I am really excited to finally be seeing my SL classroom taking shape, ready for my post-grad students who will be starting in less than two weeks time! I tried so many houses and spaces to try and get the right environment - from beach houses, to palaces, to open beach, to rock pools… nothing quite felt right. I wanted to the space to be defined so that my students would experience a certain sense of community, yet I also wanted it to be open and spacious and aesthetically appealing. Finally, my friend Cara (Cara Charming) very generously gave me this gorgeous build she made with all of my favourite colours and textures. Hey, I have 90% females in my class so its ok that it is a bit frothy and feminine *grin*
So I love the Marrakesh style things Cara makes and she styled the classroom on some of her other builds but bigger to suit my need for space and openness. It has one main large open room for the whole class teaching:
In the room I have blended the traditional with the new. My course is on New Literacies, but in the first class we will be talking about how some “new” literacies are really just old literacies reconstituted in new spaces.. and that does not detract from their value, it simply means we retain those literate practices that are historically and culturally significant to us. To this end, I have some of my lectures developed into book formats:
For others (and the students own presentations) I will use this free whiteboard system developed by Angybeth Shortbread (a media genius in Second Life and so generous to the education community!). It is very easy for students to present their own work on this whiteboard and to do it quickly. The book system I am using is great for me (and I can give copies of each lecture in a small book format to the students to keep in their inventories) but not so practical for new students (lets not call them newbies, that term is becoming so derogatory in its use!).
Additionally I have this gorgeous antique desk set with a scroll and ink sitting in one corner, to remind my students of our history with writing - its a nice juxtaposition I think with the new.
And speaking of new, I am streaming in some machinima to my land so that we can watch the SL machinima within SL:
Also, since I will be talking about new forms of narrative and storying, I am going to show them this storytelling teddy bear. it was given to me by Foolish Frost and when you click on it, it delivers a story in the form of notecards.
I have plenty of spaces for small group discussions - some inside spaces and some outside. Here’s a nice space inside in front of the tulips, overlooking the ocean (which now has super new and improved waves from my friend Mathieu Basiat!)
Outside I have a communal photograph board - students will take shots around Second Life and come back here to show and share them:
I will also be talking about performance narratives and music in SL, and have my floating stage outside for students to play around with their own performances (made by my favourite leading man in SL: the one and only Dell Wilberg!). The fireworks are fun and the atmosphere provides context for imaginative play as well.
Finally, back inside the classroom, I have my magic handbag sitting right in the middle of the room! When the students click on this bag, they will be given a whole heap of landmarks, notecards, and free gifts I have for them - I love this handbag, its such a fun way to deliver information 
Oh, and don’t you just loooove the little softly lit alcoves Cara made all around the room to showcase my music boxes, art work, and other magical odds and ends?
So…. I am almost ready I think…. I just need to try and find some more freebies for their giftbags… Do you think I also need a manly bag for the males in my class?
Love what you’ve done. I’ve been thinking along the same lines and didn’t realise you’d done this already. I want some rooms (but like the absence of a roof in this Moroccan style) and also open spaces. I want a way for the tools to be around for students to select and use each meetup like in the ICT library but would remain in there place. I wanna start getting my students to create learning spaces the way they want and see what they come up with and why. I’m hoping that this might feed back into RL spaces.
Now all I have to do is get land and find a helpful builder!
Comment by Corwin Carillon — July 12, 2006 @ 7:25 pm
Professor Angela,
Your virtual learning environment is a delight: soft hues, spacious surroundings, and a miniature bear in a leather jacket: all essential ingredients in a classroom.
In the above entry in your electronic diary, you make the following enquiry: ‘Do you think I need a manly bag for the males in my class?’
To this I would reply that your idea for including a ‘manly bag’ is admirable. I would suggest each bag comprise at least the following:
Aftershave lotion
Dominoes
Beef
Putty
Wood glue
These items, familiar to all males, will reassure them and calm their nerves. During the first few weeks of lessons your male students will be naturally hesitant to vocalise their thoughts in a classroom full of ladies, so may initially feel more comfortable playing with the putty, or applying scent to their jowls.
Come week 4 of term and they will feel perfectly at home, happy to contribute to your discussions. Best of luck.
Comment by Horton Carew — July 12, 2006 @ 11:41 pm
Thanks for the comments
Nice to talk with you in SL Corwin! Horton… I certainly appreciate your sage advice about the manly bag and will do my very best to search for those items. After all, I want my classroom to be equitable and pleasurable for all. Now if you would be so kind as to suggest where one might purchase some virtual putty I would be eminently appreciative. Meanwhile, might I suggest the very useful product called “ant rid” to resolve your own domestic dilemmas.
Comment by Anya — July 13, 2006 @ 2:06 am
Anya, if you’re looking for SL models of razors, aftershave, et al. just ask me. I’ve got tons!
Comment by Jayce Logan — July 13, 2006 @ 5:00 am
A very new age way of bringing your students into your SL world! So a step beyond our forums when I was in your classes at uni!
Comment by Chris — July 13, 2006 @ 6:30 am
Jayce!!! Yes please, how fun, I would love you to give me a pack of those manly objects…. the males in the class will then be very well catered for. Do you have a copy/transfer version of a manly bag as well?
Oh yes Chris, the forums were fab but just *so* last century - Second Life is the new black in online pedagogy you know *grin*
Comment by Anya — July 13, 2006 @ 1:26 pm
Anya, if by “manly bag” you mean something like a man-purse, then I have to say I’m sorry, but I don’t have one (it is my firm opinion that those two terms are mutually exclusive
). I do, however, happen to have a box with a picture of a gun on it. Will that do?
Comment by Jayce Logan — July 13, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
Finally found a chance to check out your vlog, Anya. You’re doing some fine work in SL. I’ve not been in-game much of late, but when I am, I shall most certainly look you up to shake your hand.
Comment by Dagny Hemingway — July 15, 2006 @ 11:29 pm
Anya, that space looks amazing! I am so jealous of your students…
I do still wonder though how this works in practice (do you hold classes in real time - if so, do they use the Uni computer lab or their personal computers?), and what happens if you come across students that don’t want to use or don’t have a credit card and so cannot use SL - or is there some way around that?
Comment by Kelli M — July 20, 2006 @ 2:13 am
Anya
thanks for the great description.
I’m planning on teaching an undergraduate research course in SL come Jan 07 on the new media center campus (NMC) in SL. At some point, I wonder if you’d send me a link to your syllabus for your class . . . down the road, I might want to do a class about digital cultures. Your stuff sounds like it would be a great start. In fact, maybe you’d be able to join us in SL in Jan. for a guest lecture gig about teachin in SL?
Comment by Ed Lamoureux — July 20, 2006 @ 4:57 am
Sure Ed, I’d be happy to. What’s your SL name so I can come look for you?
Thanks for the kind words Dagny, I’ll look out for you too!
Comment by Anya — July 21, 2006 @ 10:04 am
Hello,
The virtual classroom looks simply amazing. I am a masters student in temple university, philadelphia. My major is management information systems. I am working with my professor Dr.younjin in developing a classroom like this. Could you please help us out in setting up something like this.
We would need a traditional blackboard as well as option for video streaming. Also your idea of distributing the lecture material is wonderful.
If you donot mind sharing this can you please guide us setting this up .
Thanks a lot,
Venkata
Comment by Venkata — November 12, 2007 @ 4:23 pm