Comments on: Speaking in Second Life — and a Request http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/ A School Library Journal Blog Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:26:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Elizabeth Wrigley-Field http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-608 Elizabeth Wrigley-Field Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:29:22 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-608 Hi, I just wanted to thank Marc and Jeannine for the thought-provoking responses to my question (and Marc for posting it in the first place). Many options to explore! Hi, I just wanted to thank Marc and Jeannine for the thought-provoking responses to my question (and Marc for posting it in the first place). Many options to explore!

]]> By: Kevin Jarrett http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Kevin Jarrett Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:25:05 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-609 Hi everyone, hope you'll pardon this jump into the middle of your conversation, I left a lengthy comment for Marc immediately after his presentation in Second Life and the SLJ blog software ate it... :/ Marc, thank you so much for coming inworld and sharing your expertise with us at ISTE Island in Second Life. I've uploaded your slides here for all to see: tinyurl.com/5ygskp. We had over 60 avatars at one point making your presentation one of the most popular in recent weeks. Glitches aside, your material was extremely compelling (as I knew it would be), even though only about '60% of you' (my estimation) came through during the talk. It's terrific that you are willing to come back inworld and continue this conversation. I'd be happy to facilitate in this regard if I can! Happy holidays to all, Kevin Jarrett ISTE Second Life Speaker Series Chair kevin.jarrett@gmail.com Hi everyone, hope you’ll pardon this jump into the middle of your conversation, I left a lengthy comment for Marc immediately after his presentation in Second Life and the SLJ blog software ate it… :/

Marc, thank you so much for coming inworld and sharing your expertise with us at ISTE Island in Second Life. I’ve uploaded your slides here for all to see: tinyurl.com/5ygskp. We had over 60 avatars at one point making your presentation one of the most popular in recent weeks.

Glitches aside, your material was extremely compelling (as I knew it would be), even though only about ’60% of you’ (my estimation) came through during the talk. It’s terrific that you are willing to come back inworld and continue this conversation. I’d be happy to facilitate in this regard if I can!

Happy holidays to all,

Kevin Jarrett
ISTE Second Life Speaker Series Chair
kevin.jarrett@gmail.com

]]> By: Kevin Jarrett http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-610 Kevin Jarrett Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:23:50 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-610 Hi everyone, hope you'll pardon this jump into the middle of your conversation, I left a lengthy comment for Marc immediately after his presentation in Second Life and the SLJ blog software ate it... :/ Marc, thank you so much for coming inworld and sharing your expertise with us at ISTE Island in Second Life. I've uploaded your slides here for all to see: tinyurl.com/5ygskp. We had over 60 avatars at one point making your presentation one of the most popular in recent weeks. " Hi everyone, hope you’ll pardon this jump into the middle of your conversation, I left a lengthy comment for Marc immediately after his presentation in Second Life and the SLJ blog software ate it… :/

Marc, thank you so much for coming inworld and sharing your expertise with us at ISTE Island in Second Life. I’ve uploaded your slides here for all to see: tinyurl.com/5ygskp. We had over 60 avatars at one point making your presentation one of the most popular in recent weeks.

”

]]> By: Marc Aronson http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-611 Marc Aronson Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:22:53 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-611 So much depends on how you see the book. If you aim mainly at interest on the part of readers, backmatter should be in the back -- or, better, on the web. If you see the book mainly as something to be read and used in class, then there is a value in giving teachers an easy package. That brings up the matter of format -- are you publishing in hardcover or paperback? Could you publish a teachers' edition that has a lot stuff, and a url for more, and a cheaper pb aimed directly at kids? So much depends on how you see the book. If you aim mainly at interest on the part of readers, backmatter should be in the back — or, better, on the web. If you see the book mainly as something to be read and used in class, then there is a value in giving teachers an easy package. That brings up the matter of format — are you publishing in hardcover or paperback? Could you publish a teachers’ edition that has a lot stuff, and a url for more, and a cheaper pb aimed directly at kids?

]]> By: Elizabeth Wrigley-Field http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-612 Elizabeth Wrigley-Field Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:07:54 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-612 Jeannine, thank you very much for these thoughts. I agree with you about the author's personal voice being the key to the project. One thing I like about her blog is that is captures both the terrible fear and anxiety of living in wartime, but also the author's attempts to go about living her life. She's a teenager, after all; she's fighting with her sister, reading Harry Potter, and studying for exams... but she's also doing those things without electricity, with her school getting closed by curfews, and with a constant threat of violence. I think that combination really helps readers to put themselves in her shoes and imagine this being their life. Our dilemma is that we have also heard from a lot of teachers and librarians that they feel a dearth of materials, especially non-fiction materials, about daily life in Iraq, and would appreciate materials that they can use in a classroom setting. We've been trying to balance this, for example, by deciding to put timelines in the back of the book (instead of an original idea of having them on the side of the page). In part, it's a balance between what teachers will find useful and what teenagers will want to pick up on their own. I would really appreciate others weighing in with thoughts on this. Jeannine, thank you very much for these thoughts. I agree with you about the author’s personal voice being the key to the project. One thing I like about her blog is that is captures both the terrible fear and anxiety of living in wartime, but also the author’s attempts to go about living her life. She’s a teenager, after all; she’s fighting with her sister, reading Harry Potter, and studying for exams… but she’s also doing those things without electricity, with her school getting closed by curfews, and with a constant threat of violence. I think that combination really helps readers to put themselves in her shoes and imagine this being their life. Our dilemma is that we have also heard from a lot of teachers and librarians that they feel a dearth of materials, especially non-fiction materials, about daily life in Iraq, and would appreciate materials that they can use in a classroom setting. We’ve been trying to balance this, for example, by deciding to put timelines in the back of the book (instead of an original idea of having them on the side of the page). In part, it’s a balance between what teachers will find useful and what teenagers will want to pick up on their own. I would really appreciate others weighing in with thoughts on this.

]]> By: Jeannine Atkins http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/comment-page-1/#comment-613 Jeannine Atkins Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:52:51 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2008/12/17/speaking-in-second-life-and-a-request/#comment-613 Elizabeth, I'm not a high school teacher or librarian, and I hope you hear from some about your interesting project. Since I'm not the person you're directing the question to, my response may not be helpful, but your question reminded me of some of what we've discussed here recently about shaping material for teens. My feeling would be to keep the backmatter to a minimum, as this is a personal voice -- probably what first drew you to the project -- and that voice may be what most draws teens in, too. If there's too much backmatter, it may, in my opinion, keep some teens away, making it seem too much like a textbook. I like the idea of visuals -maps and photographs -- but timelines of the wars and such may feel too school-like. I think Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis was so successful with adults and teens because the book is first and foremost about Marjane. We learn some about the politics and art of Iran but always through her lens. Good luck! Elizabeth, I’m not a high school teacher or librarian, and I hope you hear from some about your interesting project. Since I’m not the person you’re directing the question to, my response may not be helpful, but your question reminded me of some of what we’ve discussed here recently about shaping material for teens. My feeling would be to keep the backmatter to a minimum, as this is a personal voice — probably what first drew you to the project — and that voice may be what most draws teens in, too. If there’s too much backmatter, it may, in my opinion, keep some teens away, making it seem too much like a textbook. I like the idea of visuals -maps and photographs — but timelines of the wars and such may feel too school-like. I think Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis was so successful with adults and teens because the book is first and foremost about Marjane. We learn some about the politics and art of Iran but always through her lens. Good luck!

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