Week+One

toc Monday January 15th - Sunday 21st =//Introductions and familiarisation with tools.//=

//"To have another language is to possess a second soul" (Charlemagne)//

//[|photo by Olly Hart]//

Overview
During week one, we will be getting to know each other and opening accounts with the tools we will be using during this workshop. There will also be opportunities to speak to everyone, and for those of you who have chosen to explore Second Life, there will be some meetings in this virtual world during the week. You can also start to get an idea of what's to come with the initial input (reading, listening & viewing).

[|The recording of our first meetings is now available to listen to] //(right-click to download)//
 * **Meet the Players**: We will be holding two synchronous introductory week webcasts this week : ||
 * **[|Wednesday 17th January 22.00-23.00 GMT]** **Skypecast Details:** [|Information here] Come and join us to meet the other participants and to chat about what's been said up to now and about gaming and language learning in general. To access the chat room, and listen to the stream (if you can't join the Skypecast): [|http://webheadsinaction.org/node/111] ||
 * **[|Saturday 20th January 14.00-15.00 GMT]** **STOP PRESS:** We have changed this time and this is why we will be starting an hour later than originally planned (14.00 rather than 13.00) **Sorry for the inconvenience** Skypecast Details: **[|Information here] If you missed the first one, come and join us on Saturday to catch up, to meet some of the other participants and discuss gaming and language learning in general.To access the chat room, and listen to the stream (if you can't join the Skypecast): [|http://webheadsinaction.org/node/111]** ||

Input
Reading: [|Screen Language: The New Currency for Learning by John Seeley Brown]
 * [|Beyond Play: A New Approach to Games by Thomas M Malaby]

and a link from participant Anna Claudia: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=6214. ([|follow the YG discussion on this article here])**

Listening:
 * [|Steven Johnson - Serious Games (mp3)] from [|IT Conversations]**

Viewing: media type="youtube" key="99J6MehoSJI" type="youtube" key="99J6MehoSJI"
 * Violent Video Games & Addiction:

December 2007 News piece about latest videogaming consoles: media type="youtube" key="CerQWUb5K6A" type="youtube" key="CerQWUb5K6A"**

Activities

 * //Here are the tasks for this first week://**

1) **If you haven't already done so, please join our Yahoo Group : http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/gamelearning and send a message of introduction (who you are, what you do and what interests you about this session)** 2) **Please register in our wiki http://evogaming.wikispaces.com/ and add your details to the Participant Pages** 3) **Add your name and details to our [|Frappr map] too - you'll be able to see who else is taking part in the session.** 4) **Consider taking part in one of our introductory week webcasts, (**Meet the Players**) to be held on :** [|Wednesday 17th January 22.00-23.00 GMT] **and** [|Saturday 20th January 13.00-14.00 GMT] 5) **Ask any questions you may have regarding our DG&LL session in our [|Yahoo Group].**

**Discussion**
>
 * Think about the use of (non-computer) games in language teaching:**
 * **When do language teachers use games in class? (to teach/practice what?)**
 * **How often do they use games in language teaching?**
 * **Why do teachers use games? What purpose do they serve?**


 * Stories like the one in the video above (Violent Video Games & Addiction) keep appearing in the media:**
 * **What is your reaction to the video?**


 * Share your thoughts with everyone by posting a message and responding to the [|Yahoo Group]**

=Second Life=


 * //This optional module is offered to those participants who would like to know more about language learning in Second Life.//**


 * //If this interests you, then this section is for you://**

**Overview**

 * Second Life is a virtual world. It has also been called a MUVE (//Multi-User Virtual Environment//). In week one, all we ask of people is to set up an account, start learning how to use the software, and to arrange to meet some of the the particpants in-world.**


 * Meet the Avatars: **We will be holding an introductory week party in Second Life (at the** [|Webheads Beach Hut] in [|Edunation]**) on [|Saturday 20th January 14.00-15.00 GMT] (after our introductory webcast)** ||



Input
Reading**: [|Wired Travel Guide : Second Life] - An introduction to Second Life. [|The Unoffical Fool's Guide to Second Life] - If Second Life (SL) is totally new to you, you might want to read this before you even download the software. [|Introducing your Real Life students to Second Life] - A guide to introducing students to SL.**

If you have time to read more, then check out the [|NMC (New Media Consortium) Campus Tips & Tricks] links.

Listening: [|Living the Dream (mp3)] from [|IT Conversations]**
 * [|Brave New Virtual Worlds] from [|IT Conversations]

Viewing: media type="youtube" key="xxj8RTW4ev4" type="youtube" key="xxj8RTW4ev4"**
 * Here is an introductory video about Second Life:

Activities
1) **Download the software you need (PC or Mac) from http://secondlife.com/community/downloads.php** 2) **Create an account (free) here: https://secondlife.com/join/** 3) **Log in and follow the instructions until you reach the end of** Orientation Island**.** 4) **Continue to** Help Island **if you have the time (//this is recommended!//) to learn more about Second Life in general.** 5) **When you're ready, enter the** Second Life mainland **and make your way to** [|Edunation] **and the** [|Webheads beach hut] **(follow these instructions). This is this week's meeting point - you should be able to meet some other particpants informally here during the week. Find out [|more about Edunation here].** 6) **Share your** Second Life name **with the group, adding it to your entry on the Participant Pages. Use the Yahoo Group to arrange in-wolrd meetings with other participants at times that are convenient to you.** 7) **Join the '**Webheads' **group in Second Life and contact some of them online, adding them as friends in SL.** 8) **Come to our introductory week party at the [|Webheads beach hut], after** Saturday's **introductory week webcast.** 9) **Add any questions you may have about Second Life to our Second Life FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)** 10)** Please feel free to add links and information you think other participants may find useful to the Second Life pages in this wiki during our sessions.

Discussion
>
 * Share your first impressions of Second Life with the group. What did you find easy/difficult? Do you think it is something you / your students might be interested in? (Why? / Why not?)