No sooner than Konrad Glogowski has finished his PHD (that I’m really looking forward to getting a copy of) and his into another really interesting project, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it!
Jo Kay has provided a space for the Virtual Classroom Project on Jokaydia in Second Life, and Konrad will mentor me in building and programming graphics and media so that I may attempt to build my ideal learning environment.. in 1 month!
I admit to feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea.. where do I start? do I have any ideas? what if my ideas suck? but Konrad has a nack for no fuss, getting it into dialog that helps me just forget all that and give it a go.
Here’s an audio recording I took of Konrad explaining his idea to me when we met in Second Life today – on location. Just from those few words, my mind was racing with ideas and potential.
Here’s Konrad’s official blog post that launches the project. More ideas from that to! I really enjoyed Konrad’s idea to use a hot air balloon for small group discussions. I have been on that balloon too, and I agree, it is great to watch the virtual world go by while you have a general banter with the person in the basket with you.
But personally, I am most inspired by the chance to explore ideas for building in real life. I’m aware of some criticism of using Second Life to mimic real life, mainly around the idea that Second Life can offer so much more than the physical limitations of real life.. and while that is certainly true, its precisely that limitlessness that makes me want more real life limitation.
We’ve all heard the typical response from first time critics of Second Life, “Second Life! who needs a second life!? I have a hard enough time dealing with real life!” and while that response can be frustrating to people who try to encourage people to use the platform for things, there is an element of truth in its over all dismissal.
Real life needs so much work, it is so wanting of good ideas implemented, and almost impossible to get new ideas tested! So, my design will focus mainly on innovations for real life, that include room for Second Life too.
The first thing I am going to do is deploy as much of my newly learned permaculture design methods to build a solid base for testing some ideas for sustainability.
Using a classic permaculture design process, my first step will be to draw up a base map. This outlines what is already in the space. It can be easily covered by a simple aerial photograph – such as the one we already have of the project space. As well as what the space already contains, it also include diagrams of what hidden things are present too, such as services and existing resources etc.
Second is a Sector Analysis. What are the people movement patterns on or near the space? What is the tract of the sun and other energy forms? What are the temperatures? Are there any pests and diseases or similar problems to keep in mind? Where are potential energy and resources coming from?.. things like that.. all of this can be perceived in Second Life – believe it or not.
And thirdly, the design. Based around zoning and elements. Elements being the buildings and objects in the space (also designed in a permacultural way), and zoning bing the interrelation of elements, resources, people and the inputs and outputs. Zone 0 is the living space, 1 is the first line or production and needing the most amount of tending, 2 is the second line and needing a little less, and so on.
Now, Permaculture design is typically applied to practices of subsistence and market gardening and farming, but I’m interested in exploring its application in all production processes and living spaces. So here goes with applying it to a learning process and space that will include production and living of course.
As for a learning space, I want to put some thought into what would be feasible in a local community today.. I’m not sure if it will be a space for an Institution yet. But I’m looking for efficient use of space and resources; space design that is conducive to inquiry learning and skills training; and with every single aspect serving some form of opportunity for learning.
In the next 3 days, I am aiming to have at least the first 2 drawings done, and possibly some of the design. I will draw up the base map and sector analysis, and possibly make a start on design ideas. I will then load the drawings into the space as giant blue prints to walk over and talk about with Konrad. Konrad will help me locate or build the resources I need and help to document the process.
I’m really looking forward to this, and is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Many thanks to Konrad for offering me the mentorship, and to Jo Kay for the use of Jokaydia and no doubt a lot of her time too.
12 comments
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April 1, 2008 at 7:15 pm
jokaydia Update : jokay.com.au
[…] This is set to be a really interesting project, where Konrad will help facilitate and support an Educator-in-residence on our Island. The amazing Leigh Blackall aka Leroy Goalpost has agreed to join us as our first Educator-In-Residence on the project. You can view his first post on the project here. […]
April 1, 2008 at 7:16 pm
jokay
Fantastic Leigh! I can’t wait to see what you come up with and I’m really proud to have you as our first Educator-in-Residence on jokaydia!
April 2, 2008 at 4:05 pm
raymon
This is a wonderful and brilliant project/proposal. As a drama educator “playing” with physical/imaginative/cultural space is crucial – Peter Brook wrote, The Empty Space, which took me many years to fully appreciate the enormous task of making an empty space to allow the creative process to begin … a process of maps & dreams … sending all involved strength of purpose and much joy …
April 2, 2008 at 7:31 pm
brent
Are you *really* doing “sustainability” in a closed, proprietary, and market driven space like second life? The “real” networked world that you live and dedicate so much of your time in is built on the back of open source software. I know i don’t have to tell you this… this blog, the mail-server that just dealt with this comment, my entire OS (and almost every app I use) is built with this radical vision of weirdly sustainable non-market peer development that now also exists as a philosophical movement of substantial proportions, affecting organizations and institutions way beyond its original remit … Come now Leigh … i’m waiting for someone to get really radical… get http://www.opencroquet.org/index.php/Main_Page and stop all this SL silliness.
April 2, 2008 at 10:20 pm
leighblackall
Hey Brent 🙂 I agree, we should be using Open Croquet.. or both.. I wonder if there is a way to develop for both… perhaps making sure that the textures, designs etc are available outside of SL, so they can be imported easily into OC.. can you give me any advice on what I should keep in mind?
April 3, 2008 at 9:34 am
midwikied
This is really exciting Leigh. Good luck with your project. I just had a look at the croquet wiki that Brent directed you to and have to say it looks impressive, but I had not heard of it before. We have a problem I think with so many different applications and a fairly limited audience. When collaborative learning is the goal we need people to come together and this is a problem if they are spread over different applications is it not? Is second life closed? I thought it was an open environment for anyone to participate in. I can easily identify that it is being used for commercial gain however, and there are aspects of second life that I find quite disturbing. But I think that would be true on any online resource when it becomes a popular resource for adults.
I am really interested in how we might develop the Otago polytechnic site on Koru Island in SL which at the moment is a fairly disappointing space. I need you to invite me to joint the Otago Polytechnic second life group by the way Leigh. Clare and I checked it out when I was last ‘in world’ and I do not have membership status. If I did I could perhaps start experimenting a little.
April 4, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Jen
Interoperability needs to be applied to virtual world environments for the transfer of objects created and for ‘land’ developed. This is not the case at the moment as organisations like Linden are making money through the provision of a proprietary environment – and they want people to stay there and keep paying/playing. The implementation of 3D standards would be a starting point for enabling the movement and transfer of the investments of time and energy in one world to another. Imagine, your avatar could participate in one world and then move to another where some other activities are underway.
April 15, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Creating a learning space for real life, in second life, 2 weeks on. « Learn Online
[…] I said I would do in my initial post about this project, I have applied permaculture design processes and principles to this project, and thought of the […]
April 16, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Virtual Classroom Project Update : jokaydia.com
[…] and excited to see where Leigh has taken it. As you’ll see from his posts about the project here and here, he’s exploring some really exciting ideas about both classroom spaces and […]
April 16, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Barbara Dieu
There is some great information on how to plan and build a thriving neighbourhood. Have a go at architect Christopher Alexander´s books and website
http://www.livingneighborhoods.org/ht-0/bln-exp.htm
April 16, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Learner Bytes » Blog Archive » making it happen
[…] for those involved as we break new ground and come to learn about the potential of the environment. Leigh Blackall is writing about his experiences in developing a space in SL and I like his approach to developing a […]
April 22, 2008 at 2:50 am
Harisnya Webáruház
my neighboorhood never allow to do this.
zoning is needed. but it collapses th design.