Global Kids' Digital Media Initiative

We are excited to share the news that our friends at the Field Museum of Chicago have teamed up with the tween virtual world Whyville to launch Whyreef: a virtual educational experience for young people to teach them about biodiversity and ecosystems. In Whyreef, you are challenged to observe different coral reefs and carefully record the species of animal and plantlife you encounter there, such as the spinner dolphin, the hawksbill sea turtle, and the humphead parrotfish. Beyond just basic biology education, the players will "work together to address environmental challenges threatening these fragile ecosystems" according to the press release.

Check out the recent RezEd podcast, where Barry Joseph of Global Kids interviews Jim Bowers, founder and CEO of Whyville, about the educational tools provided by this virtual world. And you can play the game yourself here. The full press release from the Field Museum and Whyville follows...

Continue reading "Whyville & Field Museum create virtual coral reef to educate about biodiversity" »

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Continue reading "OLP's 2008 Year End Review" »

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We had a very successful Second Life conference on education in virtual worlds yesterday.  This was the first virtual conference sponsored by RezEd.org, the social network for virtual world educators. The RezEd conference featured a panel discussion with educators working in Second Life, Google Lively and Dizzywood; a "birds of a feather" breakout session; and a fun social mixer to close out the evening. With 60+ avatars from a range of institutions and backgrounds, this was a perfect example of how virtual worlds can enable networking, collaboration, and learning in an immersive and ludic environment.

Update November 24: One of our speakers Ryan Clemmens tells us that he was informed 30 minutes prior to speaking at the RezEd conference on November 17 that Google was closing the Lively virtual world at the end of the year. Thus, this was probably the last public address on Google Lively before it was publicly announced on November 19 that it was shutting its virtual doors.

Continue reading "[rezed] RezEd's first virtual world education conference a success!" »

Posted by Rik at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently on the HASTAC, The Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory blog, Sheryl Grant writes on RezEd.org, virtual worlds and Global Kids programs like I Dig Tanzania.

In the I Dig Tanzania summer camp, students were part of a guided experience, using avatars to bridge gaps of distance and understanding with the help of educators and mentors. Given how easy it is to be invisible and anonymous online, virtual worlds can sometimes raise ethical questions -- for youth and adults alike. Like anything that we do with kids, positive mentoring and best practices play an important role, themes that run through RezEd's community.

It has some great quotes from James Paul Gee, and our own Amira Fouad and Barry Joseph.

"Virtual worlds are not escapist fantasies but a new way to extend our lives and our sense of self. How can virtual worlds expand our lives in new ways," asks Joseph, "What social affects arise as a result, and are these results desirable?" It will be communities of practice like RezEd and pioneering groups like Global Kids that will help determine the answers.

Click here, to read the full article.

Posted by joyce at 2:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Philip Rosendale and Mark Kingdon (i.e. Philip and M Linden) of Linden Lab gave a friendly breakfast talk for Day Two of the Second Life Community Convention in Tampa, Florida.  Philip is of course always good on the stump, speaking fancifully about the potential for Second Life for distance meetings, international cultural exchange and even space exploration.  Mark was more grounded, speaking about Linden Lab’s priorities for the coming year, including improving stability, creating a better new user experience, opening up the grid, and supporting the business and educational activities in SL better.

It was almost embarassing that Global Kids got two shout-outs from the podium this morning, Mark talking about how he gets “choked up” every time he thins about his experience visiting our office!  I’m proud of our work, and its great seeing it recognized by the higher ups at Linden Lab.

Posted by Rik at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In July 2008, Global Kids, the Field Museum of Chicago and the Biodiversity Synthesis Center worked together to organize the "I Dig Tanzania" virtual summer camp. This innovative project brought together 16 teens in Chicago and New York to learn about paleontology, scientific field research, and Tanzania culture using the virtual world of Teen Second Life.

We knew that explaining the camp to outsiders was going to be difficult. So we had this short video put together to describe the teens' experience. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed organizing the camp. Please share this with your colleagues and friends who are curious about what happens in Second Life!

Posted by Rik at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From July 24-28, Global Kids and the Field Museum of Chicago brought together a group of teens from New York and Chicago for the second part of the "I Dig Tanzania" summer program. This was Part 2 of the "I Dig Tanzania" summer camp, which took place from June 28 to July 2 in the virtual world of Teen Second Life. You can read a summary of the virtual dig here.

Over the course of the weekend, the teens met in-person with some of the researchers who were in Tanzania, explored the Field Museum, did presentations to the public about what they have learned, and learned more about paleontology, evolution, biology, Tanzanian music and culture, and science behind the scenes at the museum. And by all accounts they had a fantastic time.

The following is a summary of their experiences...

Continue reading "[IDT] Overview of I Dig Tanzania Part 2: Chicago" »

Posted by Shawna at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I feel a lot more knowledgeable in the field of paleontology and a bit more comfortable with working online. It’s been fun interacting online and offline as well. It’s been a very fun experience, and definitely worth the while. Also with the last two days we learned a lot about how the museum works, and what they do with all the “junk” they have. I feel like a huge catalog of information. Now then people brag that they got to go “behind the scenes,” or talk to the scientist, I can just say “been there, done that, dude.” -Mohammad El-Abid

Posted by Johanna T. at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This program has been a wonderful experience, it has taught me better computer skills and improved my skills for working in a group. These are both positive changes that this program has given me. Now I also know many methods of communicating with a group of people and completing projects. The change I am most proud of is the computer skills I gained in SL. I am proud of these changes because I am now more aware of how virtual worlds work and what it is like to learn in a virtual world. Another change I didn’t mention earlier is how I am also more aware of the dedication, patience, and hard work is needed to become a paleontologist. Before I was a little blind to what this job entails but now I can say I appreciate what these people do much more than I did before this program. I have gained so much knowledge from this program. -Olivia Bailey

Posted by Johanna T. at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow, it’s been a month since the first day of ‘I Dig Tanzania,’ time just flies really fast. Since the first day that I came into this project I did not know a lot about fossils and how fossil hunters work in the field. I learned a lot of things that help me have more respect for fossil hunters and science because this project opened a new door for me about science that I never knew. While being in this project I learned that fossils can be tons and tons of billions of years old. Also, I learned that the fossil that me and my group members were doing has some relation to a dog. One of the biggest changes that I am proud of is that now I am more interested in science because before I used to think that it was boring and no fun but then I learned so many new things that it got me thinking about science and has me looking at it from a different point of view, which is that now science is more important to me. It was fun and I will always remember it. -Catherine B

Posted by Johanna T. at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The I Dig Tanzania project was a program testing the application of a new medium for learning; digital learning. The broader aspects of this feast are profound in their possible implementations for students who are not provided with traditional classroom environments. For me, this program has shown me that such a unique beneficial endeavor can work and can succeed on many scales. The important values I can recall from this program are the promotion of science and education and the importance and complexity of culture. Human culture is a large standing awkward facet of human nature. It is delicate and valuable, providing inspiration and teaching respectable values. It is being, because it is important to people in that it is what defines them, and yet it is indefinable for us. I have learned what culture is to the people of Africa and what it means to me. More personal for me is the importance of sciences. Education is the aspect that fosters passion which fosters entrepreneurship which furthermore leads to success. Sciences need not be a crutch for progress but a love which inevitably achieves this goal. Education is necessary a catalyst, no matter how small, is impactful. These are the important values I have attained and reaffirmed through this program. -Anil Vaitla

Posted by Johanna T. at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I first received the email asking if I was interested in this “I Dig Tanzania” project, IK signed up for it in order to get paid, it was just a bonus that it had to do with paleontology. As I thought about it more I realized that maybe it was an opportunity to learn more about the field of paleontology and maybe to get my foot in the door. To be honest, my first impressions of it were “why did I do this?” “I’m being forced to play a videogame,” and “what does this have to do with paleontology?” As the program went on I learned that I thought this was a good alternative to the real thing, especially since we were able to duplicate something that was really happening in Tanzania! My favorite part of working in teams was the research I was able to do on the fossil, I loved learning new things and forming them into a well-rounded essay to display in an ‘exhibit.’ My favorite part of the entire program was these last 3 days when we were finally able to meet the people we have been working with for a week. This experience definitely gave me a better perspective at what it takes to be a paleontologist. It also improved my group work skills and showed that I am one to take charge in group situations. This was definitely a worthwhile and rewarding experience. I hope programs like this continue because they are great opportunities for everyone involved. (And I hope EOL turns out to be a success!) -Jessica Koetzle

Posted by Johanna T. at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Explaining what I was going to be doing for several weeks at The Field Museum this summer to friends and family was a challenge for me. Their questions were many, but my answers only seemed to confuse them to the point of silence. How could anyone involved in the IDT program convey what we were doing together in Chicago, New York and Tanzania? From students, to educators and scientists, our task was to discover whether people from around the world could work simultaneously on learning and sharing our experiences with each other. But this new medium of learning doesn’t allow the students involved to sit back and simply listen to lectures! Because we had to interact with one another on assignments, we had to use effective interpersonal skills to concentrate, and practice time management. I’m proud to be a part of this project. Interactive programs, bringing two worlds together such as Teen Second Life is here to stay. Since going through this I realized how important it is to utilize this technology to teach and learn. -Alicia Nieves

Posted by Johanna T. at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I first walked into BioSync, almost one month ago, I knew nothing about Second Life, Tanzania, or BioSync. What has changed since that first day is how many people I know who work at the Field, how many friends I have (positive change,) my knowledge about Tanzania, my knowledge about Paleontology, and what I know about Second Life. I have learned, for example, that Tanzania is a rich source of fossils in Eastern Africa among other things, such as Tanzania culture. I was also fortunate to see videos of scientists working in Tanzania to better my knowledge of paleontology. Another thing I learned was that Second Life is a virtual world where people meet to interact, to learn, or to socialize from around the world. While I am proud of all the achievements and knowledge I have acquired over this program, I am most proud of my learning in paleontology. -Alex Layng

Posted by Johanna T. at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I Dig Tanzania was a wonderful experience- has been great; and from the first day I was very unsure of what I was supposed to do. I have never (in my entire life) used or even heard of second life, and now I have a decent grasp of it. Also I have learned and experienced first hand Swahili culture and parts of the language. But the two things I am the most proud of is that I have (somewhat) gotten over my shyness and was able to make a lot of great, new friends (from New York and Chicago,) and that-even though I thought it wasn’t possible, I am pushed even further toward the direction of being a scientist-especially one for The Field Museum. This is mainly because I was a little unsure of which scientific path to chose, and everyday I work here-(this year and for as long as I can,) I will enjoy every minute! -Jessica Ponce

Posted by Johanna T. at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am different today than I was on the day we started this project because I have a better understanding of how paleontologists and scientist in general work. It gave me a better idea on what I want to do when I’m older because I got to experience what it was like to be a paleontologist and although I find paleontology interesting I don’t think it would be the career for me, but this camp did strengthen my passion/interest for science. -Sam Lubliner

Posted by Johanna T. at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This project was awesome. It was a great opportunity for us to come to Chicago. I learned a lot throughout this project. I had pretty bad skills in Second Life. However, I improved a lot and just in four days. It was really fun to talk to the Chicago team. They all were very nice and funny. After coming to Chicago I learned a lot about this Field Museum and the scientists. The scientists probably had a hard time finding the fossils and bringing them back to the museum. Before I joined this program, I used to think like scientists have an easy life because they always work in the lab. But now I know how hard it is to find out information about something. I have never been a fan of science. However, now I am kind of becoming interested in it. I am really proud of this change because science is very important. We always should learn about it.

Posted by Sabina R. at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On the first day of IDT, I was clueless of what is going to happen. I did not hear of Paleontology before June 30th, 2008. I joined this program because I was very interested in what we were going to do here at IDT. Being in IDT has been a lot of fun and has taught me many life skills and information. I learned to type faster and articulate my words/sentences better and even build people skills. Now, sadly this is the last day of IDT and I will miss it dearly. Throughout this program I have grown with information from the science field of Paleontology. After today when I hear about Paleontology I would be able to relate my experiences. By experiencing this field of science I realized, I do not want to enter this field. Most proudly I am proud to be a faster typer and to have public speaking skills because I can use these skills in my everyday life.

By learning typing skills I can take that to college and should be able to type my essays better than most. And public speaking that everyone must have or else other would try to wall all over you. In any event I loved this program and I would miss it dearly.

Posted by Tarana L. at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I feel different today than the day we started this project because my interest in the scientists work has grown on me. It has made me more aware and more open-minded on the type of work these scientists work through. It was a very exciting experience and a lot of fun working and just being with the other students in Chicago. I have made new friends that will forever leave a lasting impression on me. They are so much fun. I really hope I can go back to Chicago just to see them again. When I started this project I knew nothing of paleontology and what they do. I have not only learned about them, I have learned with my friends. I am most proud of the way I was able to catch up on things. Not knowing some thing in the beginning and then finally learning something new. Being with my friends was so enjoyable, it will be a memory I hope to relive once more. Go Global Kids.

Posted by Justin A. at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first day of I Dig Tanzania, I was very excited to meet old and new friends. The first workshop, we met the Chicago kids on Second Life, got split up into teams and were able to cooperate with them through TSL. The same interaction done with the fossil hunt in Tanzania. I enjoyed it very much, and so did everyone else. During the past days of workshop, we learned new things about fossil hunting and Tanzanai. While working in those days, we had the privilege to talk to actual paleontologists in Tanzania via satellite. I thought the experience of being able to talk live to actual fossil hunters, we asked questions and most of them got answered. We also had the chance to have live Tanzanian drumming/singing in front of us live. Us being able to get a hands on experience has such a significance, that I still remember some of the notes.

Finally arriving in Chicago, I was so excited to meet other teens that I couldn’t wait. Interacting live to me was a pleasurable and fun adventure, after chatting with them online. Even though today is the last day, I know we will meet again.

Posted by Jinsoi L. at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since the program started I have learned a lot of things and made new friends from Chicago. I have become more knowledgeable about fossils and the process that is involved in retrieving them. I also gained a unique insight into how scientists actually work in the field. Besides observing the scientists and their work, we also did our own dig in Second Life. Throughout the various activities in Second Life I learned the different extinction eras and the various unique species in each ad learned how they adapt to their environment in order to survive. Once we found the fossils we assembled them and identified which species it is. During the activities I learned a lot more about the features that Second Life offers and got a better handle on how to interact, create and assemble in Second Life. The thing I’m most proud of learning is being able to see actual scientists and follow their work. We even had a group session where we got to ask questions to the scientists. Thanks for the program I gained a new perspective on the world.

Posted by Thein H. at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s amazing how time flies! Wow! A month! That’s a lot of time, don’t you think? On the first day that we started I Dig Tanzania I was new to everything. I didn’t know everyone and I never heard of Second Life! I mean it’s not a very common thing. If you were to ask anyone about Second Life, chances are they’re not going to know what you are talking about. It will probably take you a while to explain to them about Second Life and its features.

The only difference I can think of is my knowledge about Second Life. I was happy that I was able to join this program because I got to learn about different species and its natural adaptations. However, I was thrilled because I got to meet new people and I was able to be with my BEST friend Sabina Runa.

When I first came to Global Kids, I didn’t know anything about fossils. Well, I knew a couple of things, such as fossils being the remains of dead animals. However, I was never aware of the process that Paleontologists had to face. They’ve earned my respect. In order to be a Paleontologist you need to be dedicated and have a lot of patience.
I feel proud of myself because I encouraged myself to join this program because I wanted to learn about Tanzania and its beautiful culture. Honestly, I learned so many things. I learn about Tanzania’s music, culture, geography and Second Life. I’m so proud of myself because I joined Global Kids!

Posted by Beatriz N. at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When we first started this program, my interest in fossils was very low. I thought the study was pretty interesting, but this program increased my interest. Being able to see and hear the scientists speak and give the whole behind the scenes tour. Time seems to have passed so fast. Meeting the kids in Chicago was amazing. I’m so proud of the fast friendships we made. These kids were crazy and exciting in all the right ways. They along with everything else truly completed this trip and experience. Meaning none of this would have been as fun and exciting had they not been with us. I’m very excited to visit some of the museums in New York and maybe quiz myself. Now that I can pronounce some of the dinosaurs names I have and seen them and feel proud that I can recognize and say I know some inside. Also Chicago was amazing. I feel like I have grown so much and feel so comfortable with this subject. I know that I have grown so much because of this program. I feel like I have gained a better perspective on people, fossils and the world that is behind all of it. My respect and curiosity is beyond grown. I am now so much more intrigued and full of knowledge. This experience has been so amazing. I am going to definitely remember every minute and every person. This place, Chicago, the museum, has been outrageously awesome.

Posted by Vanessa F. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Saturday, June 28th, the Field Museum, the Biodiversity Synthesis Center and Global Kids launched an intensive summer camp for a group of teens in New York and Chicago that we call "I Dig Tanzania." Sixteen teens participated in this ground-breaking initiative that uses the virtual world of Second Life to educate them about Tanzanian culture and politics, scientific research and methodology. Here you will find a summary of each day's activities as well as many of the video, audio, and photos of the IDT teens in New York and Chicago as well as the scientists in Tanzania.

Continue reading "[IDT] I Dig Tanzania: An Overview" »

Posted by Shawna at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following are links to videos from the hours of footage taken by the team of scientific researchers in Tanzania for the I Dig Tanzania Summer Camp. Most of these videos were shown to the IDT teen participants during their virtual dig.

The Field Museum will be compiling a more comprehensive video pulling together the key footage from the trip into a 30-minute film, to be shown later this month at the Museum.

Continue reading "[IDT] Highlights from Tanzanian Research Team Videos for I Dig Tanzania" »

Posted by Rik at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As part of the Second Life 5th birthday celebrations, M Linden / Mark Kingdon made his first official appearance speaking in Teen Second Life. He began it by speaking about his visit this week to Global Kids:

[11:01] M Linden: Well its great to be here to see all the great things you are doing in Teen Second Life
[11:01] M Linden: I'm on the east coast this week
[11:01] M Linden: Among other things I visited Global Kids
[11:01] M Linden: Its a totally awesome organization many of you probably know
[11:01] M Linden: I was inspired by what I saw
[11:02] M Linden: It was amazing to see things like the Dig Tanzania project
[11:02] M Linden: Its that kind of innovation that led me to join Linden Lab
[11:03] M Linden: Absolutely amazing work. When I was there, a class was working on an assignment in SL with folks in NYC and Chicago. It was a blast.

Blue Linden also goes on to ask him a question from a teen where he mentions his GK visit again.

[11:32] Blue Linden: TC Flintoff: I do have a question, What level of importance does M place on the Teen Grid vs. the Main Grid?
[11:33] M Linden: It's directly related to you -- the Teens in SL -- and your energy and excitement for SL. I go back to my experience earlier this week at GlobalKids. I was so inspired by what I saw.
[11:33] M Linden: All I could think was that I wish we had SL back in the dark ages when i was in High School

Definitely some very cool things said, thanks Mark! Come back and visit us anytime.

Posted by joyce at 3:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new computer I skill that I learned while on Teen Second Life is rezing which is building objects and at first I only new how to make simple things such as squares and cones but as the days progressed I started to put simple prims together in order to construct more complex shapes and figures such as trees and houses. One more thing I learned to do was script objects which I think would be useful.
One of the coolest experiences that I had with Teen Second Life was being a virtual Paleontologist because I got an idea of what is like to be a Paleontologist. It gave me a better idea on whether I want to choose it as a career when I am older.

2 things about paleontology that I did not know before are:
· The steps of preparing and preserving fossils
· You have to go through many years of training and school

Learning in Teen Second Life is different from the learning I have done in person in the classroom because in the real world you get to see and hear the people but in Second Life you only get to hear some people. Some of the pros of learning in Second Life is that it is easy to watch videos. Also if you forget something you can just go to the local chat and see all the previous conversation. Some of the cons of learning in Second Life are that sometimes the Internet freezes causing you to lose information and get frustrated. Also you can actually see people and therefore cant see the expressions or body movements that your teacher might conduct will teaching.

Posted by Sam L. at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Over the past few days I learned various new key commands to run the computer in general, and I also learned how to play a whole new game: Second Life, which taught me many new computer skills. It was very fun, despite what I thought it was going to be in the first few days, and a great learning experience.

Continue reading "[IDT] Workshop 4: Part 2" »

Posted by Jessica K. at 5:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The most interesting thing I learned about the Maasai people/culture today is that the women are preferred to not have hair while for guys it’s just the opposite, mainly because in most of the other cultures that I can think of from around the world I don’t think they believe that.

There are a lot of similarities between Tanzanian hip hop and American hip hop- like some of the clothes, the sound and tone to the voice, the beat, and overall concept, but they have somewhat different meanings to the songs. Plus the one from Tanzania has tribal calls, and chants, and they sometimes were traditional clothing.

At the end of the month when we meet Gsan in here in Chicago at the Field Museum I
would probably ask what inspired his group to form the group itself, and how many other groups from Tanzania there are.

-Jessica

Posted by Jessica P. at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, I do know that coming into this program I had absolutely no clue what to do, or how to go about doing them- whatsoever but I feel a lot more comfortable with the general stuff (for instance how to make the avatar dance). I would have to say that the one thing that would be the most useful to me in the future is how to animate/ build objects, because a lot of other programming has the same concept. The coolest experience with the teen second life people over in New York would be the digging, and the construction of the actual fossils because we worked together the whole time, and everything was new and interesting to explore how to do them. I learned the specific combinations of substances that help recover the fossils, what time to use what particular tool, and how to match up the bones to complete the whole thing. Here I learned by doing instead of having lecture after lecture. Yes that is good because I learn best by doing first hand, but it was bad that unlike in a classroom, it is really hard to get help when you need it, and you have to rely on a computer and the internet.

-Jessica

Posted by Jessica P. at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)