What are the future visions for VIRTLANTIS ?

Kip Yellowjacket’s dream with VIRTLANTIS is too keep it active in any way possible. He also has a plan B and C that he could implement in the case they need to leave Second Life or go elsewhere. He also plans to explore Project Sansar in the near future as well, although their focus remains on Second Life. They also explore other grids, but Second Life is their main location.

Music Island is the music location of VIRTLANTIS and the music in VIRTLANTIS. It is a part of VIRTLANTIS, it’s owned by another partner of the VIRTLANTIS community. They provide music events and live music events on a regular basis.

Kate Miranda is the organizer of the Music Island. She offers music events in VIRTLANTIS.The music stream, relaxing music in VIRTLANTIS, is provided by a Shoutcast stream.

Virtual World Talks, a future project of VIRTLANTIS

Kip is also working on another project that will launch in the near future called “Virtual Worlds Talks”. It’s kind of a TED Talks in a virtual world, he is going to create in VIRTLANTIS soon. Keep posted about that in the near future. He also makes use of video content in Second Life and outside of Second Life.

Kip Yellowjacket provided me with a notecard with more information about VIRTLANTIS :

===============================

Below are just a few talking points on the subject of language learning in Second Life.

Please feel free to suggest other points which might be useful for promoting discussion.

*This list was compiled a few years ago. Feel free to add to it or suggest amendments.

===============================

Why is SL an interesting platform to consider for language learning/teaching?

­ multinational/multiethnic/multilingual platform

­ social networking in 3D

­ a sandbox for highly immersive experiential learning (most any conceivable educative scenario

can be simulated/carried out)

­ a multitude of manipulatives

­ English is lingua franca (metalanguage of SL)

­ greater potential for retention due to word (etc.) to image/action/experience association

­ instantaneous virtual travelling (RL locations in SL, etc.)

­ SL is a less intimidating place to seek out casual conversation

­ both native & non­native interaction possible

­ wide range of accents, pronunciation, and language usage

­ identify with avatar, objects and others

­ express and experience personality

­ relate emotionally to peers and mentors

­ easily join and/or form groups to meet likeminded persons

­ potential for community building and SL ­­> RL carryover

­ existence of support groups/mechanisms

­ both formal and informal learning can be experienced

­ educative congregating (e.g. coffee house socializing)

­ drive­thru assistance (MClearning)

­ quests, storytelling, games, roleplaying

­ holodecks (instant simulation, situation­based learning)

­ lectures, presentations, RL­like lessons (mostly stationary)

­ team­teaching & collaborative projects

­ platform difficulty (learning curve) necessitates communication

­ SL + ESL skills training

­ (de)evolution of teacher status (hierarchy has no place, all are learners)

­ (de)evolution of teacher role (more of a facilitator than ever)

­ volunteerism (eagerness to participate)

­ SL supplements (web 2.0...facebook, twitter, etc.)

­ in­world tools & resources (continuous creation and development)

­ in­world blogging/twittering (BlogHUD, SLTweets)

­ LMS integration

­ SL as blended learning component vs total solution

­ free membership (premium/paid account isn't absolutely necessary)

­ can "possess"/participate in things which are not easily affordable in RL

­ private/public text and voice communication

­ offers opportunities for introspection/self­examination and observation of others

­ can log out at any time (controlled experience)

­ a burgeoning community of educators

Concerns?

­ skeptical vs gung­ho adoption

­ platform performance & technical disrupters (lag, etc.)

­ human disrupters (griefing, etc.)

­ multidistraction environment

­ digital native vs digital immigrant

­ SL learning curve (lack of clear objectives, self­determined experiences)

­ sl time sponge vs rl schedules

­ game vs "serious environment"

­ noob phobia

­ know­how hoarders, traders & sharers

­ reliability and other collaboration difficulties

­ time zone confusion

­ free vs paid (non­commercial vs commercial)

­ determining teaching format/ideal group size (1­to­1, small...5­10, large...10 +)

­ low number of pre­defined activities

­ certified vs non­certified teachers (various linguistic backgrounds)

­ student/teacher as research subject

­ lack of good in­world assessment possibilities

­ multiple levels, needs, learning styles, etc.

­ in­world content (copyright vs creative commons, etc.)

­ confidentiality (recording chat, etc.)

­ higher ed concerns

­ text manipulation not SL's forte (absence of dynamic text)

­ dealing with typos and missing punctuation

­ no dominant standard (American, British..., etc...Globlish)

­ active vs passive correction

­ net & sl lingo (abbreviated vs non­abbreviated language)

­ concurrent communication with natives and non­natives (sometimes problematic)

­ pro­text, anti­voice vs pro­voice, anti­text & adopters of both

­ RL escapers vs RL/SL combiners


VIRTLANTIS location in Second Life :

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VIRTLANTIS%20Community/177/155/22

Interview with Kip Yellowjacket :
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlgswT68EV4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
(click here if the video fails to play)

Pictures from Virtlantis Facebook page

Wesley Regenbogen

The International Space Museum

By Wesley Regenbogen

Spaceflight in real life has been a thing where many people have been wondering about and are interested in it. So am I. So I found this place in Second Life called the “International Spaceflight Museum.” It was created in September 2005, according to their Facebook page, and they provide full-scale models of spacecraft of 12 different countries, not just from America and the Russians. You can compare a 360-meter tall Saturn V Moon rocket with the Mercury-Atlas, which is sitting next to each other.

You can also ride on a rocket and orbit the Earth and walk the platforms around it. When you walk around on the platform you will see the other planets and just right-click them and then just select “Teleport” and you will be teleported to the planet in question. When you go to the planet Mars, you can even teleport to the ( virtual ) Mars surface and look around there, it’s a small area, but you can walk and see the rovers and get more information about them.

This museum isn't sponsored by NASA or the U.S. government, but cared for by volunteers. It’s operated by the ISMuseum, a Texas non-profit corporation.Any donations you give will help keep it running.

They also have a Wiki page available with more information about the place itself : http://www.ismuseum.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. I didn't see future events listed on the wiki, although there was the Space Week recently. The nearby Spinthrift sim hosts music performances every Sunday at 8PM, and the National Space Society holds weekly meetings every Monday at 3PM at their sim.

In my personal opinion, I think this is the best space museum in Second Life. It’s really amazing that you can really fly with a rocket into space here. It’s also quite amazing that they actually recreated it all so realistically. There are a lot of things to see, too many to list here. I suggest you check them out when you visit the place yourself.

 <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JjfZ0imm6U4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

(Click here if the video doesn't play)

You can find the location in Second Life at :

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spaceport%20Bravo/25/80/23

Wesley Regenbogen

Bed Bug Hotel

By Grey Lupindo

     I like to travel in RL almost as much as I like traveling in SL.  So the thought of visiting a site that focuses on the RL epidemic of bed bugs gave me the willies.   But since knowledge is the key to solving a problem, I put on my stoic outfit and went to the Bed Bug Hotel located at Morrill3 (63, 44, 24).     

     The official name of this establishment is The LittleTown Inn.   A notecard at the entrance gives out valuable information on how to use the site and is worth reading.    Inside are a desk clerk and your suitcase.   You’ll need to pick up your suitcase and go to the elevators located to the right of the clerk.   A quick click will teleport you to your room.      

        In the hallway are a few informational signs that you can quickly scan.  The real information is inside Room 101.  When you go in, you will see a lot of little numbered cards.   I clicked on them in order, but you don’t have to be too precise.   Each one gives you a bit more information as well as a clue to solving a riddle.   I recommend jotting down the clues since you’ll need to be able to see them later.  This will save you re-opening a lot of notecards.

       The information was helpful and somewhat reassuring.  I’m not sure that I will follow the advice in RL, but it’s good information to have.   The important things to remember are that bed bugs can be anywhere, even in “nice” hotels, they don’t carry any diseases, and they can be easily killed.   That said, they are still creepy and the site might be too much for anyone with a serious bug phobia.  If you fall into this category, skip the video presentation.   They show slides of real bed bugs.  The notecards give you lots of tips and things to do to protect yourself.  If you want to learn even more, check out http://citybugs.tamu.edu/2011/04/12/bed-bugs-in-your-hotel.

        It only takes a few minutes to zip through the hotel room if you don’t hunt for the hidden bed bug.   There is only one, and you get a prize if you find it.   I love hunts, but the idea of finding even a pixel bed bug grossed me out.   I skipped the hunt.   

         The second contest is a word game that seemed simple to me.  I was sure I had it right, but I never got a prize.  Good luck and let me know if you solve it.

          Littletown is an educational sim created by Cooperative Extension.   Some of the residents involved with the project are Thynka Little and DFox Spitteler.   Cooperative Extension is involved with interactive learning and is supported by over 70 land-grant universities in the U.S.    In RL there are over 3000 county Extension offices throughout the country.

            Since visiting the hotel won’t take long, I suggest you take a quick peek at the rest of Littletown.  It is a typical American small town.  If you grew up in one, it may bring back memories.    A good place to start is Littletown, Morrill3 (75, 67, 24).   

          I found a cute sewing shop, something that is fairly unusual in SL.  You can sit for a few minutes and check out some web pages that link to information on fabric, yarns, and sewing machines.    A sewing machine near the back wall lets you practice your skills.   You can even change the color and type of fabric.  

              Many of the builds are store fronts only.   However, there’s a fire station, a church, a pizza parlor, and a coffee shop that are open.   A few places, like the hardware store and the flower shop appear to be under construction.  They were open and somewhat decorated, but none of the items were for sale or gave out information.  There was another building that was clearly marked with yellow tape and construction signs.  

               There appears to be a carnival at the edge of town and another large section involves agriculture.   I didn’t have time to check them out, but I plan to go back soon.  It looks like Littletown and the Morrill sim are growing and evolving, which is good news. 

Grey Lupindo

NOAA Island - Virtual Weather

I first reported on NOAA Island in March 2008 for Second Life Newspaper, set up by the The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the government agency in charge of research of the oceans and weather. The Meteroa sim, about a year old at the time, was interesting then, and three years later still has much to offer those wanting to know a little more about meteorology and oceanography.

To get there, just type "Meteora" on your map and teleport over. The sim will automatically place you in the entry point. Just north of the entrance is the Real-Time Weather map. A map of the United States (save Alaska and Hawaii) shows the temperature and cloud cover & rain over the country. The map is not static, but updated as conditions change about every eight minutes, the data recieved by NOAA.

South of the Weather Map is Science on a Sphere, which contains a hologrpahic display sphere viewed from inside. To the east is the Tsunami simulator. Activating it, a siren goes off, and under the surface the ocean floor shakes. This is followed by the water drawing away from the beach, then a massive wave crashing down and wrecking the nearby buildings. This is probably one of the more entertaining places on the island, and I've seen at least one youtube poking fun at it.

To the south is the Sea Life area, where one can take a sub to observe plant and animal life, a hydrothermic vent, and a cave. To see inside the cave though, you need to either exit the sub or pan around in. The southwest corner of the island has the glacier simulator. Activating it, the hillside (and anyone standing on it) get encased in ice, and the water level nearby drops.

The northwest part of the map has the Hurricane Plane Ride and the Weather Balloons. By grabbing a balloon, or getting on the Orion hurricane hunter plane and taking off, one can fly up to see the hurricane high up in the air near the island (or you could just fly up their on your own).

Both the submarine and hurricane plane can be quirky. The first time I used the plane, somehow it got it’s tail caught in the hangar and would not move further. When I tried it more recently, it took off normally, then in mid-flight near the hurricane, it vanished, leaving yours truly to free-fall into the water below. The sub was stuck in the docks when I got there, so couldn’t use those either.

What has changed since March 2008 is the sim now has some neighbors. North of Weather Island, one can take a look at an Alaskan port and go on a virtual crab fishing trip. To the west is Okeanos, or NOAA Second Island. There, one can go on a survey vessel, clean on oil spill, study algae blooms, and look at coral. There was also an archeology dig. Curiously, there were some purple "streamers" nearby, but I didn't find out what they were for. South of Okeanos is the Second Earth sim, which offers a gigantic globe.

To the east of Meteora is Energy Island, which had what looked like a supercollider wraped around the place. Strangely, the Island was blocked from entry. There was, however, a smaller floating island overhead with a few exhibits. Why the main island would be blocked to most if the purpose of the place is education is unclear (though probably one can work in a joke about government agencies).

Despite those small flaws, the NOAA region can only be considered first class, even after a few years. It is a must-see for any Second Life resident even remotely interested in science.

To get there, head to Meteora (176, 160, 27). You can also find it in the Destination Guide.

Bixyl Shuftan