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Starting from Zero
A librarian’s involvement in a major SL initiativeCentre for Information Literacy Research
Infolit iSchool, May 6, 2010Sarah Jones, UT Arlington Library
SL: Razitra Artizar (Raz)
Starting from Zero
University of Texas System grant: "Transforming Undergraduate Education“ -- http://tuelearningcommunity.com/ (July 2009-July2010) pioneered by Dr. Leslie Jarmon (SL: Bluewave Ogee)
One year's funding for land for all campuses and health science centersThe first university system-wide initiativeGoal: Virtual Learning Community
Researchers, instructors, students, administrators, staffCost savings for travelEnvironmental sustainability: travel, brick & mortar overheadAddition to DE toolkitExploration of immersive environment for education
Starting from Zero
What we started with at UT Arlington: The Provost’s support Support from my dept head and the Dean of the Library (giving me ½ time to
devote to SL) One evangelist: a College of Nursing professor One person with SL skills, knowledge and experience (me)
Plus skepticism: GIS in SL in Fall 2007
Starting from Zero
But also, good fortune Getting the Dean of Liberal Arts interested Favorable press in the campus newspaper Funding for the 3 islands for Year Two, championed by the Dean of the Library
What I still need the most: My “first follower” - http://www.readwriteweb.com/start/2010/03/leadership-
dance.php To move interest to excitement and excitement to action
Starting from Zero
Activities over the past 8 months: Interest meetings, Information Fair, Focus on Technology, Library Finals Week game
night, Workshops including “Library STEW” this summer Class activities: Nursing, English FLOC exhibit on food sustainability Website with info, tutorials, and resources / Facebook page & Twitter feed College of Nursing Genomics Journal Club with IRB-approved study Undergraduate advising for the Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Next year: Expanded use in the College of Nursing Department of Art & Art History’s new Digital Media track Hoping a professor in Educational Leadership follows through
Starting from Zero
Challenges: “It’s a game” and “little creepy” – uncanny valley? It’s comparatively hard, in an age when most things online are very easy System requirements: library staff (and faculty) with inadequate computers, students
on wireless connections with laptops and netbooks Campus labs that install software twice a year Faculty priorities
Factors in success: People with good SL knowledge, skills, and broad experience as well as people who
are educators and/or instructional designers Support: staff time, funding for building help, funding for incentive programs Patience! And courage?
UTArlington I
Gallery space, café and conference room on UTArlington I
UTArlington II
Sandbox on UTArlington II
Starting from Zero
Shameless plug:UT System Undergraduate Conference 2010Thursday, June 17, 2010, 11:30am-6:30pm SLTat UTexas System Academic & UTexas System Health (SLURLs forthcoming)http://tuelearningcommunity.com/uc2010/ (currently under construction)
Starting from Zero
UTA SL website - www.uta.edu/secondlife Follow on Facebook or Twitter or read postings on the site Log in directly to UTA land
Virtual Learning Community- tuelearningcommunity.com Current PI: Mario Guerra, University of Texas Austin ([email protected])
Contact me: Sarah Jones - [email protected]
University of Texas Arlington, Digital Library Services
In SL: Razitra Artizar (Raz)
www.slideshare.net/razitra
