The Future is History

Alas, the ETSU Gallery is no more.

Due to Linden Lab's  cancellation of educational incentives and their awkward handling of higher ed institution accounts, Second Life could no longer be supported by ETSU. I don't blame administrators for pulling the plug.

Many factors influenced this change.  For one, Linden Labs never seemed to grasp the full potential of higher education.  University educators can be instrumental and essential for facilitating the growth of new technology in the classroom.

For 23 years I have spearheaded the use of software and hardware on our campus, like many other university educators.  I've advised our university in the development of their labs and told them what software we needed to buy for the classroom.

If I received a commission on every computer and software program I recommended, I would be retired now.  And if I received a nickel for every recommendation that was passed on to someone else, I'd be living like a king.

I no longer introduce students to the creative potential of Second Life. I will no longer be introducing, encouraging, or requiring students to use Second Life.

I am reminded of a student who showed her mother how we were using Second Life for design projects.  Her mother eventually purchased her own simm....her sister created an account....her friends got involved with it.

Another business fails to appreciate word of mouth.  How is that possible in the age of Facebook?
One of the secrets of word of mouth advertising: it must come from a credible source....like professors.

Illustrated Novels

Students use virtual spaces to create illustrated novels.  They gain experience with composition, image collage, retouching, and layout.

Typography Students Test Visibility

Students display their typography exercises and test visibility when their designs are viewed from different distances and perspectives.  They learn the importance of testing legibility for signage and corporate identity systems.

Student Logos on T-shirts.

Students test their logo designs on t-shirts in Second Life.  They experience what happens when a 2d logo is applied to a 3d surface...and discover they must pay close attention to critical details of size, position, and placement.

Avatar Design

One of my favorite avatar designs to date.  The skin and shape are my creations, the clothing was purchased in-world.

Trying out Ideas

Design Principles

Students integrate foundations design principles into their constructions.