Blog ‘o the Month: Vote for Heyjude!

Our very own Heyjude Jenns aka Judy O’Connell has been nominated in ISTE’s Blog ‘of the Month Awards!

Based at the Blogger’s Hut on ISTE Island which is coordinated by Scott Merrick, the Blog o’ the Month Competition is a great way to feature edublogs from all over the world, and to connect to other bloggers who are exploring virtual worlds. You can visit and vote on ISTE’s Islands here (SLurl). This is the second time a jokaydian has been part of Blog O’ the Month - with the amazing Henny Zimer aka Jeff Agamenoni featured in August!

This month the selected bloggers are:

… and the winning blog will be featured in the RSS feed the Blogger’s Hut for the entire month of December!

I encourage everyone to check out the blogs above… and also to vote for the lovely Jude! Her long running blog (wow - she’s been publishing since May 2006!) is full of great tips and handy info for librarians, educators and virtual worlds explorers alike!

Login to SL to vote and visit the Blogger’s Hut (SLurl)! Go Jude! ;)

November 16, 2008 | Filed Under community, education, fun, jokaydians | Leave a Comment 

jokaydia @ Mooloolaba!

Well, I’ve finally made it to a very wet and miserable Mooloolabah for the Learning Technologies 2008 Conference which is hosted by LearnTel each year.

.The theme this year is ‘Learning Connections’… so I’ll be talking about virtual worlds and the connections they enable for education and arts. Obviously, considering the focus of jokaydia this year has been on building a community of practice, I’ve got plenty to say!! ;)

I’ve prepped a nice little 4 page handout which I’ll be distributing to the participants at my workshop today, but I thought I’d also make it availble here.

Click here to download ‘Connecting in Second Life’ (PDF format).

For further updates on what I’m up to in not so sunny Queensland, you can follow me on Twitter, where I’m sure I’ll have lots of random things to say… or check out the Learning Technologies Conference Ning for more information.

November 5, 2008 | Filed Under education, events, fun, jokay Wollongong, jokaydia, jokaydians, news | 1 Comment 

Happy Blue Day!

It’s Blue Day! And we’re just about ready for our celebrations at bar jokaydia!

Join us at Bar jokaydia (Slurl) from 6pm - 11pm AEST (Check your local time here!) to check out the links and information we’ve established there, or teleport over to the Online Therapy Institute (SLurl)! There will also be dancing and virtual silliness… so dress up in your favourite blue outfit and join us!

I’m also very excited to announce that the fabulous Dave Koi has shared a wonderful piece of virtual sculpture which you can visit at the event! Dave describes his sculpture  on his blog …

… I created this in early 2008 and it evolved out of a lingering sadness which started a couple years ago after a period of depression after burn-out from work and residual things from, well, life.

There seemed to be in me an unending need for release which only I can relate to a build up of tears -  yet unfulfiled. …

However apart from showing friends at various times it remained in my work space, not quite gestated. The perfect time to inspire me completing it at getting it out publicly was Blueday2008 - 10 October - World Mental Health Day. For reasons I hope are obvious. …

Read more on his blog! or visit him in SL!

Dave has also kindly made some Beyond Blue T-Shirts, which you can pick up for free @ Bar jokaydia (Slurl) tonight!

October 10, 2008 | Filed Under blueday2008, fun, news, photography, slart, virtual classroom project | Leave a Comment 

Help Create Blueday!

As I posted previously, jokaydia will be hosting a Blueday Party to celebrate World Mental Health Day and raise awareness of depression and anxiety, as part of the fabulous Blueday 2008 Initiative being supported by the Australian social media community. And…. we need you!

If you’d like to help to plan the celebrations, please join us from 8:30pm - 9:30pm AEST on Tues 7th Oct (2:30am SLT, Check your local time here!) at Bar jokaydia (SLurl) to suggest ideas, contribute some artwork or information, or help plan the party activities!

You could:

  • Create a Blueday themed party gift
  • Come up with a Blueday themed party game
  • Share a personal story at the event
  • Contribute some artwork, poster or display item
  • Suggest a mental health related landmark to add to the Blueday tour wall
  • … or anything you think would be fun, informative, or entertaining!

I really hope we can make this a fun, community-oriented event and I’m looking forward to hearing lots of Blueday ideas! Email me or IM jokay Wollongong inworld if you need any further info!

October 6, 2008 | Filed Under blueday2008, community, events, fun | 2 Comments 

jokaydia Supports Blue Day!

October 10 is World Mental Health or Blue Day! A day when the tech and social media community in Australia can work together to raise the awareness of anxiety and depression.

I’m very proud to annonce that jokaydia will be supporting Blue Day, with a celebration and some virtual dancing from 6pm - 11pm AEST (Check your local time here!) at bar jokaydia! More details coming soon!

If you’d like to find out more about Blue Day or get involved visit the Blue Day 2008 website.

October 1, 2008 | Filed Under blueday2008, events, fun, jokaydia, news | 6 Comments 

jokaydia Unconference coming to a close…

Im currently attending the last session of the jokaydia Unconference right now, and enjoying the great session Bron Bloxome aka Bron Stuckey leading us on a discussion around the impacts that virtual worlds learning have on real lives right now, and reflecting on what a GREAT and HUGE weekend it’s been!

Big thanks to all of our presenters today - HeyJude Jenns, Tempest Knightly, KJ Hax, Sapphire Ceawlin, slammed Aabye, Konrad March, Noble Nubalo and Bron Bloxome… you were all FANTASTIC and we explored lots of fascinating topics. Big thanks also to Pandora Kurrajong aka Kerryj for all her hard work recording and documenting events today! And of course, thanks to all the jokaydians who came along and helped during the weekend.

I hope everyone has enjoyed jokaydia’s first Unconference and come away with new information, insights and connections!

We’ll be posting recordings and images from the events in the coming days… stay tuned! ;)

September 28, 2008 | Filed Under community, events, jokaydia, jokaydians, unconference | Leave a Comment 

jokaydia Unconference Day 2 Underway!

Great session happening over at St Joey’s Auditorium on jokaydia with Heyjude Jenns and Tempest Nitely!

Come and join us!

September 28, 2008 | Filed Under events, jokaydians, news, unconference | Leave a Comment 

jokaydia Unconference Day 2 - Schedule

Image: ‘Higher Ed Session with Jass Easterman, jokaydia Unconference 2008‘ by teachandlearn.

I’m a little bit sleepy still, after a big day inworld yesterday… but we’re nearly ready to do it all again… with Day 2 of the jokaydia Unconference!

The program is posted below or you can view all the details on the jokaydia Wiki, and includes some really interesting sessions. Hope to see you inworld!

Session 9: How do Second Life activities affect ‘real life’ organizations?

Join us for a discussion about the possibilities for SL to lead empowerment and change in educational professional associations. Why does SL matter? What lead can organisations take in the education community? Why?

Session 10: jokaydia Unconference Newbie Session

An introductory session for visitors who are new to Second Life. Will include a tour and avatar workshop.

Session 11: Second Life in Education Brainstorming Workshop

Join us at the Islands of jokaydia EduSquare to share your links, ideas and projects. We are currently building a new set of resources for SL educators here and would value your input! Share your slurls or get feedback on your latest project!

Session 12: Quest Atlantis

How structured virtual worlds can connect students too young to participate in Teen Second Life.

Session 13: “Unfinished …” Photographs from a Teachers Without Borders project in Kenya.

Konrad has recently returned from Kenya where he was English Team Leader for Teachers Without Borders - Canada, a non-profit, non-denominational NGO devoted to closing the education divide through teacher professional development and community education. This exhibit of Konrad’s photographs of children, classrooms, and school life in Kenya documents many of his experiences this past summer. During this session, Konrad will be available to answer questions about TWB-Canada, education in Kenya, his work with Kenyan teachers, and, of course, his photographs. Konrad will also take the participants on a tour of his virtual Kenyan classroom where they will be able to learn more about teaching and learning in Kenyan schools.

Session 14: Real Learning in Virtual Worlds

A conversation around the ways learning can transfer from the virtual worlds activity to the lifeowrlds of our learners. Bron will use some examples from Quest Atlantis and invite other to offer examples of where they have seen values, skills and knowledge enacted form virtual world learning. Let’s think and talk about where and why this happens - how can we leverage the conditions?

September 28, 2008 | Filed Under events, jokaydia, unconference | Leave a Comment 

Party Time… jokaydia Unconference Style!

A huge thanks to Maggie, Jass, Henny, Leah, Gnu, Leroy, Al, and Konrad for all their help and fabulous work today at the jokaydia Unconference! And thanks too, to everyone who came along and attended the sessions and shared their views. I dont know about you.. but I had a great time!

And now it’s time for a virtual boogie! ;) Join us for the jokaydia Unconference Party at jokaydia Gallery (Slurl) at 8pm AEST (3am SLT - check your local time here).

For those who’d like a sneak peak of tomorrow’s events, check out the jokaydia Unconference Draft Schedule.  I’ll post more details in the next few hours! ;)

Oooo.. and dont forget to check out Konrad’s great images from the days events in the jokaydia Flickr Group!

September 27, 2008 | Filed Under events, fun, jokaydia, unconference | 1 Comment 

jokaydia Conference is off and running!

Enjoying a fabulous session with Maggie Marat aka Peggie Sheehy and about 40 avatars!

Join us inworld to come and play!

September 27, 2008 | Filed Under events, jokaydia, unconference | 1 Comment 

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