Last night I went to a fashion show in Second Life. The ‘What not to Rez’ night was the in-world social event on the Emerge Island, and an extension of some of the work going on related to digital identities by the JISC-Emerge community.

It was an opportunity for everyone to show off their lovely avatars - a fun event to explore and showcase virtual creation. StevenW Bohm (aka Steve Warburton of King’s College London) invited me, and I have to say, left me feeling distinctly under-dressed! (see picture below left)

After a delayed start, the fashion show got underway with some very extravagant outfits, as one by one, the models took to the stage showing off their customized avatars. There was one awkward moment that went like this:

Josie Oh: Jiz! You are looking good - going on the catwalk tonight?
You: haha no not me
Josie Oh: aw, ok

The drink of the evening was MaiTai Tropical Drink, a rather fruity cocktail served with an umbrella! After working the room, so to speak, I recognised a few avatars I’ve met before – some doing some interesting work in SL, in particular, Kisa Naumova (Leeds Metropolitan University) and Wess Wexler (Loughborough University).

Overall a fantastic evening and a chance to let your digital hair down and network with others involved in immersive environments and Second Life. If you would like to see a few more images of the even, please visit my Gallery Page.

Last night I went to a fashion show in Second Life. The ‘What not to Rez’ night was the in-world social event on the Emerge Island, and an extension of some of the work going on related to digital identities by the JISC-Emerge community.

It was an opportunity for everyone to show off their lovely avatars - a fun event to explore and showcase virtual creation. StevenW Bohm (aka Steve Warburton of King’s College London) invited me, and I have to say…, left me feeling distinctly under-dressed! (see picture below left)

After a delayed start, the fashion show got underway with some very extravagant outfits, as one by one, the models took to the stage showing off their customized avatars. There was one awkward moment that went like this:

Josie Oh: Jiz! You are looking good - going on the catwalk tonight?
You: haha no not me
Josie Oh: aw, ok

The drink of the evening was MaiTai Tropical Drink, a rather fruity cocktail served with an umbrella! After working the room, so to speak, I recognised a few avatars I’ve met before – some doing some interesting work in SL, in particular, Kisa Naumova (Leeds Metropolitan University) and Wess Wexler (Loughborough University).

Overall a fantastic evening and a chance to let your digital hair down and network with others involved in immersive environments and Second Life.

I’m really excited about a new Twofour Learning project focusing on child and adolescent mental health. It’s subject matter our team have been keen to work on for a while. At last we’ve got the chance. This week we’ve kicked off a very exciting new video project producing a DVD lead by children and young people about their experiences of mental health and mental illness, which in many ways are subjects still very much taboo….

Just over a year ago a groundbreaking UNICEF report, authored by Professor Jonathan Bradshaw of York University, prompted outrage from children’s charities and embarrassment for the Government which has lavished billions on child health and education, by placing the UK last in the survey of 21 nations, which included Europe as well as the United States, Canada and Japan.

British children languished at the bottom of an international league table examining the physical and emotional well-being of youngsters in the world’s wealthiest nations. The report showed that despite living in the fifth richest country, the next generation of UK citizens experience some of the worst levels of poverty. The research found they regard themselves as less happy, and that they drank more alcohol, took more drugs, and had more underage sex than children overseas.

Since then there have been numerous reports about the state of children and young people’s mental health in the UK, including the cover story in the TES last month where three quarters of all teachers said they have taught abused children.

It is really inspiring to be involved in something as challenging and groundbreaking as this new DVD, for which we will be facilitating children and young people to develop their creativity in expressing themselves through video, animation, illustration and music.

BECTA’s fifth seminar on the findings of their latest research supporting the Harnessing Technology strategy (www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/e-strategy), was on the potential use of e-learning for NEETs (young people Not in Education Employment or Training). The research team from Lancaster University has undertaken a difficult job extremely well, and they’ve come up with some sensible observations and recommendations. However, their task hasn’t been helped by the Government’s buy-in to the concept of NEETs as a distinctive category… in the first place. Under the current definition of NEET, the drug addict, the ‘gap year’ kid, the young mum, and the mentally ill, are indistinguishable.

The question that I’m most interested in is: ‘how can technology more effectively be used to help disaffected young to learn, whether in school or out?’ Whilst Lancaster’s research begins to address this central question, the terms of the Government’s NEET policy unnecessarily complicates it.

Joanna and her team have filmed case studies for each of the BECTA seminars, and the seminars have also been filmed, for wider dissemination of the research findings.

Watch this space.

Yesterday saw the launch of The Growing Schools site. The project’s been a big part of my life over the course of the past 12 months. Twenty short films and a plethora of learning resources are included in this new DCSF flash-based website – all quite lovely, though I say so myself! After all this time, it was fantastic to see it all come together at the Garden and Site Launch in Birmingham, hosted by Chris Beardshaw….

The garden itself first appeared as Chris’ ‘Best in Show,’ gold winning entry into 2007’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. It has now found a permanent home at Birmingham’s beautiful Botanical Gardens, and in its virtual form online, where its representation can permanently bloom for the enjoyment of internet visitors’ from anywhere in the world.

Initial feedback to the new site has been very encouraging. Inspired and informed by the recent Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, its purpose is to give teachers the opportunity to journey into the world of outdoor working, with lots of ideas and information about what to do and how to do it. I hope teachers enjoy and learn from this resource and that it serves to inspire cross curricular outdoor working in schools all over the UK.

Long live Learning outside the classroom!

http://www.thegrowingschoolsgarden.org.uk/

On the subject of child safety (Richard’s blog 26/3/08), the government commissioned review into the effects of new technology on young people by Dr Tanya Byron, has finally been published. After reading the report (Safer Children in a Digital World) it was refreshing to see that most of her proposed solutions are centred around the education of learners, teachers and parents. Her view seems to be well-balanced and based on evidence rather than the emotional responses this subject too often generates. Contrast this with the Fox News report that some of the early Sesame Street episodes have been released on DVD with a parental warning about harmful content. It seems that Cookie monster is a smoker and makes poor diet choices and Oscar the grouch lives rough and needs help from social services.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview/

I came back from Brighton BarCamp2 inspired to do something similar in Plymouth. Any takers? If you’re scratching your head wondering what a BarCamp is, check-out the Wiki description http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BarCamp.

On arrival at this, my first ‘unconference’, I was confronted with a massive schedule board. Each attendee bags their own preferred time slot and presents for 30 minutes on any subject (that’s usually about 20 mins of talk and 10 mins of Q & A). In other words, the entire event is entirely ‘user-generated’. After the first day, everyone retires to the bar, armed with sleeping bags, to continue the discussions over a cold beer… After a good night’s kip (or not) on the floor or wherever else, the second day of mini conferences begins.

The event was attended by representatives from Linden Labs, NCSoft, Microsoft Silver Light and Amazon Web Services.

My subject was “Twofour Learning and Virtual Worlds: where next?” I mentioned some of our recent work (such as the Second Life work we’ve recently undertaken with the University of Leicester, Click Here); our Teen SL Project currently in development (a collaborative project with Stoke Damerel Community College and Plymouth City Council Children Services), and outlined our thoughts and plans for the forthcoming year. The session was attended by Jeff Barr (Amazon, web services) and Aleks Krotoski (Guardian), and generated a lot of interest. It’s a great way of networking and sharing ideas. So BarCampPlymouth1 here we come?! If you’re interested, drop me an email.

Just a quick post to share a little fun, today I have been flooded with fun, gaming April fools pranks and I wanted to share the best two with you all.

Legend of Zelda Movie trailer!!!!! WORLD PREMIERE!!!!!

Thomas Higgins a Zelda fanatic brought this to my attention; there isn’t much in the Zelda genre that doesn’t slip through his net.

It looks pretty good and I would defiantly pay to watch it  shame it’s a spoof; maybe someone will take note at the serious number of hits and actually make it. Finally if you have time check out the Zelda Retrospective parts 1-5 on youtube, it gives a fascinating overview of the Zelda series and what might be install for Link and Hyrule in future titles.

World of Warcraft, The MoltenCore

World of warcraft has finally made it to consoles!!

Just to re-cap here are a few of the delights awaiting console players:

• 10 Bosses with 6 unique models
• Move in 8 unique directions
• Lush 2D environments
• Glorious 192i Resolution
• Finally ready for it, another major selling point… with sound!

Another fantastic Spoof! The website is well thought-out and extremely playful, worth a look, Click Here