From SimTeach

OVERVIEW

Second Life Groups are a great way to meet people with similar interests. Some groups are focused around Second Life interests, like building or scripting, while others might be about things associated with life outside of Second Life - such as geographical locations, cultures, ideas or hobbies.

Learning Standards Addressed
McRel Learning Standards
Language Arts	Listening and Speaking: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes; Adjusts message wording and delivery to particular audiences and for particular purposes (e.g., to defend a position, to entertain, to inform, to persuade)
Language Arts	Writing: Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing; Uses a variety of techniques to convey a personal style and voice (e.g., stream of consciousness, multiple viewpoints)
Technology	Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual; Observes common courtesies and acceptable use policies while telecomputing
Behavioral Studies	Understands various meanings of social group, general implications of group membership, and different ways that groups function
Working with Others	Contributes to the overall effort of a group; Works cooperatively within a group to complete tasks, achieve goals, and solve problems
21st Century Student Outcomes
Learning and Innovation Skills	Communication and Collaboration
Information, Media and Technology Skills	ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
Life and Career Skills	Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

POWER-UP:

TERMS:

Insignia: An image or drawing that is the symbol of a group or organization

Charter: the goals and rules set by the group founder

(What you will learn) By the end of this module, you will have the following power(s):

• Searching for and joining groups that interest you
• Viewing a group charter and insignia
• Selecting and activating your group title
• Viewing the active members of your groups
• Learning what roles and abilities are available to you within your groups
• Sending group messages and group notices
• Voting on group proposals
• Visiting group land

You will demonstrate your new powers by:

• Searching for groups that share your interests
• Joining at least one group
• Selecting and activating your group titles
• Viewing your group abilities
• Sending group messages
• Reading group notices and proposals

Do you have these powers already? Skip ahead to the ACTION PLAN section below.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:

(What you need to know to learn this power) Before learning this power, you need to have completed the following levels/modules:

• Levels 1-4

MATERIALS:

Item Location Group Information Search > Groups

ACTION PLAN

Before you begin any missions, let's see if you've already developed any of these powers. If you can complete the following activity successfully, you can skip this module! If not, complete the missions and learn how to do it.

TAKE ACTION:

Here is a challenge. Identify a social issue in your home community, and use the search directory to find a group relating to this issue. Join the group as a member and select your group title. Explore the roles available to you, and the abilities you have in those roles. If you need a suggestion, join the Global Kids group! Explore the roles available to you, and the abilities you have in those roles. After viewing past group notices and proposals, do you think this group makes use of the democratic process? Do group members have a say in important decisions? Blog it!

Contents 1 Introduction to Groups 1.1 Instruction 1.2 Practice 1.3 Action Plan 2 Basic Group Information 2.1 Instruction 2.2 Practice 2.3 Action Plan 3 Viewing Group Details 3.1 Instruction 3.2 Practice 3.3 Action Plan 4 Viewing Group Details 4.1 Instruction 4.2 Practice 4.3 Action Plan 5 Group Communication 5.1 Instruction 5.2 Practice 5.3 Action Plan 6 Group Land and L$ 6.1 Instruction 6.2 Practice 6.3 Action Plan

Introduction to Groups

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 1

Joining Second Life Groups is a fantastic way of staying in touch with friends and making new ones! Second Life Groups make it easy for you to organize events and communicate your ideas with groups of people. See the Torley video tutorial How to create and join a group?.

Instruction

Did you know you can belong to 25 groups at a time? You will begin by learning how to find and join a group that interests you.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Searching for Groups
Click on the Search button at the bottom of your screen, and then click on the Groups tab of the Search directory. Search > Groups Next to the Find box you can type in a phrase or keyword to find groups you're interested in. When you hit the Search button, you will get a list of groups. TRY IT NOW:

Open the Groups tab of the Search window. Search for groups using the keyword learning. Did you get any results? What kinds of things are people gathering to learn together in Second Life?

Step 2: Sorting Groups
Some groups may have thousands of people in them, but a group only needs 2 members. You can sort the groups by size by clicking on the Members column head. TRY IT NOW:

Click the Members column header to sort the list. Which group has the most members? Click it again to show the smallest groups.

Step 3: Finding More Groups
At the bottom left of the Group Search window you will see a results count showing how many groups matched your search criteria. If there are many groups that matched your search criteria, you may not see a complete list. If this is the case, at the bottom of your search results you will see a blue Next> button to see more results. TRY IT NOW:

Search groups for the word club. Were there many? Use the Next> button to see more groups.

Action Plan

SHOWING OFF YOUR NEW POWER:

Take some time to use the Groups Search to find two or three groups you might be interested in joining.

Basic Group Information

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 2

You may be surprised by how many Second Life groups there are! SL Groups are created by Second Life residents like you. A group can be formed around almost any topic.

Instruction

The General tab of the Group window holds all the basic information about a group. You will see the Group Charter, Group Insignia, a list of Owners and visible Members, and basic group preferences. You will find the Join button for any groups set to Open Enrollment.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Viewing a Group Charter and Insignia
The first thing you will see in the Group window is the Founder's name, along with the Group Insignia and Group Charter. The insignia is an image representing the group. The Group Charter usually states the purpose or goals of the group, along with any membership requirements. TRY IT NOW:

View the Charter and Insignia for one of the groups you found in Mission 1. Are there any rules for membership? Does the Charter state any goals for the group?

Step 2: Joining a Group
Some groups have Open Enrollment - which means that anyone is permitted to join. If this is the case, there will be a blue Join button beneath the group's insignia. On the Join button you will see the membership dues. Usually, groups are free to join, but sometimes there may be a fee. If the group is not Open Enrollment then you will need to contact a group owner and request an invitation. TRY IT NOW:

View the Join options for a few groups. Are most free to join? Are there any groups you are interested that are not Open Enrollment?

Step 3: Viewing Group Owners and Members
In the bottom half of the Group window you will see a list of Group Members. The names of the Group Owners will appear bold. You can also see each member's group Title. The online column is only available to current members of the group. If you double click on a member's name you will be able to view that avatar's profile window. TRY IT NOW:

Find the name of one of the owners of a group that is not open enrollment. Double click that avatar's name to view his or her profile.

Action Plan

SHOWING OFF YOUR NEW POWER:

Decide on at least one group to join. If the group is open enrollment, use the Join button to become a member. If it is an invite-only group, find one of the owner's in the Members list. Use the Instant Message button in that person's profile to send them an IM explaining why you'd like to join the group and request an invitation.

Viewing Group Details

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 3

Have you noticed the extra title above some residents' names? Now that you belong to a group, you can select your own group title.

Instruction

As a new member of one or more groups, you will learn more about the details of group membership. First you will learn how to view all of your current groups. You will also see how to activate a group title in order to let the rest of the world know about your membership.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Viewing your Groups

You may belong to a maximum of 25 groups at any time. You can see a list of your current groups by going to the Edit menu and clicking on Groups. This will open the Communicate window directly to the Groups tab. Edit > Groups TRY IT NOW:

Click on the Edit menu and open your Groups list. How many groups are you currently a member of?

Step 2: Activating a Group Title

A Group Title is optional text that can appear along with your name above your avatar. You can select which group's title to activate, or have no group title at all. Within the Group tab of the Communicate window you can select one of your groups in the list and click the Activate button. You should see additional text appear over your avatar's head. If you prefer, you can also select the word none in the group list, and then click the Activate button. This will remove any group title from your avatar.

TRY IT NOW:

Select one of your groups and activate the group title. Remove the title by selecting none, or select another group to activate.

Step 3: Viewing more Group Info
As a group member, you can see more information about your group. In the Group tab of the Communicate window, you can select a group from the list, and then click the Info button to the right. This window looks like the Search directory. Now that you are a member of the group, you can view all 5 tabs of the Group window. TRY IT NOW:

Open the Group Information window for one of the groups that you belong to.

Step 4: Selecting an Active Title

Sometimes, you may also have more than one title available to you within a group. In the General tab of the Group window there is a My Active Title drop down menu.
TRY IT NOW:

In the General tab of the Group window, locate the My Active Title drop down menu. Your current group title will show. If you have more than one title to choose from you will be able to use this drop down menu to select it.

Action Plan

SHOWING OFF YOUR NEW POWER:

Give yourself some time to view what title options are available in the groups to which you belong. Activate the one you would like to use.

Viewing Group Details

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 4

As a member of a group, it is important for you to know what your abilities and responsibilities are within the group.

Instruction

Every member of a group is assigned to at least one role in each group. Each role has a set of permissions or abilities within the group. For example, not all members may be able to invite other members into the group. In this mission you will learn about group members' abilities and roles.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Viewing Members and Roles
The second tab in the Group Information window is Members & Roles. This window has three sections: Members, Roles and Abilities.
TRY IT NOW:

Open the Group Information window for one of your groups. Switch to the Members & Roles tab, and view the Members, Roles and Abilities sections.

Step 2: Viewing Group Members
The Members section of the Group Information window has details about each group member, what role(s) they belong to within the group, and their last login date. There are also Invite and Eject options, for members who have been given that ability.
TRY IT NOW:

Find your own name in the Members list (either scroll through the list or use the built-in search feature). Select your name and view which Assigned Roles and Allowed Abilities you have for that group.

Step 3: Viewing Group Roles
Every group has different roles for its members. Each role has different abilities, and it's own group title, too. In the Roles window you can learn what the different group roles are, and how many people belong to each.
TRY IT NOW:

Switch to the Roles tab and select the Title and Description for each role. Which role has the most members?

Step 4: Viewing Group Abilities
One of the main differences between roles is the different abilities each has. The Abilities tab explains each ability and shows which roles have that ability.
TRY IT NOW:

Switch to the Abilities tab within Members & Roles. Select Invite People to this Group. Which roles have this power? Do you?

Action Plan

SHOWING OFF YOUR NEW POWER:

Take time to view all of the Abilities for one of your groups. What powers do you have for that group? If you belong to any other groups, find out what abilities you have in those groups; what does one group offer you that another does not?

Group Communication

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 5

Now that you belong to a Group, you will need to know how to get in touch with your new friends and take part in the discussions within the group.

Instruction

Group communication includes a basic group chat, group notices to make announcements to the entire group, and even a voting system to help make decisions that will affect the group.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Sending a Group IM
Sending a Group IM is very much like sending an IM to a resident. In the Communication window, switch to the Groups tab. You may select one of your groups and use the IM/Call button. Your message will be sent to any group members who are currently logged into Second Life. TRY IT NOW:

Select one of your groups and send an IM introducing yourself to the other members.

Step 2: Viewing Group Notices
A Group Notice is an announcement made to the group. It is different from an IM because it is only a single message and it is sent out to all residents, even if they are not logged in. You can also add items to notice, such as a notecard or t-shirt. Residents who are not logged in when the notice is sent will get the notice the next time they log in. You can view past notices or create new ones in the Notices tab of the Group window. You can also sort old notices by subject, name of the sender, or date by selecting Subject, From or Date. TRY IT NOW:

Open the Notices tab of the Group window for one of your groups. Sort the list by date, then locate and read the most recent Group Notice.

Step 3: Viewing Group Proposals
Often a group will want to vote on something. The Group Proposal tool sends out a proposal to the group that is like a group notice, but has a vote option. When all votes are counted, the results can be used to make important decisions. In the Proposal tab of the Group window you can view current and past proposals. Check to see if you've already voted on any proposals, and (if you have the ability) create a new Proposal. TRY IT NOW:

View the Proposals tab of the Group window for one of your groups. Take a minute to view past proposals. Note: If the create new note or create Proposal button is grayed out, go back and look at your group abilities. Do you have the ability to create notes in your role?

Action Plan

SHOWING OFF YOUR NEW POWER:

Now that you know how to communicate with your group members, go through your groups' past Notices and Proposals. Does it seem like your group uses these tools often?

Group Land and L$

LEVEL 5 MODULE: COMMUNICATION: JOINING A GROUP - MISSION 6

Did you know that groups can share property or even businesses? Sometimes when people begin a Second Life business together, they will use a group to help manage land owned by the business, and goods and sales for the business.

Instruction

Group-owned land is land that is not owned by an individual resident, but by the group itself. Land that is deeded to a group may be controlled by any group members with land abilities. A group can also own items that are for sale within Second Life. Funds from the sale of group objects are evenly distributed among members of the group with accounting abilities. Note: Go back to the Members & Roles tab to see which of these abilities you may have in your groups.

Practice

TRY THIS:

Step 1: Viewing Group Land and L$
The Land and L$ tab of the Group window displays any land parcels currently owned by the group. TRY IT NOW:

View the Group Land and L$ tab of your groups. Do any of your groups own land? If so, take a minute to visit a few of your group parcels.

Step 2: Viewing Land Contributions
Beneath the list of Group Land is the Contribution section. Here you can see how many square meters of land your group owns. You can also use this window later to add land contribution to the group if you wish.

• Total Contribution: How many land credits have been donated by members of the group
• Total Land in Use: How much land is currently owned by the group
• Land Available: How much more land the group can own at this time

TRY IT NOW:

Select one of your groups and view the contribution information. Does that group have any extra land credits?

Step 3: Viewing Group L$
Groups may not carry a balance of L$. When a Group makes a profit, that profit is distributed to group members with the accounting ability. You can view the group funds, sales and balance in the Group Land and L$ tab. If your group role has the accounting ability, you can also see what your individual share of the current profit is. TRY IT NOW:

Look through your various groups. Do any of your groups seem to be making a profit on a Second Life business?

Action Plan

TAKE ACTION:

Now that you know all the features available to you within groups, here is a challenge. Identify a social issue in your home community, and use the search directory to find a group relating to this issue. Join the group as a member and select your group title. If you need a suggestion, join the Global Kids group! Explore the roles available to you, and the abilities you have in those roles. After viewing past group notices and proposals, do you think this group makes use of the democratic process? Do group members have a say in important decisions? Blog it!