video vidi visum : virtual : learning, teaching, and virtual technologies

Seeking a research assistant for eLangdell

I’m seeking an RA or two for the spring on the eLangdell project. The project has taken on special urgency in light of the new attention being paid to law school reform spurred by the Carnegie report and last week’s AALS conference theme:

Shape the future of textbooks in legal education with eLangdell. We’re looking for motivated students to create the first digital commons for law professors to share teaching resources. Two roles are available:

As a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT you will be responsible for: beta-testing the software platform; working with our pilot law professors to put materials into the platform; providing feedback on how to improve the platform; problem-solving with us when the software doesn’t work as expected. Some legal education strongly preferred.

As a DEVELOPER or DESIGNER you will help us set up the software itself. Coding, UI design, related experience required.

To apply and for more information, please contact me.

2008 01 07 project: eLangdell Comments Off Permalink

Hub2 in the Weekly Dig

Got a small mention in the Weekly Dig last week on the Hub2 launch event. I’m quoted as noting that the key handoff was a “symbolic” gesture — hope that doesn’t make the whole thing sound, well, symbolic, because we’ve been having serious and fruitful conversations with the BRA and City since then.

2007 12 26 project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Berkman Question Tool now available on Sourceforge

The Berkman Center for Internet & Society developed, a few years ago, the Question Tool — an organized backchannel for conferences and classes that allows participants to submit, answer, and vote on questions. It’s an effective way to keep feedback focused, direct speakers to audience interests, and potentially prevent the mic from being hijacked by that weirdo.

Demand for this tool has been pretty high, and so we are now releasing the code on Sourceforge. Special thanks to Kevin Driscoll for making it happen.

We are aware of several other similar efforts:

MIT’s backchan.nl
Emerson College’s Digital Lyceum (NEH grant)
Albany apparently has a similar system for in-house use (no link)

I suspect that the code will start to fork between a system designed to support classroom discussion (possibly integrated with learning management systems) vs. conference / event support and capture.

Berkman Question Tool (renamed “QuestionAnswer” because the name “Question Tool” was already taken)

2007 12 20 pedagogy: Multimedia Comments Off Permalink

Real-world snow vs. Virtual Boston

Despite the first epic snowstorm of the season, we had a great turnout at Emerson College and on Boston Island yesterday for the Hub2 pilot wrapup and Phase II launch. We successfully handed over the “Deed” to Boston Island over to the City of Boston in real life and the key to Boston Island in Second Life. (Due to a minor glitch we actually impaled “HisHonorMenino” with the key, but all was fixed soon enough).

Each group also presented their projects with much gusto, and I’ll post links to the online videos whenever they’re up. There’s also a video recording of the event — a capture of the live stream — which I’ll link to as well.

While we didn’t get as much media coverage as we’d hoped — it’s hard to compete with the spectacle of 12 inches of snow in as many hours — here’s the Berkeley Beacon’s take on Hub2.

2007 12 14 project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Previews of tomorrow’s virtual key handoff

The collaboration team in Eric’s day class at Emerson did a great machinima video of their project that also serves as a good overview of their entire class’s overall goals:

Re-Imagining Boston City Hall Plaza Using Second Life

This blog doesn’t allow posting of video objects 🙁

More links to final video projects to come…

2007 12 12 project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Immersive Education Day presentation

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation for the talk I gave this afternoon at Immersive Education Day at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

[ EDIT: Link fixed. Sorry about that! ]

[ UPDATE: The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on this event, and I’m mentioned near the end. ]

2007 12 08 pedagogy: MUVE
pedagogy: Simulation
project: Hub2 Comments (3) Permalink

Hub2 To Present Mayor’s Office with the Keys to Virtual Boston At December 13 Event

For more information contact Eric Gordon

BOSTON, MA – Hub2, a project involving the City of Boston, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), Emerson College, and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, will showcase virtual models created by Boston residents to improve the city’s public spaces and present Mayor Menino’s office with the keys to the virtual city.

The event will take place on Thursday, December 13 at 12:30 P.M. in the Charles Beard Room at 80 Boylston St., Emerson College. Guests should contact Eric Gordon at Eric_Gordon@emerson to attend.

In September 2007, Hub2 began hosting workshops at Emerson to foster civic engagement using the virtual world, Second Life. For three months students and residents have been creating three-dimensional immersive models of sites in the Greater Boston Area. Their work will be used by the City of Boston to assist in future development plans for the city.

A total of six projects will be on display ranging from designs of Government Center to the Rose Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston. The Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Judith Kurland; the Chief Information Officer, Bill Oats; and BRA officials will also be in attendance.

# # #

About Hub 2:

Hub2 was founded in 2007 by Emerson College professor, Eric Gordon, Berkman Center Fellow, Gene Koo, and Special Assistant to Boston Mayor Menino, Nigel Jacob. The organization enlists Boston residents to articulate visions of public spaces using virtual three-dimensional worlds. With partnerships and support from members of Emerson College, Harvard University, the City of Boston and the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), Hub2 began its work in September 2007. The project aims to help Boston residents take ownership of their public space and facilitate civic engagement with their community.

2007 12 06 project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Hub2 Evening Class Concludes

We concluded the official part of the Hub2 evening class on Tuesday with a final evaluation, discussion, and a gallery showcasing the participants’ work. I had taken screenshots of the various spaces with my GFX fully cranked, making for some really nice pics (see the one below of the “Expression” group — the exterior of what I call the “food for thought” restaurant).

The proof of the process will be in its tasting, and the tasting is happening next Thursday with the City and the BRA. See my next post for more details.

But as for the class itself, I think we had a great group of participants and an especially interesting mix of community members and folks from City Hall. I hope Boston Island will itself continue to expand and serve as a home base for Boston-based Second Lifers.

Food for thought restaurant

2007 12 06 project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Hub2 at Immersive Education Day

I’m one of the slated panelists this Saturday at Media Grid‘s Immersive Education Day at Harvard University.

Event Details

December 8, 2007 from 2-5pm EST
Askwith Lecture Hall in Longfellow Hall
13 Appian Way Cambridge, MA 02138
Directions

Speakers

Enabling the Age of Immersive Education [2-2:30pm EST]
Aaron E. Walsh, Director, Immersive Education Initiative | Faculty, Boston College
Placeworlds: Fostering Civic Engagement through Immersive Education [2:30-3pm EST]
Gene Koo
School 2.0 and Immersive Education [3-3:30pm EST]
Timothy J. Magner, Director, U.S. Department of Education | Advisor, Immersive Education Initiative
The Restaurant Game: New forms of Artificial Intelligence for Immersive Education [3:30-4pm EST]
Jeff Orkin, Research Assistant, MIT Media Lab | co-Chair, Immersive Education Initiative
Pedagogy, Assessment, and Learning Outcomes for Immersive Education [4-4:30pm EST]
John Carfora, Director of Sponsored Research, Amherst University | co-Chair, Immersive Education Initiative

2007 12 04 pedagogy: MUVE
project: Hub2 Comments Off Permalink

Art as communicative action: why creativity matters

In my time here at the Berkman Center, steeping in the values of Creative Commons, I’ve struggled with the value of art in (post)modern society. After all, art doesn’t feed the hungry or spread democracy… does it?

Perhaps it does, according to new theories positing that art plays a role in human evolution. Some of it seems to reflect fit strongly with linguistic theory. If art functions as non-verbal communication, it can also serve as the basis for rational communicative action — albeit a different kind of rationality.

Now I see why the line that runs from Habermas to Benkler crosses into free artistic expression.

2007 11 28 Miscellaneous Comments Off Permalink

video vidi visum : virtual