email+announcement+archives

Hey! If you're reading this you might be interested in what's going on at NECC09 in Washington, DC. The Second Life Playground runs there starting Monday, June 29 at SLT 6:00 am until 4:00 pm that day. On Tuesday we'll be cranking out collaboration between the hours of 7:00 am SLT to 2:0 pm. We'll finish things up on Wednesday, July 1 around noon SLT after running from SLT 7:00 am. If that's confusing to you, you're not alone; but you know, you're not alone in other ways, as well. Take a good look at the Playground schedule page at http://lounges.istevision.org/ (use the day-of-the-week tabs to see each day) and the SLPg wiki page at http://necc09slplayground.wikispaces.com. That'll help. Also look for a volunteer at the HQ building pretty much during the whole event. Here's some more detail that might help: All during NECC, there'll be streaming media off and on at ISTE Island 4. Here is a landmark. SLurl: [|http://slurl.com/ secondlife/ISTE%20Island%204/ 208/215/25] All during the Playground hours at NECC, and likely in off-hours, avatars will gather at [|http://slurl.com/ secondlife/ISTE%20Island%202/ 128/128/2] for inworld presentations that will often be piped into the SLPg in Washington. LOTS of new folks will be coming into Second Life for the first time that week, so it will be appreciated if you can have your helper hat on. Speaking of hats, look for the NECC SLPlayground Inworld Docent Volunteers wearing these: 􀀂 They're your friends. See any security issues? Find a hat. Wonder what's happening next? See the lounges schedule or the playground wiki. Want to help? Help in any way you can!!! Inworld Docent Volunteers are led by Inworld Supreme Poobahs: Zsuzsa Tomsen and Henny Zimer. Other aids: http://www.necc2008.org/group/neccunplugged http://www.necc2008.org/group/virtualneccers Join Virtual NECCers inworld! Just search Groups for that name and click to join! From your friendly neighborhood Playground Co-Facilitators, Clare Lane and Scottmerrick Oh (Lisa Linn and Scott Merrick)
 * Current note in the notecard dispensers at ISTE HQ and the four-sim auditorium:**

First mass correspondence to all volunteers, inworld and onsite:

Supreme Poobahs, Volunteer Inworld Docents, and friends of the Second Life Playground at NECC09! First of all, thank you so very much for weighing in with a commitment to help at the Playground. This email will give you some quick info: Watch for another correspondence just before NECC with final details and some guidelines. The ISTE Storytelling ISTE Playground/Lounge schedule signups are now available at http://lounges.istevision.org. You are being notified in advance to allow you to sign up for one or more 15 minute SL Playground presentation time slots. Please do so as soon as possible. You must sign up no later than June 18th.


 * The preso title should begin with your full RL name and topic so it will appear on the schedule front page


 * Sign up for a time during your Supreme Poobah scheduled time (see http://necc09slplayground.wikispaces.com/Playground+Schedule--Inworld+Volunteers) but bear in mind that the running of the playground with any attendant issues must be the first priority. If the lounge is full of people needing help, that must be the first priority.

Please keep the following in mind:

1) You may be rescheduled. Several discussions are underway concerning visits from Linden Lab luminaries and Virtual NECCers who, due to changing time constraints, may be available at certain times they cannot as of this announcement predict. Every effort will be made to reschedule your presentation. 2) The Lounge is not a venue for sales. Your presentation may be denied or curtailed if its primary focus is promoting a commercial business not directly and solely related to education. The co-coordinators of the Playground and ISTE administration reserve the right to manage the schedule and the room as they deem most productive and beneficial for all involved. 3) Precedence will be given to ISTE members who have demonstrated a history of contributing to the educational communities of both ISTE and Second Life. 4) Please sign up for no more than two time slots during the 3 day run of the Lounge. Variety is the spice of life(s)!

5) The Second Life Playground is a designated No Drama zone. Please keep personal squabbles and difficulties to yourself, or you will be asked to leave the premises for the duration of NECC.
 * This is important because if you are Poobah you need to be available for troubleshooting and hospitality. If this poses a problem please contact Lisa Linn at mrslisalinn@yahoo.com.


 * Second "It's SHOWTIME" email, June 22, 2009:

** Okay, ya'll, it's **SHOWTIME **! I suggest you print this to carry in conference bag or copy to your smart-phone or handheld device for ready reference.

And to all of you, //thank you so very much// for committing to help at the Playground. We value our on-site Poobahs and our in-world Docent Volunteers beyond words, and thank you for your continued flexibility. We are certain that at some point(s) the best laid plans will go awry, and we thank you in advance for our shared fundamental belief that all of us will do the best we can to imagine, nurture, and provide the most positive educational experience we can through goings-on at the NECC09.
 * First, I would like to thank Scott Merrick who is serving as co-coordinator for the first time (and hopefully not the last). His positive can-do attitude, amazing work ethic, brilliant imagination, and more than anything, his friendship and respect have been an invaluable asset to all we have accomplished for the NECC09 Second Life Playground and Lounge **.

We will make ourselves as available as possible for any situation or questions that may arise. Lisa's cell is 760-805-3985 and Scott's cell is 615-335-5048. Feel free to leave voice mail if we don't pick-up. Lisa's email is mrslisalinn@yahoo.com and Scott's is scott@scottmerrick.net. Twitter (DMs only) to @ClareLane or @scottmerrick will come to our cells as IMs.

The Rosetta Stone for the schedule is on the Playground wiki. That's good for both In-world and On-site volunteers. We will be adding a new chart that combines the volunteer schedules and the presentation information from [|ISTE's NECC EnvisionIT! Lounges.]


 * One** Supreme Poobah has been designated as "in charge" of each RL shift, the ones in ** PURPLE **** . ** That is because we are all most helpful people, and for the purposes of the SLPg, we need to designate just one individual as the lead contact for troubleshooting with the ISTE shirted walkie-talkie carriers. Last year it got a bit confusing with multiple people trying to troubleshoot the same problem with different ISTE workers; one person would have one perspective of the issue, another person another, and they would each have more or less detail. If there's a problem, please communicate with the “icP” (the in charge Poobah), and he or she will work with ISTE to rectify it. If a scheduled icP wants to reassign that role to a different scheduled Poobah, that's perfectly fine as long as agreement is unanimous amongst all volunteers.


 * In this anniversary year, perhaps more than ever, security is an issue. The icP will have security contact information and directions about under what circumstance reportage is necessary. **

The SLPg is LOADED with technology: 6 Macbook Pros, 3 high-end HP laptops, 1 more HP for looping clips of Eduverse Talks shows on one of the 25 inch eternal monitors on the back wall, and for the HPs -Loads of high-end Humanware!

If you imagine a large open room that's a tall rectangle, the top right corner is the Lounge presentation area with large screen and stools scattered about, the top left is ISTEVisions online interaction station with headsets. The presentation area is to have audio only from computer speakers, if amplification starts to impact presentations in rooms across the hall, we may need to curtail amplified audio and work a plan B. Suggestions are welcome.
 * Tables along the east wall will offer stations for signing up new folks and doing demos one-to-one or one to several.
 * At the bottom (south) wall a plasma screen will show schedules and other information.
 * The Playground will have its own dedicated wireless connection. We will also likely be at least on occasion streaming live into ISTE Island, courtesy of a streaming server.

There is a Second Life Volunteer (Docents and Playground volunteers only--please don't broadcast this invite!) at 4 pm Sunday prior to the 5:30 Keynote address (please see below). We expect that you will attend for your final instructions and **to pick up your SL photo badge and Poobah ribbon** --they'll be with us at the party or the next day in the Playground. The ribbon should be a nice conversation starter, eh?

Kick off NECC by joining us for a gathering of old friends and new! Come meet your fellow ISTE Docents and SLPlayground Volunteers in REAL LIFE! Coney Island Hot Dogs, pretzels, peanuts, cracker jack, lemonade and iced tea will be served. It’s sure to be a home run!!


 * What:** Second Life Playground Volunteers and Docents Meetup
 * When:** Sunday, June 28, 4:00-5:30 pm (right before the Opening Keynote)
 * Where:** WWCC Room, 145A