Virtual Literary FestivalVirtual Literary Festival

Funded byFunded by

English Subject Centre, HE AcademyEnglish Subject Centre, HE Academy

BLU-BLU-Sky Sky Fund, University of Fund, University of HertfordshireHertfordshire

Jennifer YoungJennifer Young

Steve BennettSteve Bennett

Andrew MaunderAndrew Maunder

Two Part ProjectTwo Part Project

Trial of Smirk interactive software in Trial of Smirk interactive software in The The PoemPoem module module

Creation of a virtual literary magazine Creation of a virtual literary magazine publishing the best student writing from publishing the best student writing from

UK universitiesUK universities

What Is Smirk?What Is Smirk?

Simple media-Simple media-integrating integrating

resource creatorresource creator

Developed by Developed by David Kraithman David Kraithman

and Steve Bennett and Steve Bennett at UHat UH

Trial in Trial in The PoemThe Poem Module Module

• Class sessions Class sessions held in BLU held in BLU interactive roomsinteractive rooms

• Software trainingSoftware training

• Writing poems Writing poems with strong sound with strong sound elementselements

Ease of Software UsageEase of Software Usage

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Noresponse

Slightlydifficult

Easy

Feb trial (23 respondents) Apr Trial (7 respondents)

Satisfaction with PoemsSatisfaction with Poems

0123456789

Noresponse

Slightlydissatisfied

Pleased

Feb trial (23 respondents) Apr trial (7 respondents)

Sample from a Student PoemSample from a Student Poem

The Literary MagazineThe Literary Magazine

Publication of UK university student writingPublication of UK university student writing

Staff of UH studentsStaff of UH students

Use of Smirk and Second LifeUse of Smirk and Second Life

Benefits to StudentsBenefits to Students

• Multidisciplinary Multidisciplinary collaborationcollaboration

• PublicationPublication

• Resource for other Resource for other studentsstudents

• Employability skillsEmployability skills

• EditorialEditorial

• ProductionProduction

• PublicityPublicity

• Project Project managementmanagement

Realities of Student LifeRealities of Student Life

• Use of Studynet, Use of Studynet, MSN MessengerMSN Messenger

• Sharing of staff Sharing of staff rolesroles

• Combining with Combining with studiesstudies

ProgressProgress

• High response to High response to staffing callstaffing call

• 125 submissions 125 submissions received from across received from across UKUK

• Design of SL site in Design of SL site in progressprogress

Co-editors Emma Filtness Co-editors Emma Filtness and Joe Norman from the and Joe Norman from the

OrbOrb promotional video promotional video

Second LifeSecond Life

• 3-D virtual world 3-D virtual world built and owned by built and owned by residentsresidents

• 7 million users7 million users

• Strong educational Strong educational presencepresence

Transition to Transition to Second LifeSecond Life

• Existing software Existing software with avatarswith avatars

• Wider audience for Wider audience for magazinemagazine

• UH presence in SLUH presence in SL

Performance SpacePerformance Space

Viewing StagesViewing Stages

Interactive ElementsInteractive Elements

• GamesGames

• Collaborative Collaborative novelnovel

• Write your own Write your own storystory

OrbOrb launches on launches on 23 October 200723 October 2007

http://slurl.com/secondlife/SMIRKworld/183/43/25http://slurl.com/secondlife/SMIRKworld/183/43/25

For further information, please see For further information, please see http://orb.herts.ac.ukhttp://orb.herts.ac.uk

j.m.young@herts.ac.ukj.m.young@herts.ac.ukorb@herts.ac.ukorb@herts.ac.uk