ISTE in Second Life

10 Lessons Learned in Using a Virtual

World to Build a Professional

Community of Practice

Jennifer Ragan-Fore

Director of General Membership

International Society for Technology in Education

What I’ll cover

Brief overview of ISTE, our SL project history, and project goals

10 Lessons Learned The opportunities/challenges

of establishing and managing a community in SL

Annual Conference

Technology Standards

17,000 individual members

85,000 affiliated members

Virtual CommunitiesBooks

Education AdvocacyPeriodicals

ISTE SL Project Timeline

Nov.2006

Jan.2007

Mar.2007

Jun.2007

Sep.2007

Dec.2007

Jan.2008

Mar.2008

ISTE Group Started

ISTE rents land on

Eduisland, officially launches project

Orders private island,

launches ISTE

“Docent” Program

ISTE Island opens, first

mixed reality event at

NECC 2007

Introduces new roles: Social co-

chairs, island

managers

Orders partner

islands for ISTE

Affiliates and other edu

orgs

Partners “move in, ; new role of

speaker series chair

Orders last sim needed

for 4-sim auditorium

2 17 750 1400 1700 2000 2200 2500

Feb.2007

375

Speaker Series

launches

ISTE Stats2500 Members

45 “ISTE Docents”

1 Lead Docent

1 Speaker Series Chair

1 Social Chair

2 Island Managers

2 Tour Leaders

2 Resource Managers

15-member Social Committee

Primary Goals

Build community New audiences Younger demographic

Secondary Goals

Professional development Showcase ISTE Support existing group

1. Plan for Success

2. Location, location, location

3. Be clear in your goals

4. Be open to “happy accidents.”

5. Create Opportunities.

6. Take advantage of the tool.

7. Live by the code

8. Nurture your “Connectors”

9. Communicate well/often

10. Be redundant