When I think back to my initial impressions about Second Life I realize that they have changed a lot. For one thing I remember feeling really uncomfortable logging onto Second Life and even posting on my blog. I feel that that has changed a lot because I really don’t mind using SL that much anymore. It seems pretty natural and there are still obviously many, many things that I do not understand or do not know how to do but I definitely learned a lot over the past few months. I have taken the time to change my appearance and to go to different places and just kind of look around and explore. I will admit that I still do get a little bit intimidated going into a bar that has maybe like 10-15 people that all seem to know each other or even just being in a busy place but it has gotten better as I don’t think I stand out that much anymore as a someone new to SL. I thought that it was ridiculous that so many people could spend so much time in SL and actually feel like it was a rewarding experience for them. I remember thinking that I would never understand this element on virtual worlds and how anyone could get anything out of interactions with people that were outside the physical world. However, my ideas about this have clearly changed. From spending so much time in SL and exploring the various aspects that we were required to I realized that SL actually has a lot to offer to a wide variety of people. Musicians, artists, activists, educators, everyone has a place on SL and it clearly has some very rewarding and beneficial elements to it. I still think that one of the thing that amazes me the most about SL is just the beauty of some of the islands. I still am never failed to be impressed by some of the buildings or art works or even just the small particular details that go in to almost every element of creating a space. There is definitely a lot of artistic talent and creativity that is present. I also realize that I use this same type of non-physical interaction just as much as some people use SL. I go on Facebook everyday at least once a day, I am a frequent Youtube viewer, I use Skype with some of my friends in Australia, I use MSN Messenger, I shop online and I get most of my news online. I even watch concerts online instead of actually going to them! (Well not always by choice, but it is still the same idea). I am so inherently connected to virtual spaces and while these spaces are obviously different from SL, they still stem from the same ideas. I am literally cutting out a huge portion of my social, physical interactions with people by using talking to people on Facebook or instant messenger and by shopping online instead of actually going out into physical spaces. I find these interactions just as rewarding as when I am with people or out, away from my computer and I am glad I have made this connection between SL and my own habits online.

Finally, I think I really liked using SL in class. I will admit at times I got completely frustrated with it but I really did benefit a lot from using it and I got to explore something in-depth that I really had no prior knowledge of. There is clearly a lot of discussion going on about SL and a lot happening in this virtual world that I was previously completely oblivious to. I am glad that I was exposed to this virtual world and what it had to offer because I think I would feel now that I am missing out on a huge part of what is going on today online. I am also glad that now when someone references SL or other virtual worlds I will understand what they are referring to as these worlds are making their way into public conversations a lot more. I know that at some point I will be continuing with school (just not sure in what yet!) but when I do it will be useful to have studied SL and virtual worlds as this may come back into my life or my studies in a few years and it will be nice to understand it and to not have to learn something from scratch. Or I now have access and the basic knowledge of a great tool that I may incorporate into my own studies. The one element of using SL in class that I did struggle with was when we had online guest speakers or had classes in SL. This is not to say that I didn’t like this element of it Second Life because it is actually pretty cool and changed things up a little bit which was nice. It was when we were in the online class or listening to guest speakers that I found my interest and my attention beginning to wander a lot more then in a physical classroom setting. I am taking into account that I was in a lab with a whole bunch of other students who were also distracted/distracting but the conversation did move fast at times and it was hard to process all of the information that was being given to me and then formulate intelligent thoughts and questions. Once I reflected on everything through the blog or the lecture notes I was able to think about what was said and formulate ideas. But, like I said I really liked using SL and don’t feel that the class would have even been half a useful and informative without the use of it. It also really helped that we had a professor who actively used Second Life and had so much knowledge of it, she was able to guide us towards useful information that benefited us greatly. She was also a great example of someone who uses SL in their professional life and could share the practical uses of it with us.  If she was trying to figure her way out around SL as we were it would create a lot of problems and I don’t think that anyone would have taken it seriously or benefited from it.

Overall I would say that I really enjoyed using SL and I learned a lot from the class. It was something new and interesting and I was exposed to a lot of new things and ideas that I had never even considered before. I am not as “tech-savvy” as most and barely know how to work PowerPoint so this was a big change for me. I never thought I would have an avatar running around in a virtual world of be keeping a blog but here we are! I am really thankful that my eyes were opened up and I was pushed outside my comfort zone because I believe that is a big part of what learning is about.

So those are my thoughts and reflections on Second Life! Now I am going to be wishing that I actually where Sare is in Hawaii drinking cherry bombs and watching the sun set but its back to work… I guess for now I can live through her!

This is a really interesting concept. It seems that this is about teaching students how to teach themselves in order to be successful and gain knowledge. I definitely agree that this is a very important idea to consider because then learning does not stop at the classroom and this will have immeasurable benefits on students. I agree with Robbins on many of her points but they are a few issues that she raises that I find problematic. I really am apprehensive of moving learning outside a physical space all together. I am not saying that this is what Robbins is suggesting because from what I gathered it is obvious that she still has her students in an actual classroom setting. I am just saying that with what Robbins is suggesting I see this moving towards learning being very much about virtual worlds and this troubles me. From my own experiences of class and lectures in Second Life I find that this is not necessarily the best way for me to learn. I am so easily distracted by everything that is going on around me that I am not actively and fully engaging in the lecturer or speaker. Also, Robbins sort of addressed this issue but there is also the problem of students and schools who cannot afford the technologies required to run these programs. Many schools in the world are still not equipped with computers or the high-speed internet connections required to run Second Life and this is basically excluding a large population of students. Also, when students are asked to be creative this can be very rewarding for them but giving a student too much freedom in the classroom can also have many downsides. I know this may seem like a horrible thing to say but what I am saying is that students need to have a certain level of structure from administrators because that is basically the point of going to school. There are some things that all students need to learn regardless of how boring or unexciting they may be and not everything can be sugar-coated and made fun to help the students. The basic understanding of really important concepts about the government, politics, world history, math, etc. are just as important to learn as are all the fun creative aspects of school. There are definitely many talented teachers in the world who can actively engage their students in topics that may not be the most exciting but they can acknowledge that learning even the most “boring” of ideas and concepts is still really important. When they leave the classroom and are put into work experiences they may have certain expectations that will not be realities.

That being said, I think that Robbins make some very interesting points and I can appreciate the work that she is doing because it is obvious that she has a passion for her students and for teaching. I also really liked her creativity when it comes to her students and teachings. The story she told about the assignments she gave to students who all came from the same backgrounds and experiences was very interesting and thought-provoking. Her students had never experienced anything that was different from themselves and they didn’t believe they had any biases so she got them to pretty much make spectacles of themselves in Second Life and marginalized them from society in a way that really drove her points home. I think this is an amazing thing and another benefit of using Second Life for a teaching tool. Instead of just telling the students information and trying to constantly explain grand concepts and ideas to them Robbins was able to actually get them to experience and actually internalize the message she was trying to get across. She quotes a theorist when she says that “students want to be treated as “creators and doers” rather than “receptacles to be filled with content” and I think this is exactly what she is trying to do. I definitely applaud her efforts and her love of teaching.  

I did not necessarily NOT like the group work that we were required to do but I would not say that I liked it either. In general I have a really hard time in group work situations. I can get frustrated really easy and get a little bit worried about there being a level of confusion or disorganization that can arise from a group of people working together. Sometimes communication gets mixed up and everyone has different ideas about what they are supposed to be doing. However, I do also see the benefits of having ideas and creativity coming from more than just one person. For the group work we had to do the thing that frustrated me the most I would have to say is the just getting together aspect of the whole thing. Instead of three people in a group we decided to make it that much more difficult for ourselves and use three people. Therefore, it was really hard for everyone to just pick a time that worked for them so that we could all meet in SL and come up with ideas and figure out what we wanted to do. However, in the end we did meet and got the work done and I was happy with the final product. I am really interested in social justice, humanitarianism and activism in general so this week was of particular interest to me and both the organizations we found, The Transgendered Resource Centre and the OneClimate, seemed like they were doing really good things. We also came across a number of other activist groups and support groups as well and I really believe that this is another amazing aspect of Second Life. A lot of organizations are doing really great things but they have a hard time being recognized in the public and this is another outlet for them to be able to get their messages across. From looking at these different islands and areas that organizations have created for themselves I have been given ideas about what may work and what won’t in the future if I do become involved in something to do with my field of interest. If I consider the field assignment from an analytical standpoint I think that I would gather much of the same ideas as I already discussed. I feel that is was really beneficial to get students to go out and search out these organizations in SL so that we are now aware of another element of life in SL. All of the tasks that have been required of us have really opened up a lot of people’s eyes to what is going on in SL and how it can be used in so many different ways. I think it would have be beneficial to us if we got to spend a bit more time with these organizations and if this blog work carried over for a few weeks. What I mean by this is that students are required to join the organization, go to meetings and contribute in a positive way to the organization to get a feel for what it is really about. Basically, I think it could be rewarding to have a bit more time to explore what the organizations are really about and how they use Second Life if they also have a network outside of virtual worlds.

Caleigh Raleigh, Erin Wardell, Kiki Oakleaf and Sare Aristocrat explore acitivism in Second Life.

1) Investigate examples of collective action &/or activism: You should find two examples of activism or collective action (can be positive or negative; right wing or radical etc) in Second Life.

Our group explored,

(1)        The Transgender Resource Center

(Aloft Nonprofit Commons 172, 167, 39 (PG) Transgender Resource Center)

(2)        OneClimate Island

(OneClimate 93, 237, 21 (PG) OneClimate Island)

THE TRANSGENDER RESOURCE CENTER

                        (Sare, Caleigh, Erin and Kiki at the Transgendered Resource Center)

2) Evaluate the tools & methods: How are they making their statement? What tools/objects are they using? What actions etc? What kind of information is provided (if any) about the movement/organization/group? How do they provide it?

As a group, the first space we decided to research was a support group called ‘The Transgendered Resource Center’. This space was of interest as it takes a RL issue and has created a space in SL. The SL organizations mission is to ‘foster the development of a positive and helpful community to support those facing the unique challenges that confront transgendered individuals and to engender the acceptance and support of transgendered individuals within SL and society at large’.

This space is of relevance as it provides support to individuals who are transsexual, transgendered, or possess issues relating to gender identity. It is located in the Nonprofit Commons in SL and provides a cozy and comfortable atmosphere for those individuals looking to relate to others. In addition, a number of resources and tools are available for visitors to utilize while participating in this space. Some of which include: a variety of movie trailers, book excerpts, links to web-sites designed to help visitors learn more about issues relating to the transgendered community, support groups, and special events for group members.

This organization is making their statement by providing a comfortable atmosphere dedicated to helping educate transgendered individuals as well as by providing support for those who may need it. This organization is unique in that it actually does benefit individuals who may be struggling with issues relating to gender identity and do not feel comfortable talking about them in a face-to-face situation or in the RL. One’s SL avatar is designed the way one wishes it to look and is free to participate in groups such as this and speak their mind regarding this issue.

3) Get Interactive: Does the SL location provide any interactivity between avatar/you and the RL organization (i.e. email options or signing up, volunteering, donations etc.)? Does the movement/organization/group provide a link to any websites or online forums?

Individuals are able to interact with this space by making donations to the organization, which then goes into providing resources for the space and financing the SL special events that members are able to participate in. In addition, as mentioned before, this space provides outside information for visitors who are looking to gain a better understanding of gender identity and the issues associated with it. Web links relating to this topic are provided, as well as other outlets of information that may be of value to those interested in this group. This is beneficial as many participants may not be aware of these other sources of information and they may provide valuable insights for those looking to identify their gender issues or simply learn more about them. Below, examples of both donations as well as information from web links will be discussed, helping to exemplify the resources and tools available on this space.

This space offers a donation bin, where money is collected from RL individuals and brought back into the SL organization. This money is put back into the foundation in order to provide funds for the various banquets they hold. There is also an online discussion forum with discussion groups such as,

• Cross dressing
• Inter-sex issues
• Transsexual (female to male and male to female)
• A forum for significant others which is a place for those wishing to discuss issues relating to persons known to them who may be transgendered
• A ‘still in the closet’ forum
• A ‘coming out’ forum

The Transgender Resource Center has an upcoming event on April 12^th where individuals come in avatar form to learn from a training group that teaches males to speak as females or how to obtain a female voice. This is just one example of the many events offered for the support of transgender individuals.

ONECLIMATE ISLAND

2) Evaluate the tools & methods: How are they making their statement? What tools/objects are they using? What actions etc? What kind of information is provided (if any) about the movement/organization/group? How do they provide it?

We also visited a place called OneClimate Island that is a not-for-profit organization, created in real life, which seeks “to leverage media innovatively for a fair and sustainable world”. The group is very focused on discussing the issues of climate change and the implications of these changes. They also seek to spread awareness about these issues. They have expanded their organizations outside the realm of the physical world and have created an island on Second Life that is very large and full of information about the organization and the issues surrounding climate change. 

The members of OneClimate who created the Island on Second Life seem to be making big statements about the responsibility that we, as humans on this earth, all have in this crisis. Right in the middle of their island is a big sign that says “The Climate Doesn’t Do Bailouts” and this seems to be a statement about how it is our responsibility to fix this problem and that there is no “quick-fix”. They provide a lot of information on the island through videos as well as a lot of interactive media. This is very beneficial because instead of simply just having lists and write-ups about how serious the climate crisis is the organization has provided useful interactive devices to help get people involved and thinking about this problem. We believe that they are trying to make their statements in very bold ways that force people to think about the issues they are discussing. The members of this organization have also set up numerous areas where you can learn more about OneClimate by visiting their website.

3) Get Interactive: Does the SL location provide any interactivity between avatar/you and the RL organization (i.e. email options or signing up, volunteering, donations etc.)? Does the movement/organization/group provide a link to any websites or online forums?

OneClimate Island, in Second Life provides tons of interactivity in two primary ways; first, in-world through The House of Horrors, for example, and second between avatar and Real Life external sources, such as the OneClimate website.

First, OneClimate Island has several areas and objects in-world for your avatar to interact with. There is an exhibit of DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the UK’s ministry for the environment, which promotes what individuals can do to reduce their carbon footprints. There are several exhibits like this one on OneClimate, which feature interactive tools, such as videos and PowerPoint presentations.

There is also, the House of Horrors where you can interact with different objects, such as washing machines, refrigerators and television, and each will provide you a tip about how to reduce your carbon footprint. For example, by touching the washing machine, you are provided the tip – did you know that by washing at a lower temperature and cutting out the pre-wash you can reduce your carbon footprint by 80%.

                            (Kiki and Sare in the House of Horrors on OneClimate Island)

There is also a simulation of a modern wind turbine that can be used to train individuals or groups from around the world, and they can go to OneClimate Island without spending their carbon on air travel. It is so interactive that you can turn the wind on and off, and you can see what the output of the wind turbine is, for example. You can test out a variety of wind turbines, and see which one is most efficient. Experts say that the wind turbine simulations on OneClimate Island are realistic.

You can also become a group member of OneClimate Island, and like many other Second Life groups, you will receive notifications of events.

Second, OneClimate Island also connects users to a variety external resources; when your avatar interacts by touching certain objects on OneClimate Island, he/she could be connected to an outside website, for example. One of the first websites our group connected to was oneclimate.net. In the ‘about us’ section, the website states, that OneClimate, is a not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to leverage media innovatively for a fair and sustainable world, as mentioned. The OneClimate website also invites users to become members of the organization, developing an individual user profile or adding a group. Once a member you can discuss climate change and work together towards environmental sustainability. The website also provides access to information about what people are doing around the world to reduce their carbon footprint.

The next website our group connected to through OneClimate Island was, The Age Of Stupid website. The Age Of Stupid is a 90-minute film about climate change, set in the future, which will have its world premiere in London on March 15th 2009 and then be released in UK cinemas on March 20th 2009, followed by other countries. The film, stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite, as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, looking back at “archive” footage from 2007 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? The website also provides viewers the choice to donate money to the ‘Not Stupid’ campaign, which asks viewers to become climate activists, raising money to pressure Copenhagen to make environmental changes.

Both websites our group visited through OneClimate Island in Second Life, invite viewers to ‘join in’, and become a part of climate change, by becoming members of the websites or donating cash to the cause, for example. Below are links to each website, although if you visit OneClimate Island in Second Life you will be able to get there as well.

OneClimate: http://www.oneclimate.net/

The Age Of Stupid: http://www.ageofstupid.net/

We also came across this link, which talks a little bit more about OneClimate’s (and several other organizations) presence in Second Life.

http://www.oneclimate.net/2009/03/30/meetings-without-travel-carbon-a-free-offer/

4) Evaluate: Which movement/organization/group do you think was most ‘effective’ in conveying their message? Why? Comment on strengths & weakness (or what works & what doesn’t) of how they’ve set up their presence in SL.

We would definitely have to say that the OneClimate Island was the most effective at conveying their messages. The reason for this being that the OneClimate Island is very interactive and the island was huge with lots and lots of information. As already mentioned, in OneClimate you can interact with things to find out how much energy they give off and use up and there were also examples of different types of renewable energy that you can read about and see how they worked. The island encouraged its visitors to not only read about the information that they had provided but to also get involved with it and to understand how everything works. There were also tours of the island that you could go on and numerous videos that you could be viewed in big theatre type settings. Also, there is information about joining the OneClimate organization and there appears to be weekly meetings on the island. Basically there was just a ton of information and lots of stuff that could be done and explored throughout the island and we definitely feel that this was a great way to spark the interest of visitors and get them involved in the issues of climate change. While all of this information is a very positive thing it may also be considered a weakness for this group. The island is really big and filled with a lot of information, which makes it hard to move around and fully appreciate all of the information that is being provided. You seem to get lost and overwhelmed by everything that is going on around you and a sense of unity is lost because of this information overload. Also, there are some areas that restricted on the island that actually look really interesting so that is a little bit frustrating because there is no information available as to why these areas are restricted.

The Transgender Resource Centre is also a beneficial organization in Second Life and we agree that it would definitely be a very useful support group for people struggling with any issues concerning to this topic. Also, there is some helpful information for parents, friends, etc. of transgender people. We just feel that the reason that OneClimate is more effective in their messages is because there is a lot more information that is available surrounding the issues of climate change. The videos, tours, and interactive elements of the island help to get visitors involved and even participating in learning about these issues. Perhaps some more interactive elements of the Transgender Resource Centre would be useful to the organization as well as a greater presence in Second Life.

However, the difference between these two organizations is that one is more of a support group whereas the other is more of an activism/awareness organization. Considering that they are two very different causes it is hard to accurately compare them but at the same time as much as the Transgender Resource Centre is about support there is also a level of awareness that emerges. For those who are not transgender or do not know anyone who is, this organization and the information given may not be as useful to them. However, with OneClimate arguably everyone can relate to this issue because we are all humans living on this planet contributing to something that is affecting the destruction of our resources. Both organizations are important to consider and both serve different purposes for the users of Second Life. Also, OneClimate is targeted at a much large variety of people then the Transgender Resource Centre specifically because of how far the issues of the cause spread and what certain groups of people are affected by these issues. 

5) Reflect: Pick a ‘cause’ that the three of you can agree to support in RL. Between the three of you, discuss how you would ‘make a statement’ or ‘campaign’ etc in SL. Given that you have two examples (plus the ones from class), what tools would you use; how would you do it? Comment on the affordances & constraints of doing this in SL.

Electronic waste is often defined as all secondary computers, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, televisions and other such items whether sold, donated, or discarded by their original owners.

The growing problems with e-waste is that with rapid technology change, low initial cost, and even planned obsolescence, has resulted in the fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the globe. Technical solutions are available, but in most cases a legal framework, a collection system, logistics and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied.

E-waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of some of its substances, if processed improperly. Toxic substances in electronic waste often include lead, mercury, and cadmium. When materials cannot or will not be reused, conventional recycling or disposal via landfill often follows. Increased regulation of e-waste and concern over the environmental harm, which can result from toxic electronic waste, has raised the disposal costs. In addition to this problem is the fact that developed nations, such as Canada and the United States are sending this harmful waste to underdeveloped nations in Africa and Asia, as it is cheap and affordable for these developed countries. This is problematic because these underdeveloped countries are not properly disposing of the e-waste, resulting in increased pollution as well as individuals getting sick from the toxins, etc. that leak from the e-waste.

Therefore we came up with this promotional campaign to foster awareness about the alternatives to e-waste.

Promotional tools that will be used to make this activist group appeal to others will be done through the use of posters, sending an emotional message out to SL participants, as well as e-newsletters that will be sent out to individuals who become members of this group and education seminars held in SL. Thus, a viral appeal will be utilized to make this campaign successful in that individuals will receive viral messages through e-mail as well as through messages being displayed on the on-line posters. This appeal will be beneficial as 80% of individuals who receive a viral message pass them along to others. In addition, this is an easy and efficient way to spread the word on a topic of great importance to today’s technologically savvy society. In addition, all individuals learning about this group will be currently using some type of computer or electronic device, and therefore will gain knowledge and become educated on the importance of properly disposing of e-waste.

Posters:

Posters will be designed with an emotional appeal. They will include things like a young child playing/sitting in an e-waste site. This will be appealing in that individuals will view this poster, wonder what is going on and will look to receive further information on this topic. The emotional appeal is also successful in that individuals viewing these posters become concerned with seeing such an image and are more inclined to become involved in an attempt to make change. The tag-line that will be displayed on these posters will be, “this is your waste..is this how you recycle, reduce, reuse? You should re-think”.

E-Newsletters:

The e-newsletters will be beneficial to the viral campaign in that they will provide individuals with actual e-waste information. This appeal will differ from the posters in that instead of individuals seeing an image, they are reading and learning information pertaining to this topic. E-newsletters will contain information about e-waste itself, why it is problematic, and what individuals can do to help prevent it. In these E-newsletters will also include testimonials from individuals who have been affected by e-waste or who feel strongly about eliminating it. This will allow for others to gain a personal insight into this issue, in hopes helping to better educate them.

Education Seminars:

The education seminars are linked to the e-newsletters in their primary purpose is to educate people on this topic. The seminars will be held once a week in SL in a similar form as a lecture. The seminars will be hosted by an e-waste advocate and will involve a power point presentation providing images, etc. pertaining to this topic. In addition, information pertaining to this topic will be distributed for others to view. This information will include press releases, newspaper articles and youtube videos that participants can also view on their own time.

E-waste article: shanghaiist.com/2007/04/23/ewaste_recyclin.php

YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr1zQrXM_7s&feature=channel

There do exist many environmentally friendly-ways to dispose of unwanted electronic waste, however there is a need to increase awareness of those alternatives

(Inside the gallery)

I feel like such a nerd actually admitting this….but I actually got so excited! I paused for a minute when I saw him; I recognized him right away because the article describes him and has pictures of him as well. Also, he is not that hard to miss as he has a huge black afro. Anyways, as soon as I walked into the area where he was standing with two other people they all welcomed me and I told them how I had stumbled across the gallery. We talked for about ten minutes about the paper I am writing for this class and the class in general and everyone seemed really interested and excited about what we were discussing. It actually made me feel really excited and seriously I felt like I had met a celebrity! It is such a weird thing to consider but I guess the idea of an artist and someone who was featured in the New York Times created a picture of someone that I never really thought I would meet or come into contact with. Basically, even though I was really interested in reading about Filthy he felt very distant to me like someone I would never come into contact with. Also, we do not live in the same country and I am not really one to go and wander around art galleries or to be up on what is happening in the art world. I guess this is really one of the biggest benefits of Second Life. You can interact with people and easily come into contact with people whom you would probably never ever run into on a normal day in your life. In that short time I spent in the gallery talking to him I felt as though the world got a bit smaller and that this really is a great place that can bring people from all over the world, with varying interests together. I also got exposed to his amazing art work and even though I had already explored art galleries I really got a feel for what art means to some in SL and in real life.

 I think I had an epiphany today and I just kind of like got SL if that makes sense? I really began to appreciate what it means to some people and through exploring the art galleries and doing research for my final paper I really saw the benefits of it. I can’t believe I would ever feel this way about Second Life but I think I have officially crossed over. And all it took for me was to meet a SL celebrity!!

(two of my favourite paintings from inside the gallery)

I noticed that before Gimp Girls was launched on SL that the organization had some technical problems concerning its members and online communications but SL seemed to bring the organization to a whole new level. Ofelia describes a network of women who were already connected to each other through other aspects of the web but it seems as though SL helped them to really bring them together and the organization seems to have reached a new peak. I find this fascinating. Ofelia mentioned that the reason for this growth in the organization was because in SL there are already outside resources available in SL that they were able to collaborate with other organizations. From Ofelia’s comments and ideas I realized how broad Second Life really is and how it can be so important to some people. In seminar on most days when we discuss Second Life everyone seems to be apprehensive about it and do not really see the benefits of using this online world. I used to feel the same way but as the class progresses and we are exposed to people like Ofelia and organization like Gimp Girl, it is impossible not to see the benefits that Second Life have for so many people. These people’s ideas, support, words and love towards one another is very real whether or not they are in Second Life or physically interacting with one another. Second Life is just providing a platform that is easily accessible to most women to come together in a much more convenient way.

The support groups of Second Life are a very important element of this virtual world. From doing my own assignment about advocacy and support groups I found a lot of cool things out there that I never knew existed. We found support groups for people who are transgendered, for those who have lost loved ones due to suicide and now, I have been exposed to a support group for women with disabilities. Each group I have encountered seems to be a bit different but it is obvious that all of these groups are created by people and for people who genuinely want to help and support others and this is truly an amazing thing.

I was in the lab both weeks with a bunch of my other classmates and I actually really liked it. It was fun being in SL with some of my friends and then having them right beside. As a class we worked together in the lab to help each other with things that we didn’t necessarily understand about SL and I found this to be a really good thing. We were laughing and discussing what was going on in SL and the experience was actually quite enjoyable. However, I am well aware that this led to much of the distraction that was happening in the lab more so in week one.

It was also so interesting to see what everyone was wearing and what their avatars looked like. I do realize now that creating your avatar can actually be a pretty big deal. I think there was a wide range of avatars in our class and just from what I saw I think everyone’s avatar was used differently. What I mean by this is that I think some people used their avatar’s as fantasy… the kool-aid man, the storm trooper?? (I think thats what it is)… or other variations of no human re-creations. Then for people who’s avatars looked human there was people who you could tell had spent a lot more time creating a particular look for their avatar then others. I found that I actually changed what my avatar was wearing for the SL time we met because I wanted to wear a different outfit to class the next week! Kind of funny but another example of how my avatar may really be more of a reflection of me than I thought!!

That being said I did find it fun and a nice change but I really don’t think that I could do this every week. It was really hard for me to stay focued and to retain all of the information that was being given to me. Also, waaaaay too many distractions! From every angle, especially being in the lab there was a lot of discussion about “oh! where did you get that?” or “how do I do this??” While it was really useful to have people around you to help each other it was also really distracting at the same time. I can see the benefits of doing class in SL, especially in the second week when we had a really interesting guest speaker come to our class I just feel that if I had to do this every week or for like everyone of my classes I would really really not like it. I really don’t think I could learn properly like that and there is something about having to actually travel to a class or a space to physcially interact with others that makes me more focused on what I am doing and what I am learning about.

My different looks for weeks one and two of class! Week two I decided to step it up a bit and put on some shoes for our guest speaker. I  also had a whole bunch of random pairs of shoes in my inventory so I gave a couple pairs away to some of my friends from class. That is an aspect about SL that I like how you can switch things from your inventory over to other people so that they can use them as well.

I found a profile of Johin in the Second Life Newspaper the Metaverse Messenger, where he gives some really interesting takes on the music industry in SL. He says that now for the past few months he really only places in SL because it is just a lot more convenient for him because he doesn’t have to deal with the expenses of travelling and can make money just playing right out of his home.  In SL he has a club that he built called Johin’s Blue Note Club where he plays every Wednesday night. I went to this location and also found that his wife has a shop attached to the bar where she sells clothes that she has made. It was like they had used both of their talents to make their own business in SL. I joined the group for the bar and I am informed of his weekly performances. I also found out that he has quite a large following in SL and his bar can be a pretty busy place. I have gone to a few venues now in SL to listen to live music and I really like the idea. The benefits of this are obviously great and I feel that after spending more time in SL and after seeing Johin as an example of music success in SL I think I am really starting to appreciate it more.

I think it is important to consider too, in light of our class the other day, how SL makes performing a lot more accessible to people. In the article I mentioned Johin said that it was cheaper to play out of his house because he did not have to worry about travelling anywhere and paying for all of those expenses. Well, for people who have disabilities and are not able to physically travel far distances, this is a really awesome way for people to still get to showcase their talents to others and do something they love without being constrained by aspects of the physical world. Also, many people cannot financially afford to do this either and therefore this opens up another option for them.

I also found Johin’s music on the site thesixtyone.com where people can upload there own music and then listeners and fans can leave feedback and comments about artist’s music. I was listening to Johin’s music and was actually really impressed, he has also recieved a lot of positive feedback and he has a really good style. On the sixtyone site there are also photos of him, like the one above, from his different performances and concerts and biography about him that is basically solely focused on his avatar and not so much him in real life. This suggests to me that his success and popularity seems to be solidly based on his avatar which I feel is something really new and interesting…

ps. yet another example of the changing industry!… thesixtyone.com is an awesome site! so many great artists!

(Me checking out Sky News)

Since I was a bit confused about the news aspect of all of these places I went in search of SL newspapers and I came across a SL newspaper called the Metaverse Messenger and briefly read through some of the articles, looked at the pictures and the ads, etc. In terms of the actual lay-out and design of the paper I noticed that is quite similar to that of a regular newspaper, it had ads and news stories and all different categories of news. At first glance it takes a minute to process that this newspaper is actually reporting on things solely happening in SL because it is so real. I like the idea of it and it actually helped me to learn more about a musician that I was interested in. There is definitely a level of authenticity to the newspaper. It features issues that are relevant to users in SL and it helps to create a sense of community to the virtual world.

 I also visited CNN iReport Island I found a lot of links for outside connections to websites. Again, I had expected it to be a bit different with actual news streams on the island but there wasn’t any that I could find.  I clicked on some of the links and was brought to iReports which is a user-generated site. Basically, there was a variety of everything on there. It was a lot of thoughts and opinions from people concerning some really random and also some insightful news issues. I have to wonder though if user-generated news is really to be considered news at all. It just seems a collaborative blog and a lot of opinion pieces. A lot of the articles are actually discussing real news events that are going on but there is also a lot opinion based things up there too. It is not that I am against people having an opinion and sharing those opinions in a public forum I just don’t know if I necessarily agree that we can be calling it “news”. I have studied journalism throughout university and I am a bit apprehensive about this. I can recognize that the face of journalism is changing and has gone through many different adaptations throughout history but one of the main goals of journalism is to report the facts from a non-bias position. I also know that this has been almost like a myth in journalism and some would claim that there is no such thing as “unbiased journalism”. However, I still feel as though journalists have a responsibility to try and produce stories that relay the facts in the most unbiased ways as possible. The voice of a journalist and their own personal thoughts and opinions rarely ever come through in traditional journalism. I know that citizen journalism is supposed to be a new type of journalism that is emerging but I think the very fact that it is being referred to as journalism is problematic because I don’t believe it is journalism. To me it is essentially blogging about topics that are relevant to that person. The issue of agenda setting has always been something that is very relevant to journalism and is constantly discussed. Agenda setting basically means that a reporter or journalist is writing a story not just to report the news but to benefit or contribute to a much great enterprise. They make particular news stories “newsworthy” so that this is what the public is constantly being told is important and are taking in. Agenda setting has also been known to be bias and negatively affect audiences. I would have to say that I could see agenda setting becoming a huge issue in citizen journalism because everyone is just writing about what they deem as important or relevant. I do appreciate that people are becoming a lot more involved in the world around them and want to tell news but I also think that it is important to still have news outlets that can see larger than the scope of just some random person who has limited access to the world around them.

(Me at CNN iReport)

As for the cultural industry debate, I find that when I am viewing the iReports page I am conflicted about the issue. One of the first things that drew my attention in was the big Lexus advertisement. This immediately altered my attention to the fact that yes, this was another cultural industry due to the obvious advertising and consumerism. However, citizen journalism is about creativity and from breaking out of the cultural restraints of journalism. It is giving a voice to someone to discuss issues in a public forum and they are definitely not being oppressed or silenced. They user is given a lot of agency to tell the story how they wish to and to discuss issues that they deem important. Therefore, this would lead me to say that no, citizen journalism is not a cultural industry. Perhaps it can be said that the actual role of a citizen journalism is outside the realms and constraints of a traditional cultural industry however, the forums that they are presented in are still to be considered a cultural industry. In my mind the internet is a cultural industry and that is where the majority, if not all, of this news is reported therefore, how does one escape cultural industries?

I also have to wonder if we think we are being given choice and freedom as citizen journalists when we are really not. I am considering what I recently was studying in a popular culture and identity class where we have been debating about something know as the “supermarket identity”. Basically, social interactionist like Mead and Anthony Giddens would argue that we are free to make choices in our lives about how we look, who we are, etc. and attribute a person with agency in their own lives and decision making. However, many post-modern theorists argue against these ideas and say that yes, we are given choice but those choices are given to us and therefore, we are limited and controlled in our choices. We are free to choose from a variety of things that are given to us but that is where our freedom and agency ends. Thus, we are not actually given the freedom that we think we are and are heavily constrained and oppressed. Is the same thing true with citizen journalism? We may feel as though we have all this freedom to write about whatever we want but we still have to write it in a way that follows some type of social conventions in order for it to be posted and viewed on a public space. Also, what we can choose to write about an incredibly wide variety of things but I would also say there are some limits to that as well.

I don’t know really know what to think… there is a lot here when it comes to journalism and news outlets in general but when you are thinking about SL and citizen journalism there is that much more to work through and try and figure out. As for the cultural industries debate? I have no idea! I am still so conflicted about where I stand because there is just so much to consider and also so much that I do not know about or have a thorough knowledge of. I kind of feel like I am taking a crash course in all of these topics and huge ideas and it is hard to really understand something and form strong opinions.

What I have found is that I do feel a bit more comfortable in SL but I still get so lost/confused there all the time! I make an effort to go on SL at the very least once a week to just try and scope it out a bit and explore a little bit more. Through my blog tasks every week I have explored a ton of new places because I have to go out and look for things that I never even knew existed. I also found that using the showcase link is a really good tool because I used to always get frustrated because I could never find other people in SL but using the links for the places that are promoted in the Showcase is really useful because then I know what is popular and where people are visiting. It was especially helpful to me when I was trying to find art galleries to visit.

I am still trying to work on my avatar and have an inventory that is actually pretty stocked with all these random outfits that I have picked up along the way and I am slowing figuring it out. I remember saying that I feel as though my avatar is not really a reflection of me in any way and now I realize that may not actually be the case. I am concerned about her appearance and even get a little self-conscious that people can look at me and tell that I am still “new” to SL. I find that all of my interest in real life are pretty similiar to what I am interested in SL. I want to go and seek out things that I have always wondered about in real life. I just discovered Hawaii here and I think it may be my new favourite place in the whole world. You can swim and sun tan, limbo, drink, relax, hang out and just do whatever. Its so cool to me that someone actually sat down and considered all of things that you can do in real life when you visit Hawaii and then recreated it for all to enjoy. Even though I am not there in real life I am kind of starting to understand how some people could enjoy just going there and hanging out. Its kind of like a day dream that helps you to get motivated to plan your own trips or even just helps you kind of chill out and reminds you that this does exist in the real world and you can go and visit it! I have added a few places to my locations that I am interested in and joined some more groups that I am actually interested in. I guess I am kind of starting to find my likes and dislikes in SL and finding a place for myself in this big confusing world.

 Also, I have talked to some really nice and interesting people while in SL but have also had some weeeeeird encounters. A lot of people seem to not have that many restraints on themselves when they are in SL. I guess some people feel protected by the fact that they are behind a computer and are therefore free to explore new things or be really open with their sexuality… I have encountered a lot of that. At first it really made me uncomfortable but I am just getting over it now and realize whatever. I also still get a little bit intimidated by some of the people in SL. I get embarassed if I do something stupid like run into something or my computer freezes then starts making me doing crazy things infront of people. I also sometimes get awkward if I come into an area with people and don’t really know how I should act or if I should say anything… I guess I am a little bit socially awkward in SL!! Lol, but like I said its still new to me and I am slowly getting the hang of it! Oh! and the other day a girl came up to me who was obviously still very new to SL and asked me for help about changing her appearance and just basic questions about using SL and I was able to help her. It was kind of cool to feel like a little bit of a SL veteran!

( I came across a photo booth that you could sit in and then have you avatar do all these different poses! Kind of cool this is me in my modelling days)

This kind of freaks me out. I really don’t think (and hope) that people will kind of start giving up on the real world economy and focus that much attention into SL. I can definitely see the benefits of using SL but I really don’t think that we should focus too much of our attention into it. I believe that the strength of our country and our economy lies in the real world and this is where we need to be in order to fix the problems that we are faced with. I understand that people are making money in SL but so are the people who created it.

I was reading an article from the SL news centre that said that the price of land has risen significantly in SL. In November the average price per square meter was L$6.67, December it was, L$9.74 and in January it was L$12.30. Clearly these numbers are much, much cheaper than what it would cost to buy land in most parts of the real world it shows that people are still willing to spend money on land and real estate in virtual worlds. This money is being taken from our economy and put into a virtual world and I do not really see this helping our economy at all. This money could be used in many other ways that could have a positive influence on our economy. Also, on the Linden Lab website the state that more than USD$100 million worth of L$ was bought and sold on the LindeX; that is a lot of money. While some residents of SL are benefiting and receiving this money, according to a SL life press release only 97 residents of SL are making more than US$5000 positive cash flow a month, one has to wonder where the rest of this money is going? It seems obvious that the people who are really benefiting from the trading, selling and buying in SL are the people who own Linden Lab or a small number of people and again this just seems like a perpetual cycle of the rich getting richer. This leads me to think about the idea of cultural industries and how we have discussed that one key critique of cultural industries is that they hide the reality of domination and oppression of the masses under capitalism and I feel that this is what is happening in SL. People are contributing to helping financially fuel the creators of SL and those few people who gross a significant monthly profit off of SL. They are distracted by all of the other things going on around them in SL and their own involvement in the world that perhaps these things are not being considered.  I am clearly not an expert on the economies of SL but just through reading some of the material out there and by considering the statistics, it feels like the way things are going now in SL does not translate well financially for many people in the real world.

Also, this whole idea of gold farming is really odd to me and it also relates to the ideas of cultural industries that I just discussed. I am not sure I even completely understand the concept of it but after doing some reading of it I really don’t like what I read about it. Considering the article that Tracy posted on the blog about gold farming I feel that these people are having their labour completely exploited. These firms may be “helping” with unemployment rates in China but they are getting extremely wealthy off of their businesses and in turn are paying their workers next to nothing. It seems so crazy to me that what these Chinese workers are working for is to fill the demand of Western culture consumerism even in virtual spaces. Upon reading the article that Tracy posted and listening to Mark in lecture I got this overwhelming feeling of frustration. Our consumerism in real life and SL is really ridiculous and we have to wonder how our capitalism affects the rest of the world. In Davis’ article he asks a UK gamer what he thinks about the workers who have to do all of this gold farming and he straight out said that he “didn’t think about the workers. I think about the product”. It doesn’t seem to matter what others have to go through in order for Western societies to get what they want in the real world and now so in virtual worlds.

This idea of gold framing and consumer really relates to the idea of cultural industries because based on my own post for this week and the information I have considered I would think that it seems almost impossible to say now that SL is not a cultural industry. There seems to be a level of mass culture that is being produced by capitalism here that is similar to what Adorno has discussed. Adorno noted that ideas and beliefs are transmitted through popular culture and that this works to manage our leisure time. Gamers and SL users are spending much of their leisure time in SL and are being influenced by the advertising and consumerism that is promoted to them all over the place in these virtual worlds. They buy, sell and trade and help to further drive capitalism. We have also learned and discussed that in cultural industries consumption of popular culture makes people content no matter how difficult their economic circumstances. This really stuck out to me when I was considering what Mark had said about people participating less in the struggling economy of the real world and turning to SL. People can use SL as a way to escape from the economic struggles that are affecting many people in the real world. As I have already noted this is very problematic and further contributes to the idea that virtual worlds, specifically SL is in fact a cultural industry. We can barely handle our economy in the real world and are heading into an economic “slow-down” or recession or whatever you chose to call it and it worries me what all of this focus into virtual worlds will do for to do our economy. Also, as we discussed in seminar there is a level of instability when it comes to virtual worlds and I feel that this needs to be taken into consideration when people begin to invest so much time and money into these worlds. As I said I really am not an expert on the economies of SL and actually have many questions about how things works. However, I have formulated my opinions from what I have read and been exposed to and feel that our focus really needs to be on the economy of the real world and re-gaining stability before we throw something else into the mix. I will also admit and acknowledge that many of my opinions are completely biased by the fact that I really do not have much interest in virtual worlds and I am not very “tech savvy”.  But I am still exposing myself to some of the information out there and allowing myself to become somewhat involved in a virtual world.

I liked the way class was structured last week. It was really cool to have a guest speaker whose real voice we could hear and see his avatar. It is almost like he was actually in class with us. I also liked that we were not all just in SL at our own computers while he talked to us and that we were in class together because like I said it felt more like there was a guest speaker there with us. I guess for me completely losing that physical space for classes would take away from the whole experience of university classes. If we had all been in SL I am not sure how much I would have like the set up because I don’t know if it would have felt like class. I also think that I could have just placed my avatar in the room and got completely distracted with other things around me and could have just left to go make dinner. Classes in a physical space require me to at least be present and pay some sort of attention to my surroundings.