We had a brilliant weekend of fun and learning, at the jokaydia unconference 09 and I’d like to extend a HUGE thanks to all your facilitated and/or participated! The energy that everyone brought to the event was inspiring!

Stay tuned for the resumption of our regularly scheduled monthly mini unconferences, along with lots of other events and activities which will kick off in October.

With only a few days to go, its time for final checks and downloads in preparation for the jokaydia Unconference 09!

Check out the (almost) final unconference schedule on the jokaydia Wiki where you’ll be able to figure out  which sessions you’d like to attend. There are some seriously fantastic conversations to participate in planned!

Getting Ready!

If you’re new to Second Life, you should also ensure that:

• You have signed up for an account and setup your avatar?
• You have attended a newbie session or spent some time inworld prior to the event to get comfortable
• You have a headset and microphone available and you’ve tested your audio settings.

Signing up for Other Platforms!

As well as our SL sessions, we will be visiting World of Warcraft and Quest Atlantis during during the event. Check out the details below, and if you’d like to attend those sessions, you will need to follow the instructions on how to take part.

Quest Atlantis Virtual World Game for KIDS
(9-15 yrs)

Event Details:

• AEST TIME: 1pm
• SL Time: Fri 8pm
• Check your local time!

Come along and have a guided tour of the Quest Atlantis virtual world. See where curriculum, gaming and social values meet in a project sponsored by Indiana University’s Centre for Research in Learning Technology. This program is offered free to teachers and schools about the globe and is already implemented in many USA, Australian and NZ (and 15 other countries) schools already. Maybe your school could be the next?

PLEASE NOTE: Educators wishing to take this tour will need to register and create an account at: Jokaydia Unconference QA Tour. Registration Code: 121597. Email Bron Stuckey (Bron Bloxsome in SL) bestucke@indiana.edu for further information.

World of Warcraft Adventure!

Event Details:

• AEST Time: 5pm
• SL Time: 12am
• Check your local time!

Join the jokaydians for a visit to one of the other spaces we sometimes reside! Join the Alliance and find out more about World of Warcraft and its potentials for use in education.

Please Note: This event requires you to prepare by downloading software and setting up on the correct realm. For further info see the WoW Adventure Wikipage and register your intention to attend! Email jokay Wollongong for further information.

With only a few days to go until our Unconference kicks off, its time to do a billion last minute jobs including cleaning up the Islands and getting our schedule for the event finalised. Eeek…. I think I’ll just give up sleep for the rest of the week! ;) It is starting to get exciting over on the Islands of jokaydia tho.. with a fabulous range of sessions proposed for the weekend, I can hardly wait for the program to get started!!

We’ll be posting lots of updates in the coming days, so keep an eye on the blog or keep informed via twitter updates. However, to get started I thought I’d provide some basic updates and information for newbies, participants and facilitators. See below!

Unconference Schedule!

The draft unconference schedule is still available on the wikispace and will give you an idea of the array of great sessions we’ll be convening inworld. We’ll release a final and confirmed version of the schedule on Thursday, so stay tuned! Also, for those of you who are based in or near Sydney, dont forget the MQUncon09 which will provide a f2f opportunity to get together at Macquarie University to share some ideas about 21st century learning.

Final Newbie Sessions!

We’ll be holding our final two newbie sessions in preparation for the event this Thursday 22 September 2009. These newbie sessions are designed to provide support to those who have never attended an event in Second Life before, or for visitors who’d just like to sharpen up their inworld skills before the unconference event kicks off. We’ll be covering basic skills like talking, moving, flying, using voice, camera skills and basic avatar setup. Event details are below and are listed in Australian Eastern Standard time and Second Life time (PDT).

jokaydia Unconference Newbie Session 1

• Date and Time – AEST: Thurs 24 September @ 11am
• Date and Time – SLT:  Wed 23 September @ 6pm
• Check your local time here!
• Location: Islands of jokaydia Newbie Garden (SLurl)
• Facilitator: jokay Wollongong

jokaydia Unconference Newbie Session 2

• Date and Time – AEST: Thurs 24 September @ 8pm
• Date and Time – SLT:  Thurs 24 September @ 3am
• Check your local time here!
• Location: Islands of jokaydia Newbie Garden (SLurl)
• Facilitator: jokay Wollongong

Participants Checklist!

For those of you who are planning to attend, here’s a quick checklist of things you might like to consider:

• If you’re new to Second Life, have you installed the Second Life client and setup your avatar? Check out our Getting Started resources for more info.
• Have you tested your voice setup? We will be using voice tools throughout the conference, so its a great idea to practice this before attending! Check out the SL Knowledge Base Voice Resources here for further info.
• Update your profile! Your avatar profile is a great way to share a little information about who you are and your interests and will help us all to get to know each other better. Watch a video about how to update your profile here!
• Add yourself to our Unconference Participants Page – this is another social networking space where we can connect with others and share interests.
• Tweet it, blog it, share it! – Even if you’re not facilitating a session, we’d love to see lots of tweets, blog posts, flickr images and the rest to help record the event! Dont forget to use the Unconference tag – #jokaydiaunconf.

Facilitator’s Checklist!

Firstly a HUUUUGE thanks to all the volunteer facilitators. You will be receiving notecards and messages later on today to confirm your session and coordinate the technical stuff. However, please consider the following list of issues:

• What resources will you be using?
• Do you need access to parcel media settings? for videos or other streaming media?
• Will you bringing your own slides or do you need assistance with uploads?
• What virtual tools or furniture do you need setup?
• Are you happy for us to record your session?
• Have you posted any relevent links or extra information about your session on the Unconference Schedule?
• Tweet it, blog it, share it! – We need lots of tweets, blog posts, flickr images and the rest to help record the event! Dont forget to use the Unconference tag – #jokaydiaunconf.

These questions and additional information including who will be helping you to manage your session will be provided in your notecards.

Need further info?

If you have any questions, queries, comments or feedback you can contact Jo Kay via the following channels:

• IM jokay Wollongong in Second life
• Email Jo Kay
• Twitter @jokay

As many readers of our tweets, group messages and facebooking will know, jokaydia is very pleased to be collaborating with the Macquarie University Learning and Teaching Centre to bring a new element to our Unconference… a face to face event!

MQUnconf09 is being held on Fri 25th Sept at MQ’s campus to coincide with the jokaydia Unconference and you’re invited to attend.. either physically or virtually!

Titled Rethink, Relearn, Renew, the MQUncon 09 is a FREE event for educators to connect and share ideas and solutions around using educational technology in learning and teaching.

About the Event

An unconference is a facilitated, participant-driven conference. During the day, people are free to present, share and particpate in a range of activities – sharing tips, stories and examples of using technology to enhance, augment and facilitate more effective learning and teaching.

The agenda for the day is organised largely by the attendees and will be faciliated by the Learning and Teaching Centre.

MQUncon09 is for educators, academics, researchers, policy makers, curriculum designers,? IT industry,? digital media developers, students and anyone interested in diverse views and approaches to learning and teaching to build and stregthen their personal learning networks though shared interests. The day seeks to offer a broad range activities driven by the community and participants. It is a BYOL event (bring your own laptop).

And best of all.. during the day we will be broadcasting both from Second Life and to Second Life to allow participants on the Islands of jokaydia to take part!

Topics could include discussions around:

• How is learning in the 21st Century shaping up?
• What does it mean for our learning spaces?
• What toolsets and pedagogical approaches successfull engage students?
• How will 21st century learning impact community, workplaces and education?

But the unconference day is shaped and driven by the attendees using only broad topics of facilitation.

How to Participate!

MQUncon 09 offers participants an inclusive opportunity to discuss, share and connect with leading educators and technologists about 21st century learning at the practical level, as well as listen to people who might be on a similar journey.

For further information or to volunteer to facilitate a session visit the MQUncon09 Wiki @ http://mquncon09.pbworks.com.

Please Register to Attend!

In order to attend you must register by 24th September for the on campus event. Please Register here.

The conference will be split between physical space and virtual space through the islands of Jokaydia, home to the Macquarie Second Life campus.

Note: You only need to register if you are attending the on campus event – but for those who are attending virtually, you are welcome to add your profile to our Participants Page!

How to get there

Macquarie University has a rail station on campus on the Epping to Chatswood line, is accessible by bus and has on campus parking (not free and the parking people are keen as so watch where you park) – Find more info here.

To join in on the days events via Second Life, simply teleport to the Islands of jokaydia Unconference Headquarters! (SLurl).

The jokaydia Unconference planning continues at a fabulous pace! You can view the draft schedule on the jokaydia Wiki @ http://jokaydia.com/unconference09, where we’ve already got a great range of sessions proposed, including:

• Games in learning
• Newbie skills in Second Life
• Creating Cases studies and promoting your educational projects
• Teachers without Borders
• Quest Atlantis
• Open Learning and Teacher Professional Development
• Safety and Security in virtual worlds
• Twitter
• History education in virtual worlds,
• Assessment and evaluation of 21st century learners
• Maslow’s hierarchical hideaway
• World of Warcraft
• the Second Life Education in New Zealand Projects.

Please feel free to add a sesssion on your particular area or topic of interest….. and remember, unconferences are about participation and sharing and everyone is welcome! You can propose a session here @ http://jokaydia.wikispaces.com/unconf09_draftschedule … and no session idea is too big or too small!! ;)

jokaydia Unconference Newbie Sessions!

To support those of you who are new to Second Life in participating in the Unconference, we are planning a series of newbie sessions in the leadup to the jokaydia Unconference. These have been designed to provide you with a crash course in using Second Life and attending an event inworld!

Our first session will be held this Thursday evening at 8:30pm AEST / 3:30am SLT (check your local time here) and will include an opportunity to:

• Develop basic skills – moving, chatting and navigating
• Using communication tools – text and voice chat
• Using the Second Life interface – mastering the camera, sound and video tools
• Basic Avatar Customisation.

To join in, simply signup for a Second Life account and meet us at the jokaydia Unconference 09 Headquarters on the Islands of jokaydia (SLurl).

Special Thanks!

A special thanks to all who have volunteered and contributed so far.. its your contributions that will make the event a great success!

Need More Info?

If you would like more information about the jokaydia Unconference 09, please visit our wiki pages, IM jokay Wollongong or email Jo Kay. You can also get regular updates by following @jokay on Twitter.

Help us promote the jokaydia Unconference 09 by sharing it with your network!

Below are 4 images/logos which you are welcome to add to your own website or blog, SL location or social networking site. Dont forget to include a link back to the jokaydia Unconference  Wiki page so that others can particpate in the event! (eg. http://jokaydia.wikispaces.com/unconference09)

For those with virtual spaces in Second Life, you might like to drop in to the jokaydia Unconference Headquarters, where you can grab a sign and landmark giver to place on your land.

To grab a copy simply click on the box I’ve setup inside the Unconference Headquarters! (SLurl)

And dont forget!….. our second unconference planning session is on tonight! Seeya there!

Thanks very much to the small group of jokaydians who joined us for the first of our Unconference Planning session yesterday! We came up with some great ideas for keynote speakers, newbie sessions and speaker support and plans are afoot! A special ‘woot’ for those who’ve already volunteered to facilitate a session at the unconference… its great to already see the program of events starting to take shape! ;)

For further details visit the jokaydia Unconference Wiki pages – which includes a draft schedule where you can propose a session and a volunteers page for those who’d like to support the event. You can also say hello to the new Island kitteh! ;)

To ensure that everyone has a chance to contribute their ideas and feedback, we’ll be holding a second information and planning session this Wednesday evening at the Unconference 2009 Headquarters (SLurl). Come along and share your thoughts and comments or find out more about how you can contribute to the big event!

Unconference Information Session – Wednesday 5 August 2009

• Time: 8pm AEST / 3am SLT
• Check your local time here!
• Location: jokaydia Unconference Headquarters! (SLurl)

Yes – its nearly that time! September is nearly here (!), its time to start planning our annual jokaydia Unconference – a weekend of fun, learning and sharing which will be happening from Friday 25th September – Sunday 27th September 2009 on the Islands of jokaydia in Second Life. Add the dates to your diary now!

The aim of our annual Unconference is to celebrate the year’s discoveries and achievements and to welcome SL residents both old and new to share their work. Last year’s event was fantastic  and brought together some amazing educators and community members… and I’m sure the 2009 event will be no different!

So what will happen at the Unconference?

That’s entirely up to the participants! I’ve created a framework for the event on the jokaydia Wikispace – you can access it here. There is a space for volunteers to add their contact details, a draft conference schedule where you can propose a session and a suggestion page where you can add notes or suggestions for the event.

Of course the topics for discussion and the focus of the event will be guided by the participants and could take many forms.  My hope is that it will combine a good mixture of formal sessions, open discussions, workshops and classes and opportunities for networking and socialising. We would also like to broaden the focus of the event to include education from k-corporate, arts and public education in virtual worlds… so the scope for sessions is varied and interesting!

Ideas for sessions could include:

• Give a presentation on a recent virtual worlds project or initiative
• Run a workshop which demonstrates a tool or strategy you’re using
• Lead a discussion on a hot topic or convene a panel session
• Introduce a 3D or Web 2.0 tool that you’re using
• Demonstrate a tool, script or environment you’ve created in Second Life
• Teach a building or scripting class and share your virtual worlds skills
• Create a roleplay or immersive activity for participants to visit during the unconference
• Run a newbie event for new residents
• Create an exhibit or display to share at the unconference
• Lead a tour of an outstanding project or location in Second Life
• Lead a tour of an outstanding project or location in Twinity, There, Active Worlds, Open Sim etc etc etc!

How to Get Involved! – Add Your Session or Suggestions to the Unconference Wiki pages

The jokaydia Unconference Wikispace Pages are designed to support collaboration and planning for the event and are open for all to edit. Please contribute your ideas and help us plan a better event!

Please also feel free to IM jokay Wollongong inworld, tweet @jokay or email jokay for further information.

Unconference 09 Headquarters!

The Unconference Headquarters has already been established and is located near the beach on jokaydia II! It will develop throughout the planning period and the unconference event and currently houses updates and information about the event, a suggestion box and draft schedule and various other resources. This space can also be used by teams and groups who are planning for the event as a meeting space; and will be used as the main coordination point during the event.

You can visit the jokaydia Unconference 09 Headquarters inworld on the Islands of jokaydia! (SLurl)

jokaydia Planning Sessions!

We’ll be holding a number of planning and information sessions over the few weeks, and I invite jokaydia community members to come along and  contribute to the planning and management of the upcoming Unconference and other events.

The first information/planning session will be held on Sunday 2nd August at our new cliff-side beach, where I have setup Unconference headquarters! Event details below.

jokaydia Unconference Planning Session 1

• Sydney Time: 3pm, 2nd August, 2009
• Second Life Time: 10pm, 1 August, 2009
• Location: jokaydia Beach (SLurl)
• Check your local time and date here!

These sessions will provide an opportunity for those who’d like to help to come along and volunteer, ask questions and propose ideas for the event.