Symposium Components
The Symposium on Creativity will offer a variety of session formats as detailed below.
Studio Sessions
Studio sessions – special hands-on workshops led by master craftspeople in Second Life – offer an opportunity to develop your skills in a particular area under the guidance of an expert mentor. Choose from Machinima, Fashion, Sculpture and Modeling, Virtual Photography, or Teaching Environments. As in a traditional studio class, you will receive a long-term assignment to be completed during the course of the Symposium. During each of five class meetings, you will learn a new skill or technique that may be applied to your final project, and you will have a chance to work on your project with your mentor there to answer questions as they arise. Each Studio course includes ten hours of instruction and supervised work time; additional time may be needed to complete your assignment.
Enrollment in Studio classes is limited to 20 people per topic and requires pre-registration. Those who register early for the Symposium will have the first opportunity to sign up for a Studio session.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout sessions are presented by your colleagues in Second Life-- each last for 90 minutes. Popular topics will be offered more than once so that people from around the world can all participate. Some 30 sessions will be offered within tracks devoted to Hands-On Creative Experiences, Scripting, Demonstrations, and Notions of Creativity.
Learning Exposition
The Learning Exposition sits at the center of the NMC Conference Center, and is intended to be the centerpiece of the island. This is the spot where receptions and other social events will be held, and attendees are encouraged to gather, browse the exhibits, and visit with the exhibitors.
"Parade of Sims" Showcase
These tours, led by the NMC Virtual Worlds builders who created the sims featured, will provide a "behind-the-scenes" perspective on how to approach large-scale design in Second Life. Meet highly-regarded Second Life builders and artists like CJ Carnot, Stella Costello, Shukran Fahid, and Ravenelle Zugzwang!
Social and Arts Events
Learning with a twist! What would Second Life be without the social aspects! Included as central parts of the Symposium are a Gala Opening Reception, performances by Chronic Skronski and the ZeroG Skydancers -- and two special art exhibtions, an installation by DanCoyote Antonelli, and an exhibition of interactive art, each filling and entire sim!
Studio Sessions
Studio sessions – special hands-on workshops led by master craftspeople in Second Life – offer an opportunity to develop your skills in a particular area under the guidance of an expert mentor. Choose from Machinima, Fashion, Sculpture and Modeling, Virtual Photography, or Teaching Environments. As in a traditional studio class, you will receive a long-term assignment to be completed during the course of the Symposium. During each of five class meetings, you will learn a new skill or technique that may be applied to your final project, and you will have a chance to work on your project with your mentor there to answer questions as they arise. Each Studio course includes ten hours of instruction and supervised work time; additional time may be needed to complete your assignment.
Enrollment in Studio classes is limited to 20 people per topic and requires pre-registration. Those who register early for the Symposium will have the first opportunity to sign up for a Studio session.
Machinima: The Art of Video in Second Life
Mentors:
- Stella Costello
- Kirk Kirkorian
Participants should have basic Second Life skills, including a solid understanding of camera movement in SL, and should have a story idea in mind before the first session.
Fashion: Virtual Haute Couture
Mentors:
- CJ Carnot
- Solivar Scarbourough
Participants should have a working knowledge of graphics software like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, basic Second Life skills, and should have a clothing or fashion design idea in mind before the first session.
Sculpture and Modeling: Expressing Yourself in Prims
Mentors:
- Ravenelle Zugzwang
- Stella Costello
- Shukran Fahid
This is not a class for beginners, but rather people who already have a working knowledge of how to build in Second Life and which to move to the next level. Participants should have a working knowledge of graphics software like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, good basic Second Life building skills, and should have a project idea in mind before the first session.
Virtual Photography: Capturing the Wonder of Virtual Reality
Mentors:
- Torley Olmstead
- Ravenelle Zugzwang
Participants should have basic Second Life photography skills and should have a shooting plan in mind before the first session.
Teaching: Thinking Beyond Prim and Mortar -- Building Creative and Immersive Classroom Environments in Second Life
Mentors:
- Beth Ritter-Guth, aka Desideria Stockton, Lehigh Carbon Community College
- Eloise Pasteur, Eloise Pasteur Educational Designs
How does a teacher create an immersive environment while maintaining course objectives? How does one create a classroom that is not like the real life deal? This workshop will provide 20 educators with the opportunity to build immersive learning environments by working with Content Designer, Desideria Stockton, and Educational Builder/Scripter, Eloise Pasteur. This is a hands-on, week-long workshop and will allow participants to build content effectively, ethically, and immersively in Second Life.
Participants should have basic building and scripting skills and should have a lesson plan in mind before the first session.
Creating Pandorar's Box wiki http://nmcpandora.wikispaces.com/
Creating Pandora's Box Blog http://nmcpandora.blogspot.com/
Learning Exposition
The Learning Exposition sits at the center of the NMC Conference Center, and is intended to be the centerpiece of the island. This is the spot where receptions and other social events will be held, and attendees are encouraged to gather, browse the exhibits, and visit with the exhibitors. The Expo will be open the entire week of the Symposium.
Video Learning Plaza
Enjoy eight informative videos on how to make the most of your second life from the acclaimed series by Torley Linden.
Exhibits
Browse fourteen diverse exhibits on significant projects and locations in SL, work educators are doing there, and a variety of useful “Learning Snippets.”
- Zen and the Art of Learning in Second Life
Selby Evans, Texas Christian University - The Info Isles: A community of virtual libraries
Lori Bell, aka Lorelei Juno, Alliance Library System - Colorado Tech’s SL Campus
Cynthia Colongne, aka Lyr Lobo, Colorado Technical University - Basic Scripting Tips
Cynthia Colongne, aka Lyr Lobo, Colorado Technical University - Ivory Tower of Primitives
Vince Frost, aka Lumiere Noir, Ivory Tower of Primitives - SL Vocabulary: You can learn to speak Second Life!
Jennifer Olmstead and Beth Sachtjen, aka Ravenelle Zugzwang and Stella Costello, NMC Virtual Worlds - Interesting Places to Explore in SL
Nick Noakes, aka Corwin Carillon, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - How to Make a T-Shirt
Solivar Scarborough, NMC Virtual Worlds - The New Media Consortium
Jennifer Olmstead, aka Ravenelle Zugzwang, NMC Virtual Worlds - How to Use your Camera
Robin Winter, aka Shukran Fahid, NMC Virtual Worlds - Commencement 2007: Simultaneous In-World and Real-World Graduation
Teshia Roby, April McKettrick, Kevin Hutori, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - The Art Of Mod: Making a Pick Up Bed Room.
Robert Szesnat, Jr. - Blending Realities @ the Centre for Digital Media
Joanna Robinson, Great Northern Way Campus - Innovative Pedagogical Techniques for Fashion Education in Second Life
Elaine Polvinen, Buffalo State College