digital lifeboat

Various activities this week. Been trying to get my web cam working and found that there is a known issue with the sound on this model. It works well as a cam but not for sound. Trying a separate mic this week to see if that works. Looking forward to seeing everyone again in flash meeting.

Hooray it worked and no further expense required. The solution was to disable the mic in the webcam and use an external mic.

Group work, still a lot of hard work going on yet it never seems enough. Got evaluations to do tomorrow. The report itself has taken shape well I am happy with what we have done.

CBT have re written the project having started again with a totally new idea more relevant to work. This has put me behind for now with weekly activities as it took several hours to re write from scratch. I am happier with the outcomes. My aim is just to produce a short demo piece of flash, but to have the planning all in place.

Flash- I never have any time to look at flash, not really trying to learn it in this context. Not really motivated enough as I learned from dream-weaver that i can’t learn it properly in this timescale and under this pressure, as such a detailed piece of software. I would have to do some separate training locally to take it further. There is too much else to do in the coursework that can’t be done elsewhere.

Second life. Without a purpose or a group activity to experiment in not much motivation now have got the basics in hand. Want to test the web based version to demo this to people at school. Will report on that in due course.

Been tracking down some examples of purposeful group activites in second life. Here is a set of orientation exercises carried out in SL. What are the benfits of doing this activity in SL. 1. I can imagine for the age of the student co-hort they might find it motivational to do this in SL. Some of the activities might have been a big turn off in RL. (see I am getting the lingo!)

I particularly liked the sound of this one

and I also like the idea of gathering points. The winners were being offered some experience in SL as a prize. Taking giving book tokens to kids for attendence as step further. Certainly they are making use of fun for motivational purposes.

Blogg enjoying this still and seeing more development in other blogs as the group relax in to more self disclosure in their postings. Lots of interesting and very informative graphics coming into play as a characteristic of this weeks postings. This really does give an extra dimension compared with attaching a file to a web ct posting.

Ning- started playing around in there lots of potential for customisation.

Total madness in Second life third trip. A variety of experiences. Watched a whole gaggle of beginners come into orientation, look around then meet in the cafe. I eavesdropped on part of their tutorial on publishing in cyberspace. Discussion seemed to be going very well.

Met Glyn in SL what a character! We nattered a bit then went our separate ways.

I was just minding my own business adjusting my hair, when I suddenly got caught in some kid’s experimental object creation. This person came across as very young. He’s made quite a mess of the orientation environment but I am guessing it will disappear by the next visit.

Update curiously some of the mess has been repaired but not all! Second update, the mess has been removed now. Wish real life was like that!

This must seem like total garbage to anyone who has not been inside yet!