Showing posts with label Serena Offcourse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Offcourse. Show all posts

Monday, September 26, 2011

Virtual Pioneers' BigD Talks about PBS's upcoming programming

Many of us came to the new location of Virtual Pioneers Headquarters on Eduisland 9 this Sunday to hear BigD talk about teaching children living in poverty. He teaches in a community in Arizona where many families are struggling in today's economic crisis.







 
BigD dispelled some of the many myths associated with poverty.


Unfortuneatly there were some griefers. This was one of them. They used voice to interrupt and say rude things. They rezzed prims and obstructed our view of the slide presentation. Used to dealing with teenagers, BigD was undisturbed.


BigD's partner, Kimmer, pasted into chat many links BigD had for us to view. This one was a You Tube clip by Ruby Payne, an expert in the hidden rules of class: generational poverty, middle class, and the wealthy.


The griefers had interesting and creative personna. 




Because VP has a new location we celebreated with this live musician, and dancing. The musician, Harry Frychester, is from Iowa and has a great voice. He sang mostly classical jazz and country. It was very pleasant. I found myself wishing for a dance partner.



Serena has decorated the area around VP headquarters with many interesting elements, like these cute bunnies.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Virtual Maine

Model of the Solar System, Sun to Pluto

Mary O'Brien's area of Virtual Maine

The Tidy Corner of Virtual Maine




I was surprised to hear Mary O'Brien on Bit by Bit Seedlings podcast with Bob Sprankle and John "Pathfinder" Lester this past week. She and several others were talking about Reaction Grid and Virtual Maine an island for all students and teachers in Maine to use. Today I took the time to find it and travel around. I notice Techplex is creating things there. It was easy to find Mary's contribution in this corner because it's organized and purposeful looking. She's able to take a couple of her third graders in-world after school. Lucky!!