phip Irelund visits Second Life for fun and learning new literacies

1. new beginnings phipIrelund meets SecondLife

2. already in trouble in Mt St Michel ‘Discovered Mt St Michel in sl but explored very little before coming up against a seemingly insuperable dead end corner. Unable to fly up, down or backwards? Noone to be seen … gave up, returned home to wander deserted courtyards and experiment with falling in the water! Not very productive’ … but amusing … Dragonswalk Blog 30.4.2010

3. newbie trouble in Amsterdam! kicked, jumped on and chased off a pro’s beat … very unexpected, very unpleasant

4. but … managed to collect a free magazine from an Amsterdam newsstand, skirted around night deserted canals, survived the assault and kept walking a success overall … Dragonswalk Blog 28.4.2010

5. Alady Island shopping is so not me … but is that the point? the gamer outfit will have to go!

6. still window shoppingat Alady Island 2010 Expo

7. fashionista rules! what else rules in sl? discrimination or inclusivity? observing the virtual consumer

8. back home with new jeans, pinkt-shirt and coffee pink is not perfect, but I discovered how to take off the belt!

9. no-one about!happiness is a great viewand blue water …

10. sl disappoints *‘girlie’ shopping is not my favourite past-time *emulating airbrushed body fashion is not my most creative pursuit. *beauty and intelligence seem scarce in sl. sl offers a very sexualised, commercialised environment where credit card purchasing beckons all ages to enable fantasy and encourage gaming. (background: la Princessse de Rohan by Nattier, Chateau de Chenonceau, France)

11. is there value in gaming? ‘Does virtual living develop imaginative (Lego, Dizzywood, Moshi Monsters), caring (ClubPonyPals) and responsible citizens (Whyville) for an environmentally conscious future (Ecobuddies), or simply accustom teenagers to competitive demands (Action Allstars) and consumer societies (Gala Online, Stardoll, BuildaBearVille, MyMiniLife)?’ Dragonswalk Blog 4.4.2010 ref. Kids, Tweens & Teens in Virtual Worlds http://www.slideshare.net/nicmitham/kids-tweens-and-teens-in-virtual-worlds-2091502

12. sl excites and confuses ‘Sl is an exercise in discovering, following and remembering relevant instructions; a mixture of information literacy for games and real life involving both strategy and trial and error. It is a friendly, well-meaning, although not totally safe environment where the individual is left to find meaningful journeys, collaborations and contacts.’ Dragonswalk Blog 6.4.2010

13. messing about at home …wish I could go for a drive!

14. car problems continued …still cannot get in!

15. gave up!visited Trinity College, Dublin for great newbie welcome information, great pub, great advice …only empty streets now

16. meet you?meet who? at the Blarney Stone pub? *creature facilitator who is kind, helpful and generous with his L$ *habitual visitors on the prowl *very elegant avatars who may run out as fast as they run in *nude newbies kindly offered new skins, clothes, hair *late night party frockers and frolickers *international advice and ‘friendship’ in French, Italian, German … as you please

17. if you go down to the woods today … *beware of strangers *beware of strangers with personal questions *beware of letting slip your rl identity, your sl ‘home’ *beware of your ‘new best friend’ who may be: *a stalker *a wolf (voice modified male) in sheep’s clothing (with tutu and fairy wings)

18. or they may just be out to have fun! *to dress up *to experience new worlds *to try new skills *to explore new identities *to play games with new friends *to consolidate new communities

19. or expand their professional network! *join a professional group *meet colleagues where geography does not matter *discuss issues, advances, concerns *raise professional awareness, support, advocacy *promote new literacies, transliteracy and education

20. I went shopping in the woods,checking the pub’s fave haunts. I met a goat, a mouse and handsome, silent Simon who was a little strange, but spoke kindly.

21. and midnight shopping in Berlin *I met gruff cross-dressing Sammy who was not wearing much, but directed me kindly. *I ‘bought’ freeware dresses, skirts, bags and long black hair *and from the Karlsplatz, coffee and a bike (can I ride it? no. can I take it back to Amsterdam? yes)

22. landed!new cords, new boots, new hair from Berlin I rather liked blue hair …

23. relaxing at home with a book the boots are a bit silly …

24. shopping will have to wait …new worlds to explore Tempura Island

25. Rouge Forest

26. playing with WindLight settings

27. and faerie light in the marshes

28. and so to Kenroku

29. modelled on the seasons ofKenroku Gardens, Ishikawa, Japan

30. a moonlight visit

31. zen by starlight

32. Caledon by candlelight

33. Independent Artists of Caledon now showing … Tenniel and Alice

34. back home again slight clothes malfunction, but phip’s lost to worlds of fantastic design and opportunity

35. and ready for the Unconference *expanding communities of practice *exploring transliteracy *continuing active learning and reflection

36. Sl / rl … a walk on the wild side … Librarians and teachers “interpret transliteracy as a practice that enables the enhancement and the expansion of the services they provide. In this respect they emphasise the shift across diverse media literacies by capitalising on web 2.0 and virtual technologies, and by establishing new forms of dialogue with the communities they support” Andretta, S. (2009). Take a walk on the wild side http://www.ifla.org/files/hq/papers/ifla75/94-andretta-en.pdf

37. with thanks for newbie welcome information atWollongong and Charles Sturt Universities, N.S.W.,Murdoch University, W.A. andTrinity College, Dublin.

38. adventures by phip photography by Phillipa