SL Tools: Getting the Most out of Groups
From SimTeach
More and more tools are becoming available for teachers in Second Life, but before we spend the time and Lindens on acquiring them, we should be thinking about optimum use of the tools we already have:
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Forming a group
You can belong to up to 25 groups; other residents can see your group membership by clicking on your profile.
You have the option of making your group private or public. Public groups are accessible through the search menu, and members can add themselves to the group. You can specify if there is a fee for joining the group. An example of a public group is Real Life Education in Second Life. Groups can also be set as private, with the listowner creating the group list or adding members as they apply.
The group's main page has a "group charter" section where the behavior, requirements, objectives, etc. of a given group may be posted. You also have the option of choosing an insignia. This could be useful in activites where groups interact: the insignia can be replicated on a T-shirt.
To form a group: click on your avatar: >groups >create. Creating a group costs L100, about 30 cents. Two members are required for the group to continue -- if you are setting up groups in advance, use an alt to ensure your group isn't deleted. To add students to a closed group, use the "members and roles" tab, then select "invite new person."
To join an open group: >find >groups tab >search for group >check to see it is an open (pubic) group >join now. The search menu is not case sensitive.
Group Names and Titles
Group membership can be shown above your avatar along with your name. This might be useful in helping students identify others in a study group, perhaps useful in an activity.
To show group title: Click on your avatar: >groups. A list of your groups appears. Click on the group you wish to have shown beneath your avatar's name (you may also choose "none"). If you prefer, you may go to >edit >preferences >general to set your avatar's appearance so that neither the name nor the group title appears.
For a fee, Linden Labs will set up a group of 25, all of whom can have the same last name. See their education page for details.
Roles and Abilities
There are a number of different roles and abilities that can be given to individuals in groups; however, I haven't found a need for these in class activities.
Building group presentations can present a problem when you divide the class into subgroups. In my own class, I had five groups, each working on a different project, and one main group for the entire class. This worked very well until the end of term, when students built their presentations. The land was set to the entire group, and students who had their subgroup as their active group weren't able to build. They would also set permissions to the subgroup instead of to the main group. We need a better way of dealing with student submissions.
UPDATE: Jeremy Kemp is developing what looks to be a really useful tool for this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VUUnnLm-AG4
Communication and Exchange
Friends List
The "friends list" is more limited than the "groups" function, but it has more flexibility. You can easily call up an individual student for a quick chat, or you can click on a number of students in your "friends" list for an impromptu discussion. To put students on your list, you must first "offer friendship" through the list. Offering and accepting friendship on the first day of class can become a bit complicated; this is better left until all the basic organizing has been done.
Groups Function
Although you may wish to divide your students into smaller groups for team projects, it is best to have one group to which all members of the class belong. The main group is useful for keeping students on track, as well as for many administrative duties. To take roll of all students, you have only to set the group members list to sort by avatar name. To get feedback from students, use the "vote" option in the groups menu.
Students who administer a team effort through a subgroup can use the "groups" function in the same way as the teacher. They can find out if other members of the team are online by looking at the group list, and, like the teacher, they can send messages, objects, landmarks, and notecards to each other (see below).
You can send landmarks and objects to the group though a notecard (>inventory >create >new note) Create a note, drag landmarks and objects to the note, save and rename the note. The note can then be sent to students in several ways:
Send to individuals: A notecard can be sent through instant messaging (a link to the student's profile appears in the IM menu. Drag the notecard to the bar at the bottom of the profile) You can also send a notecard to an individual who is not online by calling up their profile. They will be notified that inventory is waiting for them to pick up.
Send to groups: You can send notices to the entire group through the groups menu. ( >groups >select group >info >notices.) To send a notecard as well, type in your notice, then drag your notecard to the bar at the bottom of the page. Your notecard will be sent as an attachment, and the recipient will have the option to open and keep it.
Group members can opt out of receiving group messages, while still remaining in the group. (>groups >general >receive group notices)
Some uses of notecards:
Send an orientation card, with a list of places to visit. Conduct a scavenger hunt, with instructions on finding things in SL ("find a freebie store and get a chair") Send costumes, or other clothing the group may wish to wear. Send assignments for group activities.
Set Land
Second Life help page on land: [1]
You can set your land so students can practice their building skills, and you can allow their builds and presentations to be persistent:
To set land to group: You must be on the land itself to do this: >click on the ground >about land >set group
To set a portion of your land as a sandbox: >click on the ground >edit terrain >select land >use cursor to define an area >subdivide
To return objects of those not in your group: >click on the ground >about land >objects >autoreturn other residents' objects
To allow students to set your land as their "home" you must deed the land to the group. This may cause problems with returning individual students' objects, as well as other administrative problems. Another way to allow them to return quickly to class is to have them make a folder of important landmarks, and have them name it "1". This will bring the folder to the top of the inventory list.
Scripted Objects
You can script an object that has special functions only available to members of your group. Purchased objects can also be set to group, with the appropriate permissions.
How to: Click on the object, >edit >set to group
