COMMUNITY VIRTUAL LIBRARY (Board, Founding member)

Website: https://communityvirtuallibrary.org/

The Community Virtual Library began in Second Life in 2007 as the Info Archipelago, part of the Alliance Library System. In 2017, CVL joined the IRC 501(c)3 nonprofit New Media Arts Inc.

CVL’s main library branch is located on Cookie Island in Second Life (SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cookie/191/210/21).

CVL is also building branches and partnering with existing libraries in 3DWebWorldz, Avacon, CybaLOUNGE, and Kitely.

The Community Virtual Library provides free library resources and services to the residents of Second Life. CVL provides a demonstration virtual library with open-source content, and has exhibit, presentation, and meeting spaces available to CVL members and affiliated groups. CVL volunteer members are librarians, educators, and library lovers.

Vision Statement: Virtual spaces for learning, resource-sharing, and exploration.

Mission Statement: Community Virtual Library is the hub that connects digital citizens in virtual worlds with the information and resources they seek.

Guiding Principles

• Advocate digital citizenship
• Understanding the changing needs of library users and learners in digital culture, the Community Virtual Library (CVL) strives to model digital citizenship for all age groups.
• Foster connecting virtual communities

CVL believes virtual communities are vital “resources” for digital citizens and fosters networking and forming community partnerships as well as sharing communities of interest with visitors.

Support information literacy

CVL embeds core values of librarianship in new media formats with emphasis on respect for intellectual property, information freedom rights of all users, and personal responsibility for digital citizenship.

Adapt and innovate

CVL models adapting technology tools to meet the needs of learners and information seekers through innovative formats in virtual spaces, including sharing virtual worlds, landmarks to immersive learning environments, collections of virtual learning communities, and exploration of virtual reality.

WHOLE BRAIN HEALTH (Board, Founding member)

Website: https://virtualinspirationisland.org/programs/

Inspiration Island in Second Life is the home of the Whole Brain Health group.

The name Whole Brain Health (WBH) reflects our multi-faceted approach to brain fitness. The fact that it takes place in a 3-dimensional environment allows a level of engagement that is unique to online brain-training programs. When you move through space in avatar form, your interaction with what you are learning is very direct and powerful.

Your brain is just one part of the you as a whole person. It interacts with the rest of your body and with the world outside of you. Your brain’s health is affected by many things, current research shows — not only your genetics but also your habits, behavior, and experiences.

The WBH program uses this current research to improve your brain’s day to day functioning now and its vitality over time. WBH activities offer a wide variety of ways to increase your focus, attention, concentration, processing speed, problem-solving capability, memory, positive feelings, sense of purpose, self-expression, positive social interactions, and self-care. All of these are key contributors to brain health.

You will read many reports these days about things you can do to make a difference in your brain’s future…whether it deteriorates or continues to flourish. It’s important to educate yourself about them.

What we offer on Inspiration Island – besides this crucial information – are many interesting and enjoyable ways to actually test out theory. Because, while your avatar is exploring our over 30 locations on the island, you will be doing the most extensive form of brain training you can find online. Everything here is designed with that goal in mind. And what you try in-world can be carried out into the rest of your life, if you wish.

What is the goal of brain training, after all, but to strengthen and expand your ability to have as high a quality of life as possible, for as long as possible? Our commitment is to help you achieve that goal.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Island/151/231/38

OCTAGON: CREATIVE EXPLORATION (Board, Founding member)

Dedicated to applied arts processes used as tools for self-awareness, relationship exploration, personal/ professional development and lifelong learning.

Are you a coach, trainer, therapist, group facilitator, educator or manager? Marly/Niela has developed tools which can provide new intuitive perspectives for you, your colleagues, your students, and the people with whom you work.

SYMBOLIC MODELING

Symbolic Modeling (SymMod for short) is a special way of making it possible to explore challenges, problems, or new opportunities using arts-based processes for gaining perspectives and insights that are not possible to acquire by thinking or talking alone. We have used this extensively in the virtual world of Second Life, but it can be applied anywhere.

For more information about Marly Milena (Niela Miller.M.S. Education/Communications):

http://www.peoplesystemspotential.com/index.php

You can see the Marly Milena Music Library at CVL:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cookie/117/164/22

and the Butterfly Gallery at Whole Brain Health:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Inspiration%20Island/42/117/23

ROCKCLIFFE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM (Board, Founding member)

Website: https://urockcliffe.com/

Rockcliffe University Consortium is a global online organization dedicated to the advancement of service, education, and research in 3D virtual environments (S.E.R.V.E.) through collaborative “work-as-play” initiatives including networking, journals, conferences, forums, academic programs, research and development, and virtual prototyping. Our core competencies center on just-in-time education methods and best practices using virtual technologies.

Service and Education: Rockcliffe supports the advancement of service and education in 3d virtual environments by providing public education to help individuals and organizations overcoming the learning curve associated with virtual collaborative workspaces. Our services include forums, seminars, and educational programs on 3D content development, collaborative workspace effectiveness, and social implications of virtual environments. Specifically our focus is on how virtual environments influence knowledge emergence, knowledge transfer, and their impacts.

Research Outreach: Rockcliffe supports the advancement of research into virtual cognitive sciences and virtual environments through public services including our academic research library, peer review journals, and hybrid conferences involving live and virtual interaction.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20I/129/41/22

NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Board, Founding member)

Website: https://www.nvcc.edu/

NOVA is located just west of Washington, DC, our College has six campuses and has students, faculty, and staff from over 100 countries. The campus currently has 15 different activities in Biology. Handouts are available at each station.

We have established a significant teaching and learning presence in Second Life.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/NOVA%20Community%20College/84/167/23

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO (Board, Founding member)

CENTER FOR DIGITAL LEARNING

Website: https://www.unm.edu/

Founded in 1889 as New Mexico’s flagship institution, The University of New Mexico now occupies nearly 800 acres near old Route 66 in the heart of Albuquerque, a metropolitan area of more than 500,000 people. From the magnificent mesas to the west, past the banks of the historic Rio Grande to the Sandia Mountains to the east, Albuquerque is a blend of culture and cuisine, styles and stories, people, pursuits and panoramas.

Offering a distinctive campus environment with a Pueblo Revival architectural theme, the campus buildings echo nearby Pueblo Indian villages. The nationally recognized campus arboretum and the popular duck pond offer an outstanding botanical experience in the midst of one of New Mexico’s great public open spaces.

UNM Center For Digital Learning (CDL): The Center supports instructors in designing and building online, hybrid, and web-enhanced courses. We provide both instructional design as well as media services to instructors and empower them to implement and assess evidence-based practices from the science of teaching and learning in order to support student success at UNM.

The University of New Mexico has been developing and supporting online learning since 1997 and technology supported distance education since 1985.

UNM SL Campus: Allows instructors a Virtual Campus to teach and meet students in an innovative and creative setting. Our long term goal for the campus is to explore opportunities for Distance Education in virtual worlds and beyond.

Please visit our campus at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20Village/42/43/23

NONPROFIT COMMONS (Board, Founding member)

Website: http://www.nonprofitcommons.org

Our Mission: Nonprofit Commons connects communities for social good through education, networking, and collaboration. The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life created a community for nonprofits, educators, humanitarians, scientists, and artists to explore and learn about virtual worlds, foster connections, and discover the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize the unique environment of Second Life to achieve their mission.

We meet weekly on Fridays at 8:30 – 10:00 AM SLT at the Plush Amphitheater. We believe that Second Life is a wonderful place to educate, inspire, and work together to assist our fellow nonprofit supporters. You do not have to be a member of the Nonprofit Commons to attend meetings or get involved with our community. We welcome all who wish to join us as partners, collaborators, and supporters.

Plush Amphitheater: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/91/127/26

VIRTUAL WORLDS EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE (Board, Founding member)

Website: https://vwer.info/

Welcome to VWER, the Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable. We meet on Thursdays at 12 noon SLT (Pacific US time) for an hour (8 pm in the UK, 3 pm Eastern US time. VWER is a forum to educate and inform the community about issues that are important and relevant to education in virtual worlds. VWER meets in the 3D virtual world, Second Life (™ Linden Lab) at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/234/24/22

We keep and publish meeting transcripts, which are archived on this website. Transcripts are lightly edited for clarity.

VWER was founded in 2008 (initially with the name “Second Life Education Roundtable”) and has been running continuously since then, developing a community of educators from around the world.

Please join the VWER group in Second Life. Join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/159154226946/ . Also find and post pictures to our Flickr group at https://www.flickr.com/groups/vwer/ and follow us on Twitter @VWER https://twitter.com/VWER. When you blog or tweet, please remember to include the tag #vwer, where you can catch up on our Tweetchat.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Infolit%20iSchool/231/26/22

BUILDER’S BREWERY (Board, Founding member)

Website: http://buildersbrewery.com/

Established in early 2008, the Builder’s Brewery is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit free school, help group, and creative resource. A rather strange name for a school perhaps, but that’s just a hint of what makes this thriving, creative, education-based community so much fun.

We are proud to be THE largest, and one of he most active and respected educational resources on the Second Life grid, if not in all virtual worlds for that matter. From our highly acclaimed school with free classes, to our fun and helpful ”Builders Brewery” group, a three-time winner of the coveted Avi Choice Award for “Second Life’s Favorite Group”

We strive to promote and elevate the quality of virtual environments, as well as the user experience, through education, sharing, and support, in a relaxed, social, and immersive atmosphere. A fun, yet serious platform, for individuals to learn best practices, and encourage high standards in all aspects of their creativity and content creation for virtual environments.

Our brand of Education does not just stop at teaching one how to create for virtual environments, we also provide education in areas outside of the virtual environment, such as business and marketing, to photography and other specialties. We believe that creating and learning does not just stop at skillsets attained, but we strongly encourage the core values of respecting Intellectual Property Rights of creators, as well as respect for the surrounding environment, and the interaction with individuals from all walks of life and ability. We are in the era of online learning, where we have an International community, brought together as one. We believe all of these factors are the foundation required to help build for better, more successful Virtual Environments long into the future.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Builders%20Brewery/110/157/23

ETOPIA

Website: http://etopiaisland.org

Step into a world that embraces a way of living built on cooperation and respect for each other and the world around us. We are a reflection of what we believe is possible in real life.

Etopia was created in 2007 and has evolved over the years to become Second Life’s premier sustainable living community. We showcase real world examples of regenerative living, education, and a deepening sense of community among the residents.

Whether you’re someone looking for a diverse and engaging community, a student studying the impact of fossil fuel production, or a professional looking for a virtual workplace Etopia has it all.

From the moment you enter Etopia Plaza you’ll experience a community like no other, built on core principles of regenerative living, cooperation, and the best way to support the collective good. And we’re a lot of fun! From our Weakly Bored Meatings to our annual Talk Like A Pirate Day to our Earth Day Celebration you’re bound to find something that will keep you interested and involved.

BEST Website: https://brainenergysupportteam.org

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Etopia%20Island/193/53/22

VIRTECH

Website: https://virtual.caltech.edu/virtech

Virtech is an experimental virtual campus, operated by the Virtual Reality Laboratory of the Center for Data-Driven Discovery at Caltech. It is a member of the Eduverse community in SL.

It can be used for any academic research or educational purpose, professional or social events, discussions, etc. – or simply to relax in a pleasant environment. While the sim is focused on the educator community in SL, it is open to anyone. Just treat everyone professionally and respectfully. You can navigate using the teleporters (blue circles), or just walk or fly around.

We are open to collaborations, and we are hosting other education-related groups at the 2 km level. Currently this includes Univ. of New Mexico, Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE), and the Geology and Natural History Museum.

A white paper about this project: https://tinyurl.com/aboutvirtech

Please visit us at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtech/128/125/31

THE SCIENCE CIRCLE

Website: https://www.sciencecircle.org/

The Science Circle is a multinational alliance of scientists, educators, students, and science enthusiasts collaborating to share knowledge and promote open-source education around the world. We value dialogue within a community that promotes inclusion, diversity, and respect. The mission of the Science Circle is to enhance understanding and learning and to promote dialogue broadly across disciplines with an emphasis on the sciences within the context of a virtual environment that allows for participation on a global scale. There are regular weekly public lectures or discussions on Saturdays at 10 am SLT.

Please visit us in SL at:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/57/128/29

CONFEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC SIMULATORS

The Confederation of Democratic Simulators (CDS) is a democratically governed estate owned by its residents. The themes, design of public buildings, tier rates, and group bylaws are established by an elected Representative Assembly. Since September 2004, the group grew from a corner of mainland at Anzere, to six regions. The themes are alpine and Tuscan. Most of CDS is open to the public and is ideal for hiking and horseback riding. But a few places of interest should not be missed.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//132/175/174

Don’t go down into the crypt!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//227/198/190

Look for the secret passages.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//202/198/178

Try the Neualtenbrau. Our founder Kendra Bancroft’s own.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Monastery/218/133/98

— Get religion, I just don’t know which one.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colonia%20Nova/132/233/45

Clean up the Roman way.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colonia%20Nova/11/126/23

Modeled after the Praetorium in Cologne, Gr.

The Citizens of The CDS welcome you!

MAIN SLURL
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colonia%20Nova/11/126/23

OCEAN CARE WORLD ALLIANCE

Experience the Ocean includes a Marine Science Center, Deep Dive Area and two beaches. The sim is maintained by OCWA, a group of environmentalists who are concerned about the human impact on our oceans and marine life. We are dedicated to virtual education in partnership with SEE Turtles.org, an environmental organization dedicated to saving endangered sea turtles in our oceans.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Experience%20The%20Ocean/193/129/97

VWEC IN KITELY

The Virtual Worlds Education Consortium Kitely Community began with an educator round-up on January 16, 2023.  Quarterly meetings will take place on the 3^rd Monday of January, April, July, and October.  The first quarterly meeting was held on April 17, 2023 and hosted by the VWEC Kitely Ambassador Bruce Gross (Cooper Swizzle in Kitely). Beyond Second Life, VWEC explores the metaverse for teaching and learning with the following mission:

The Virtual Worlds Education Consortium’s purpose is to bring educators in virtual worlds together, both to share what has been successful and to tackle obstacles across different platforms and communities.

Please visit us at:

hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/Creative Collaborators/580/588/27

MINETEST

The Virtual Worlds Education Consortium launched in VWEC Minetest Club with a 2023 Summer Camp.  The purpose of the VWEC Minetest Club is to provide a Minecraft-like virtual sandbox that allow educators to explore at no cost and learn the potential for bringing students into the metaverse before investing in a paid version. K-12 classrooms and communities can explore and learn best practices for building. All skills learned in Minetest are transferable into Minecraft.

VWEC Minetest Ambassador: Maha Abdelmoneim (avatar name: OliveTree Lighthouse).

You can download Minetest here:

https://www.minetest.net/