Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Sun., May 28, 2017 - Lost & Found

Lost & Found - Sun., May 28, 2017

As a principal, teacher, and aunt,  I always believed that “gaming” and virtual reality was wrong.  Board games, i.e. Monopoly, Scrabble were the ONLY real games.  The “other” games were unhealthy and going to make killers of our youth.  (Of that last part,  some of that may sadly be true.)

So I was recently introduced to Jokaydia Grid and Second Life as part of a tech grad class I  am taking, and this post is an assignment, enjoyable though it is.  My first adventure into "virtual games" was exhilarating, petrifying, and addictive.  In Second Life I arrived and started on the "introduction" which helped me feel more confident in myself as an avatar there.  I kept getting passed by other avatars, so I started to remember what it was like in elementary school when I couldn't catch on to a new topic.  I could not jump no matter what I did.  I did what the screen said, but something else happened  overtime.

In Jokaydia Grid, When I first entered the world as an “avatar”  I felt literally lost.  I had no idea how to walk, run, much less fly.  I could feel my heart beating faster as I thought, “I don’t know what to do.” I started wondering around, but very slowly, very cautiously.  Like the real world, new places can be scary.  Luckily after a while, I ran into a teacher who helped me “find my way,” again just like reality.  I was lost, but then found. It was "safe." She had to leave, but I continued to explore. I now understand why students love this realm!  

Here’s a few photos of myself while I waited for friends to join me.  



I recently read a great article:  What is Gamification and in it, is this amazing Ted Talk, which you can view here. This is such a strange new world, but one I'm going to enjoy learning about and having great conversations with my students about! I'll be sharing more of my revelations about this experience as the course progresses! In the meantime, if you haven't gamed, why not?

4 comments:

  1. Hi Cathy,

    Sounds like you are becoming quite an adventurer already! Jokaydia and Second Life are quite different...mostly due to the fact that you will almost always know someone in Jokaydia....Second Life is the one virtual world where I personally felt very alone...as you said, avatars, (well, strangers really?) do pass you by...and you are wondering, should I approach them for help or not? Where you go is VERY important in that respect.... It was a bit tricky reading this blog as the type was very grey....? Well, part was, part wasn't. Mike B.

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  2. I am sorry to hear you felt nervousness and frustration at navigating a new world. I did, too! It is odd to not be able to perform tasks that are completely mindless in the real world. I wonder if school children feel the same way, or if the discovery of basics is second nature to them

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  3. Interesting point! As educators, we ask students to step out of their comfort zone on a regular basis. It does seem that as adults, we become less willing to try something new, to be flexible and willing to learn. Maybe because once we're adults, we have fewer people telling us what to do... ;)

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  4. Hi Catherine - Thank you for your honest reflection on your experience so far. I agree with your thoughts and feelings. There has been a very steep learning curve for me on these things and I hope I can make it as far as you have. Thanks!

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