Finally I have my own quiz chair and choice

It has taken a certain amount of time to finally have my own quiz chair. I have tried using old and new versions to create and activate the chair and the choice. It is thanks to my colleague Hamid who showed and helped me to get the final version and set the chair after several attempts.

New experience on PhotoPeach

MUVEnation Checklist

This list is suggested by Margarita Pérez-García - Monday, 6 July 2009, 09:47 PM

http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1726

Requirement for the Certificate of participation:

• Continuous presence in Moodle since the beginning of the course: Done
• Participation in discussions in one or more than one of the sections of the course. Done
• Achievement of one or more activities within one or two sections of the course. Done

Minimum requirements for the Certificate of completion 'Design and development of hands on workshops in Second Life':

• Reported observation and evaluation of hands of at least one hands on workshop. Done
• Design of hands on workshop in wiki. Done
• Story about development of personal hands on workshop. Done
• Evaluation of at least one hands on workshop, implemented by a peer. This last can be replaced by active involvement in the hands on workshop forum or commenting activity in the stories database. Done

Minimum requirements for the certificate of completion "Sloodle":

• Installation of Sloodle inworld and iRL. Done
• Setting and use of sloodle activities Almost. Done

Minimum requirements for the certificate of completion for the full course:

• Same requirements than for section 1 'Hands on workshops' Done
• Description of learning approach in wiki Done
• Story of a successful practice in education Done
• Description of educational tool Done
• Discussion on design patterns for teaching seminars effectively Done
• Scenario about motivation and learning Done
• Reflection on the patterns use in relation to personal teaching problems Done
• Contribution to the set of proto-patterns for teaching and learning in Second Life Done
• (strongly advised) Scenario linked to an existing pattern
• Participation in survey Done

"sloodling" within a holodeck

Inside Sami's holodeck

While rezzing the sloodle tools, I have had amusing moments. I believe that I have learned the skills and I am able to set and reset my moodle and sloodle.
However, I was puzzled looking of the tools I would have rezzed. I would use the camera moments looking around me and see where the tool would be. This actually what had happened to me while doing the activity of "Mini-challenges to improve basic building skills" the object was placed in different places when assigning position coordinates. I did the activity several times, till I used the camera movements to discover the position of each object.
This time, it was similar. When I click on the sloodle errezer, the tool would be placed outside my holodeck.
How I solved the problem?
It was through seeing the hovering texts covering the ceiling and the wall of the holodeck. At the beginning I did not understand. I have to and back from sloodle to moodle in vain. I asked a question in the forum. I was impatient to know the answer. I got nothing. It meant I had to check my skills and knowledge. I deleted all the tools, then. When I tried to get again the tools from the sloodle rezzer, I saw that there was a hovering text on the wall without any tool. Since then, I rezz the tool and take to my inventory and rezz it again and use editing to place it in the appropriate place for me.
It is learning through trials and errors.

Outside Sami's holodeck

A comic Learning journey, isn’t it?

Personal follow up with sloodle

It has been over a week that I have started to learn about Sloodle together with moodle, which I have initiated to learn from scratch. It was a sever headaches at the beginning since I wanted to do everything without reading the documents and refer to different available resources. It was a waste and time, energy because of the teaching and end of our academic year, including exams and giving marks.
Of course I have rezzed and rerezzed all the tools inworld. I have had many hovering text on each tool, which was worrying. , I posted a question about that in the forum, but got no answer. Therefore, I deleted all tools and started anew. Then, I had another problem. It was the “vending machine”. I looked for it everywhere thinking it is to be found in the sloodle market. I spent much time in the Sloodle Park and also tried hard to get a copy whenever I came across any vending machine. Finally I decided to do three main things before starting the activities:
1-Use YouTube to watch tutorial video
2-Read all the post of all participants and see their problems and how they have solved them
3-Print and read Jaime’ s valuable instructions
4-Attending inworld meeting and asking our colleagues my newbie questions
It was a total success. I have learned a lot of things through this process. You can see the result on the below links. Nevertheless, I still need more instructions and feedback to brush my learning strategies and techniques.

These are some of the snapshots I have taken along the week:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29571169@N06/

This link to my holodeck to see what I have done:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/MUVEnation/159/9/1101

Your feedback is appreciated
http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/post.php?reply=7375

Module 2 Section 3 , Activity 2: Writing and social networking

1- Situation

It seems to be very interesting to reflect upon a previous experience. I am keen on writing since I was in primary school. It has been my favorite hobby. I have kept my old dairies, which I do not have enough time to translate or put them in a booklet. I have published three books and have other projects. In addition, I am keen on using social networking. I would say I live in my emails, which is sometimes annoying for my family members. I moderate a number of Yahoo Groups. I always want my students to make a difference at school. Therefore, I try to come with innovations and apply them in my classroom.

The situation is that my students lack skills and techniques to come up with a good piece of writing. Their writing is terrible. It is full of mistakes: grammar, style, word choice… Writing appears to be “An invisible ghost”. It is a threat that have always made students: fail in their exams, be promoted, or set for an institution’s recruitment successfully. Students are afraid to share their written production, even if they are doing well orally in the classroom. Their marks are not as both teachers and parents expect. This situation is recurrent wherever you go. It is not only for second language learners, but it is the same problem for native speakers of any language. I experienced this with my students in Moroccan and with native speakers students is the States, Crestwood High School, Ohio.

Students like to use the internet. It is part and parcel of their daily activities. They would use it for chatting, playing games, for business, or use it for things that have nothing to do with their studies. Then, they are doomed to use social networking wether teachers or parents like or not, openly or secretly. Therefore, there should be a way to make use of their tendency to use social set of connections.


2- Task

I would like my students to improve their writing skills and do well in their exams through some activities that they are keen on. They would be involving them to participate in lessons and do their exercises effectively. Consequently, I set up a yahoo group for each class. The results were amazing:

Students discuss, comment, answer their classmates’ questions in due time
Students teach each other
Shy students in the classroom express themselves better through writing
Less good students learn better
Gifted students make wonderful production to be shared with the whole class
Grammar, style and word choice have been improved
Students’ writing skills have tremendously improved

These activities have resulted in many useful performances. They have always reinforced everything students have learned in the classroom. Students have learned to work in teams and time management. Most of them said they would capitalize on what they had learnt for future use. However, they are too demanding owing to time constraints and the requirement of the syllabus. The majority of students prefer immediate feedback. Moreover, there is more written skills than spoken one.


-->

http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1564#p7320

Module 2 Section 3 , Activity 2: Writing and social networking

1- Situation

It seems to be very interesting to reflect upon a previous experience. I am keen on writing since I was in primary school. It has been my favorite hobby. I have kept my old dairies, which I do not have enough time to translate or put them in a booklet. I have published three books and have other projects. In addition, I am keen on using social networking. I would say I live in my emails, which is sometimes annoying for my family members. I moderate a number of Yahoo Groups. I always want my students to make a difference at school. Therefore, I try to come with innovations and apply them in my classroom.

The situation is that my students lack skills and techniques to come up with a good piece of writing. Their writing is terrible. It is full of mistakes: grammar, style, word choice… Writing appears to be “An invisible ghost”. It is a threat that have always made students: fail in their exams, be promoted, or set for an institution’s recruitment successfully. Students are afraid to share their written production, even if they are doing well orally in the classroom. Their marks are not as both teachers and parents expect. This situation is recurrent wherever you go. It is not only for second language learners, but it is the same problem for native speakers of any language. I experienced this with my students in Moroccan and with native speakers students is the States, Crestwood High School, Ohio.

Students like to use the internet. It is part and parcel of their daily activities. They would use it for chatting, playing games, for business, or use it for things that have nothing to do with their studies. Then, they are doomed to use social networking wether teachers or parents like or not, openly or secretly. Therefore, there should be a way to make use of their tendency to use social set of connections.


2- Task

I would like my students to improve their writing skills and do well in their exams through some activities that they are keen on. They would be involving them to participate in lessons and do their exercises effectively. Consequently, I set up a yahoo group for each class. The results were amazing:

Students discuss, comment, answer their classmates’ questions in due time
Students teach each other
Shy students in the classroom express themselves better through writing
Less good students learn better
Gifted students make wonderful production to be shared with the whole class
Grammar, style and word choice have been improved
Students’ writing skills have tremendously improved

These activities have resulted in many useful performances. They have always reinforced everything students have learned in the classroom. Students have learned to work in teams and time management. Most of them said they would capitalize on what they had learnt for future use. However, they are too demanding owing to time constraints and the requirement of the syllabus. The majority of students prefer immediate feedback. Moreover, there is more written skills than spoken one.

http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1564#p7320

Creating an educational scene

The quest of learning has never stopped. Whenever I am in SL, learning takes place. I was trying to build this scene on the Muvenation, when I was requested to take to my platform.

Inspiring moments

The above picture is outside my holodeck
The one bellow is inside my holodeck:

My second story:

Thinking of the good success I have so far achieved would be a reflection bout about the previous stages of learning. I remember how terrible I was at the beginning of exploring second life. Stumbling to move any little step, it has been a severe headache. I tried hard not to make whatever mistakes inword would disqualify me from the learning process. Of course, there had been moments when I would feel nervous for not connecting or doing any given assignments. There had been time of stress whenever you have your school and family needs to carry out before anything else.

However, thanks to the cooperative work that has been led in the Moodle and inword, I always feel satisfied and given power to contribute and never to stop this learning journey. Whenever, I felt like learning, I would log into my account and there is always someone to lend a hand. One thing that I have learned is never ever one should hesitate to ask questions despite being stupid ones. I have asked too many trivial ones throughout this trip of knowledge. I have never felt that I have to quit the course. I have learned a lot, including creating my educational scene which is equipped with some furniture.

My happiest moments have always been to know, explore, and master a new skill in second life. The later was just an idea crossing my mind in Kent State University. I have considered it being software that could be used to enhance a good performance of computer apparatus. In fact, it is enriching the learner’s involvement and creating a welcoming educational environment for the coming generations.

My story, then, is a reflection about my funny and happy moments in second life. I am afraid; would it become my first life? How much second life can be draw on in favor of first life?