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The latest information on this website related to NMC projects.
NMC Down Under in July!
Posted July 2nd, 2008 by Alan Levine
modified from creative commons licensed flickr photo by pierre pouliquin
From July 5-20, 2008, the NMC leadership team of CEO Larry Johnson and Vice Presidents Rachel Smith and Alan Levine will be in Australia establishing a new phase of the Horizon Project and meeting with colleagues at our five Australian NMC member organizations. Look for a string of news stories and podcasts from this tour.
The primary purpose of the trip is the launch of Horizon.au -- a version of the Horizon project specifically focused on emerging technology in higher education for the Australia / New Zealand region. An advisory board has been convened and will meet face to face in Melbourne July 9-10 to generate the topics for a new Horizon Report. Like our other Horizon Projects, a majority of the work will take place openly in the wiki, and we invite interested persons to participate there by helping provide examples and tagging web resources.
While in Melbourne, we will be meeting with colleagues from University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who are also co-hosts for the Horizon.au meeting. We also will be participating in an iCampus regional meeting.
There will be another stop in Brisbane for meetings at new NMC member University of Queensland followed by 3 days in Sydney to meet with colleagues at the University of Sydney, new NMC Member University of New South Wales and our long standing NMC member organization at the University of Wollongong. Our colleague Angela Thomas at the University of Sydney has arranged a number of local meetings and a dinner with colleagues we have known virtually through our Second Life projects.
Keep tuned to the NMC News feed for more updates!
NMC Announces $100,000 in Virtual Learning Prizes
Posted May 15th, 2008 by NMCThe New Media Consortium (NMC) announced today the call for proposals for the 2008-09 NMC Virtual Learning Prize, a $100,000 competitive program of awards intended to create a collection of innovative open-source learning experiences that make use of the unique attributes of a virtual learning environment. (See the press release.)
As many as 20 NMC Virtual Learning Prizes will be awarded in 2008. Each of the US$5,000 awards will provide a cash incentive paid to the awardee of $500 as well as $4,500 in expert development assistance from the NMC Virtual Worlds team to create the learning experience. The range of inworld services available to awardees to actualize the proposed ideas includes professional building, scripting, design, animation, avatar design, and/or related services.
The NMC is committed to pushing the boundaries of how we collectively view teaching and learning in virtual space. The NMC Virtual Learning Prize is envisioned as a way to surface and realize creative ideas for how to make optimal use of a virtual setting, using a process that provides recognition, financial incentives, professional development services, and a return for education as a whole.
"Projects funded under the NMC Virtual Learning Prize program will be those that make learning fresh or novel, or that illustrate concepts that are usually very difficult to teach," explains Dr. Larry Johnson, NMC's CEO and director of NMC Virtual Worlds. "We are seeking immersive learning experiences in particular, as well as tools that support the craft of teaching. We hope to see a number of proposals with broad applicability across disciplines as that will allow us to maximize the reach of the shared resources that are to be developed under this program."
As a requirement of funding, all materials and content produced as part of the program will be licensed for broad use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Proposal authors will retain full copyright to finished products, and all funded materials will be made available to educators and educational institutions at no cost via either the NMC's Educational Resource Center on Learning in Second Life or via the NMC's website, as applicable.
For the 2008-9 award year, funded ideas will be limited to those that can be implemented in the virtual worlds of Second Life or Project Wonderland. In future years, the program may be expanded to other virtual world platforms.
Review of proposals will begin on June 16, 2008, and proposals will continue to be accepted until all funds have been expended.
For further information, or to download a proposal submission form, please see the Virtual Learning Prize website. Questions related to the criteria or the submission of an application should be directed to virtual-learning@nmc.org.
NMC Announces $100,000 in Virtual Learning Prizes
Posted May 15th, 2008 by NMCThe New Media Consortium (NMC) announced today the call for proposals for the 2008-09 NMC Virtual Learning Prize, a $100,000 competitive program of awards intended to create a collection of innovative open-source learning experiences that make use of the unique attributes of a virtual learning environment. (See the press release.)
As many as 20 NMC Virtual Learning Prizes will be awarded in 2008. Each of the US$5,000 awards will provide a cash incentive paid to the awardee of $500 as well as $4,500 in expert development assistance from the NMC Virtual Worlds team to create the learning experience. The range of inworld services available to awardees to actualize the proposed ideas includes professional building, scripting, design, animation, avatar design, and/or related services.
The NMC is committed to pushing the boundaries of how we collectively view teaching and learning in virtual space. The NMC Virtual Learning Prize is envisioned as a way to surface and realize creative ideas for how to make optimal use of a virtual setting, using a process that provides recognition, financial incentives, professional development services, and a return for education as a whole.
"Projects funded under the NMC Virtual Learning Prize program will be those that make learning fresh or novel, or that illustrate concepts that are usually very difficult to teach," explains Dr. Larry Johnson, NMC's CEO and director of NMC Virtual Worlds. "We are seeking immersive learning experiences in particular, as well as tools that support the craft of teaching. We hope to see a number of proposals with broad applicability across disciplines as that will allow us to maximize the reach of the shared resources that are to be developed under this program."
As a requirement of funding, all materials and content produced as part of the program will be licensed for broad use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Proposal authors will retain full copyright to finished products, and all funded materials will be made available to educators and educational institutions at no cost via either the NMC's Educational Resource Center on Learning in Second Life or via the NMC's website, as applicable.
For the 2008-9 award year, funded ideas will be limited to those that can be implemented in the virtual worlds of Second Life or Project Wonderland. In future years, the program may be expanded to other virtual world platforms.
Review of proposals will begin on June 16, 2008, and proposals will continue to be accepted until all funds have been expended.
For further information, or to download a proposal submission form, please see the Virtual Learning Prize website. Questions related to the criteria or the submission of an application should be directed to virtual-learning@nmc.org.
NMC Virtual Learning Prize
Posted May 14th, 2008 by NMCThe NMC Virtual Learning Prize is a $100,000 competitive program of awards intended to create a collection of innovative open-source learning experiences that make use of the unique attributes of a virtual learning environment. As many as 20 NMC Virtual Learning Prizes will be awarded in 2008. (See Press Release )
Each of the US$5,000 awards will provide a cash incentive paid to the awardee of $500 as well as $4,500 in expert development assistance from the NMC Virtual Worlds team to create the learning experience. The range of in-world services available to awardees to actualize the proposed ideas includes professional building, scripting, design, animation, avatar design, and/or related services.
The New Media Consortium (NMC), a 501(3)c not-for-profit, is committed to pushing the boundaries of how we collectively view teaching and learning in virtual space. The NMC Virtual Learning Prize is envisioned as a way to surface and realize creative ideas for how to make optimal use of a virtual setting, using a process that provides recognition, financial incentives, professional development services, and a return for education as a whole.
Projects funded under the program will be distinguished by the ways in which they make learning fresh or novel, or by the ways they illuminate topics or concepts that are normally very difficult to teach. Immersive learning experiences are especially encouraged, as are tools or devices intended to support the craft of teaching. The most competitive project proposals will not be limited to a single course or discipline, but will rather have broad applicability.
The competition is especially meant to encourage creative thinking among educators at any level from K-12 through post-graduate learning, but anyone may submit a proposal, regardless of institutional affiliation.
As a requirement of funding, all materials and content produced as part of the program will be licensed for broad use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Proposal authors will retain full copyright to finished products, and all funded materials will be made available to educators and educational institutions at no cost via either the NMC’s Educational Resource Center on Learning in Second Life or via the NMC’s website, as applicable.
For the 2008-9 award year, funded ideas will be limited to those that can be implemented in the virtual worlds of Second Life or Project Wonderland . In future years, the program may be expanded to other virtual world platforms.
How to Apply
Proposals should be detailed enough to fully communicate the vision and ideas behind the proposal; images or sketches may be included if they will help the reviewers visualize the experience or product.
Please download the Virtual Learning Prize Application Form to complete your submission. Your application must include the following information, as specified in the form:
- 100-word abstract;
- Title and description of the learning experience or teaching tool/resource;
- Essential characteristics or features that make this idea especially suitable within a virtual space;
- Key outcomes for the participant in this experience or the user of this tool;
- Discussion of the applicability of the experience or tool to a variety of disciplines and courses; and
- Author contact information — name, title, institution, email, address, phone, and avatar name.
Proposals will be accepted at any time until all funds are disbursed for the 2008-9 award year, but proposals received by June 16, 2008 will have the greatest chance of being funded, as that is the date upon which the review of proposals will begin. Proposals should be submitted electronically to virtual-learning@nmc.org. Questions should be directed to the same address.
NMC Virtual Learning Prize
Posted May 14th, 2008 by NMCThe NMC Virtual Learning Prize is a $100,000 competitive program of awards intended to create a collection of innovative open-source learning experiences that make use of the unique attributes of a virtual learning environment. As many as 20 NMC Virtual Learning Prizes will be awarded in 2008. (See Press Release )
Each of the US$5,000 awards will provide a cash incentive paid to the awardee of $500 as well as $4,500 in expert development assistance from the NMC Virtual Worlds team to create the learning experience. The range of in-world services available to awardees to actualize the proposed ideas includes professional building, scripting, design, animation, avatar design, and/or related services.
The New Media Consortium (NMC), a 501(3)c not-for-profit, is committed to pushing the boundaries of how we collectively view teaching and learning in virtual space. The NMC Virtual Learning Prize is envisioned as a way to surface and realize creative ideas for how to make optimal use of a virtual setting, using a process that provides recognition, financial incentives, professional development services, and a return for education as a whole.
Projects funded under the program will be distinguished by the ways in which they make learning fresh or novel, or by the ways they illuminate topics or concepts that are normally very difficult to teach. Immersive learning experiences are especially encouraged, as are tools or devices intended to support the craft of teaching. The most competitive project proposals will not be limited to a single course or discipline, but will rather have broad applicability.
The competition is especially meant to encourage creative thinking among educators at any level from K-12 through post-graduate learning, but anyone may submit a proposal, regardless of institutional affiliation.
As a requirement of funding, all materials and content produced as part of the program will be licensed for broad use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Proposal authors will retain full copyright to finished products, and all funded materials will be made available to educators and educational institutions at no cost via either the NMC’s Educational Resource Center on Learning in Second Life or via the NMC’s website, as applicable.
For the 2008-9 award year, funded ideas will be limited to those that can be implemented in the virtual worlds of Second Life or Project Wonderland . In future years, the program may be expanded to other virtual world platforms.
How to Apply
Proposals should be detailed enough to fully communicate the vision and ideas behind the proposal; images or sketches may be included if they will help the reviewers visualize the experience or product.
Please download the Virtual Learning Prize Application Form to complete your submission. Your application must include the following information, as specified in the form:
- 100-word abstract;
- Title and description of the learning experience or teaching tool/resource;
- Essential characteristics or features that make this idea especially suitable within a virtual space;
- Key outcomes for the participant in this experience or the user of this tool;
- Discussion of the applicability of the experience or tool to a variety of disciplines and courses; and
- Author contact information — name, title, institution, email, address, phone, and avatar name.
Proposals will be accepted at any time until all funds are disbursed for the 2008-9 award year, but proposals received by June 16, 2008 will have the greatest chance of being funded, as that is the date upon which the review of proposals will begin. Proposals should be submitted electronically to virtual-learning@nmc.org. Questions should be directed to the same address.
NMC CEO Larry Johnson Metanomics Interview
Posted May 5th, 2008 by Alan Levine
On Friday April 25, NMC CEO Larry Johnson was a guest interviewee for the Metanomics series, the weekly live show that takes place in, and is broadcast live from Second Life.
As part of an event atClever Zebra's vBusiness Expo, in this interview, Metanomics host Robert Bloomfield asked Larry about the NMC's Virtual worlds programs and then discussed more on Larry's recent experience testifying before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the US Congress.
You can also find an audio recording of this interview plus soon a transcript, at http://metanomics.net/larry-johnson
Video: Congressional Hearing on Virtual Worlds
Posted April 1st, 2008 by Alan LevineNMC CEO Larry Johnson was one of four leaders who presented testimony on the nature and state of virtual worlds Tuesday, April 1, before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. Also presenting at the same hearing is Phillip Rosedale, founder of Linden Lab and the inventor of Second Life. For more information see Mr Pixel Goes to Washington and continue the conversation in our CommentPress published version of Larry's presented remarks. The video recording is now available: http://energycommerce.house.gov/cmte_mtgs/110-ti-hrg.040108.VirtualWorld... 
NMC Talks To Talis About Horizon Report
Posted March 31st, 2008 by NMCNMC's Larry Johnson, Rachel Smith, and Alan Levine were interviewed recently for a podcast now available on the Panlibus site. Speaking via telephone with Paul Miller in the UK, they shared the process and outcomes for the 2008 NMC Horizon Report .
NMC is quite honored, particularly since Miller's previous interviewee was Sir Tim Berners-Lee- what an act to follow!
Listen to the hour long podcast for the entire conversation.
Pachyderm Services
Posted February 5th, 2008 by NMCThank you for your interest in Pachyderm! For more information, please see the Pachyderm Services web site.
Individual Pachyderm Accounts
Individual accounts are available on a yearly subscription basis. These accounts include unlimited authoring. Your media and presentations may be stored on the Pachyderm server as long as your account is active. Completed presentations may also be downloaded from the Pachyderm server.
| Type of Account | Annual Subscription |
| Individual, Basic | $99 |
| Individual, Premium* | $149 |
| *Premium Accounts include help desk support on the web and via phone during business hours. | |
To sign up for an individual subscription account, please complete our Pachyderm Account request form, and be prepared with a credit card for payment via our secure server.
To open your account with Pachyderm Services, you must have or will need to create an account on the NMC web site. If you have an NMC web site account already, log in now. Otherwise, you can create your own NMC account now. Be sure when logged in to edit your profile (via the My Account link on the left) so we have your correct contact information.
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Once you are logged into your NMC web account... Create a Pachyderm Account |
An email reminder will be sent 30 days prior to the expiration of your account, followed by weekly reminders. Any account that is two weeks overdue will be put into offline status.
If you have questions, please call the NMC offices at 512-445-4200.
Dedicated Servers
If your organization needs more accounts, consider subscribing to a hosted server. With a hosted server, you set up the accounts you need and assign them to your authors.
| Server Capacity |
NMC Members (Annual) |
Non-members (Annual) |
| Server, 100 Users | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| Server, 1000 Users | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Server, 5000 Users | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| *All dedicated servers include help desk support on the web and via phone during business hours.. | ||
To reserve a server, please call the NMC offices at 512-445-4200.
NMC Announces Launch of Pachyderm Services
Posted February 4th, 2008 by Rachel SmithToday the New Media Consortium (NMC) announced the launch of Pachyderm Services, a new suite of services which will provide colleges and universities, museums, schools and other learning-focused organizations a new suite of services supporting low-cost web-based multimedia authoring.
The program offers two categories of services — hosted accounts for teachers, students, museum professionals and other individuals; and hosted server solutions for institutions and departments. The new unit will provide a variety of ways for individuals and institutions to have hosted Pachyderm authoring accounts on a yearly subscription basis designed to match any budget.
“Pachyderm combines interactive multimedia, digital storytelling, and clean, simple design in a way that lets authors focus on the content they want to share,” notes Rachel Smith, Vice President of NMC Services and Pachyderm Project Director. “Photos and video can be recorded with a basic digital camera, edited with free or low-cost tools, and placed into Pachyderm quickly and easily. This really is a tool for people who don’t have access to expensive equipment and software.”
Designed for people with little multimedia experience, Pachyderm is accessed through a web browser and is as easy to use as filling out a web form. Authors upload their own media (images, audio clips, and short video segments) and place them into pre-designed templates, which can play video and audio, link to other templates, zoom in on images, and more. Once the templates have been completed and linked together, the presentation is published and can then be downloaded and placed on the author's website or on a CD or DVD ROM. Authors may also leave their presentations on the Pachyderm server and link directly to them there. The result is an attractive, interactive Flash-based multimedia presentation.
“Pachyderm is perfect for students, from grade school through college,” according to Kris Wetterlund of Sandbox Studios. “We have seen museums create kid-friendly pieces that blend art from their collections with classroom concepts in history, literature, mathematics, and science. Putting Pachyderm in the hands of the kids themselves is going to be a powerful way to let them express themselves and really work with the content they are learning,” she adds. “I can’t wait to see what they do with it.”
Edutopia, the online magazine of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, described Pachyderm as “multimedia authoring for peanuts” (“The Elephant in the (Class)room: Pachyderm’s Multimedia Tool,” Edutopia, August 29, 2007). Basic subscription accounts are available for $99 per year; premium accounts, which include unlimited Help Desk access, are $149 per year. No special software is required to author in Pachyderm—the service runs entirely in a web browser.
Dr. Larry Johnson, NMC’s CEO, notes, “The aim of Pachyderm Services is to provide options to schools and museums, especially the smaller locations that simply don’t have the technical staff to support an installation of their own. With Pachyderm Services, museums and schools don’t need to install a thing to be able to support multimedia authoring for the web—no servers to maintain, no need to train technical support staff—it’s all done for you.” Johnson also notes that organizations requiring large numbers of accounts can save money by leasing a dedicated Pachyderm server for as little as $5 per account per year.
Hosted Pachyderm accounts and server solutions are available immediately. For further information or to request an account, please visit pachyderm.nmc.org.