Lisa Jacka and Kate Booth are what i would call ubermega SoaS users. Kate Booth actively uses Sim-on-a-Stick in her classroom for many innovative projects that truly excite and engage her students
together, Lisa and Kate published an award winning paper to help other teachers adopt the use of OpenSim in the classroom:
Virtual Worlds in a Public Primary School Using Sim-on-a-Stick
simonastick.com is a barebones site intended to reduce apprehension about trying out OpenSim. it’s clear what is available and reduces decision making
that’s done on purpose for two reasons – one is that it makes it easy for me to update the site – there are only a few things for me to repackage when a new version of OpenSim comes out
secondly, it’s just enough information for a person to dip their avatar toe into the virtual ocean
however, that person needs to be a bit of a go-getter and not expect to be spoon fed. OpenSim does take a level of persistence and patience to master and is a tool that requires a true time commitment
BUT . . . when it comes to teachers, having a resource specific to educators and a version of SoaS tailored for school use can be invaluable
Simona Stick is great and as top blog contibutor Kimika said: ”She has her own personality: a mysterious and obsessive builder”, but she also has nipples o_O
for school use (especially middle school when normal kids transform into hormonal little creatures) there are considerations that can make OpenSim easier to implement and allow kids to get onto task sooner. for example, creating accounts for girls and accounts for boys is important not just for the kids but for parents too (keeps little Johnny from going home and saying he got to be a girl today) =p
having a “school specific” version of SoaS would be very well received by the educational community
well guess what?
Lisa Jacka has done exactly that! she is still pulling together resources but it is looking like a great one-stop website!
if you have content that you think would be beneficial, drop her a line using her email located in the footer of her new site: Sim-on-a-Stick EDU
click and go! =)
Good heads up, looks a useful site, consider it tweeted :)
Keith Selmes
31 Jan 13 at 3:45 am
thanks Keith! it takes a lot of effort to pull something together as Lisa is and it’s nice that you are tweeting her in support
i think her resource will make the entry in OpenSim a bit easier for new teachers
Ener Hax
1 Feb 13 at 3:14 am