Featured Panels

This panel, represented by long-time advocates, promoters, and educators in various OpenSimulator grids, both public and private will engage in a discussion on the different perspectives of people who use OpenSimulator as an alternative, or in addition to, Second Life. This will be a thoughtful discussion on dedication, awareness, perception, and opportunity of the various communities of OpenSimulator.

Selby Evans
Selby Evans earned a Ph.D in psychology 1963 and was employed at Texas Christian University from 1964-1990. He taught courses in psychological measurement, computer applications, and systematic problem-solving. His research was in pattern perception, and cognitive systems, supported by U. S. Military organizations, NASA, National Institutes of Health, and other government organizations. He has more than 80 technical papers in professional books and journals. He is now retired as Professor of Psychology at TCU (as of 1990). He operated consulting business for 25 years, serving companies and government agencies in psychological measurement, problem-solving, cognitive engineering, and computer applications. He started blog, “Virtual Outworlding,” in 2010, which has averaged over a million visits a year.

Maria Korolov
Maria Korolov is the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, covering OpenSim since 2009, and co-host of InWorld Review. She’s been a technology journalist for almost twenty years, ran a news bureau in China for five of those years, and also reported from Russia, Afghanistan, India, and elsewhere in Eastern Europe and Asia.

Cynthia Calongne
Cynthia Calongne, aka Lyr Lobo, is a professor, author and researcher with 20+ years of experience teaching and developing virtual worlds and game simulations. With her team, she won the $25,000 Grand Prize in the 2010 Federal Virtual World Challenge for the Mars Expedition Strategy Challenge. A founding member of the Women in Virtual Reality (WiVR), Cynthia conducts simulation research with The Air University, with the US Army’s Simulation and Training Technology Center on the MOSES project, and serves as an organizer for the OpenSimulator Community Conference (2014-2015) and Federal Consortium of Virtual Worlds 2015 conference.

Stephen Gasior
Stephen Gasior, Ph.D. has been a biology instructor at Ball State University and University of New Orleans. As Stephen Xootfly, he is an accomplished virtual world educator having taught several college biology courses with over 100 students total in Second Life and developing inworld activities. He has also used OpenSimulator in hybrid courses and co-developed learning activities for that platform. He is currently promoting collaborative work for STEM education via Virtual Islands for Better Education (VIBE) and Ball State University’s Virtual Campus, REDGrid.

In this session, members from Caledon Oxbridge University will discuss some of their major projects and contributions in virtual worlds, in particular how they feel their accomplishments have taken us toward a new horizon in immersive experiences.

Carl Metropolitan/Carl Henderson
Current and former Chancellor and co-creator of Oxbridge; Executive Director of NCI from 2005 to 2009.

Wordsmith Jarvinen
Vice Chancellor at Oxbridge, Dean of Education, Oxbridge webmaster, and teacher.

Larkylou
A past Dean who would like to talk about helping non-English speakers.

Aevalle Galicia/Stacy “Stasia” Lynne Weston
Oxbridge teacher who in her RL is a person who wrote and defended her PhD dissertation—in part—on Oxbridge and the Particle Lab.

Andrea Jones
Dedicated Oxbridge volunteer.

Nyree Rain
An established resident of Caledon and Second Life, who used Oxbridge as a new resident.

In this session, members from the Virtual Pioneers will discuss some of their major projects and contributions in virtual worlds, in particular how they feel their accomplishments have taken us toward a new horizon in immersive experiences.

Beth Ghostraven/Beth S. O’Connell
A school librarian since 1998, Beth has worked with Kindergarten through 12th grade students and holds a Master of Education (School Library Media) degree from James Madison University. Beth came to Second Life in 2012 to network with VSTE (Virginia Society for Technology in Education), and quickly found the Virtual Pioneers and other education groups for which she publicizes and facilitates events. She is also involved with VSTE’s Minecraft server, and initiated an outpost for VSTE on AvaCon’s OpenSimulator grid.

Spiff Whitfield/Andrew Wheelock
Andrew is a Technology Integrator for Erie 1 BOCES/ WNYRIC. He is one of the founders of the Virtual Pioneers. This group has explored history and culture sims in Second Life since 2007. Over the past 3 years he has been the project manager of the Island of Enlightenment Projects that has used Open Sim Virtual Environments to help students in grades 6-12 learn about history.

Mary Howard
Mary is a sixth grade ELA and social studies teacher in Grand Island New York who has been active in integrating Open Sim Platforms in her classroom for several years. Her work with the Islands of Enlightenment projects has been shared at ISTE, NYSCATE, Cornell University, and published in the VEN Journal, In transitions Magazine and the AMLE Magazine. Mary actively shares her experiences through Twitter and Periscope @mrshoward118 and publishes a great deal of her work in her blog: yoursmarticles.blogspot.com. Mary was recently awarded the Lee M. Bryant Outstanding Educator award for her work with Virtual Environments.

In this session, members from the Virginia Society for Technology in Education will discuss some of their major projects and contributions in virtual worlds, in particular how they feel their accomplishments have taken us toward a new horizon in immersive experiences.

Beth Ghostraven/Beth S. O’Connell
A school librarian since 1998, Beth has worked with Kindergarten through 12th grade students and holds a Master of Education (School Library Media) degree from James Madison University. Beth came to Second Life in 2012 to network with VSTE (Virginia Society for Technology in Education), and quickly found the Virtual Pioneers and other education groups for which she publicizes and facilitates events. She is also involved with VSTE’s Minecraft server, and initiated an outpost for VSTE on AvaCon’s OpenSimulator grid.

Jazmemo Zimminy/Lisa Alconcel
Lisa is the Instructional Technology Specialists at Red Mill Elementary School in Virginia Beach, VA. She is a member of the Virginia Society for Technology in Education Virtual Environments PLN. She has also served as a VSTE Island Facilitator in Second Life since 2008.

Dae Miami/Dr. William F. Schmachtenberg
Dr. Schmachtenberg teaches Earth Science at Franklin County High School(FCHS) in Rocky Mount, Virginia, USA, and Geology and Paleontology at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia. He is a research associate with the Virginia Museum of Natural History, and is an Apple Developer with 9 apps on the App Store. He is the faculty advisor for the Unity 3D club at FCHS. For more information go to: www.evwllc.co.

Bluebarker Lowtide/Vasili Giannoutsos
Vasili is a Graphic/Instructional Designer in the Virginia Beach Area. Currently going back to College to attain a Second Degree for Teaching and Curriculum Design for the High School Level. He is also a member of VSTE and ISTE and has served as a VSTE facilitator and builder in Second Life since 2010. He also makes machinima and writes for the Virtual Education Journal (VEJ).

Loren Chrononaia/Keith David Reeves
Keith is the author of “Insurrection: A Teacher Revolution in Defense of Children” and “Paperless Research Writing: Effective Digital Scaffolding for Academic Writing.” Having taught every grade K-12 in rural and urban environments and poor and affluent schools, he currently serves as Senior Coordinator of Instructional Technology at Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA and as the Board of Directors Liaison to the Virginia Society for Technology in Education Virtual Environments Professional Learning Network. He is online at www.KDReeves.com.

Thunder Insippo/Kim Harrison
Kim is the Technology Integration Specialist at Indian Lakes Elementary School in Virginia Beach, VA. She is the chair of the Virginia Society for Technology in Education Virtual Environments PLN. She runs a Minecraft server for kids ages 6 to 16 with Serena Offcourse and Techplex Engineer. For more information go to www.eastcoastminers.org/. Her blog can be found at blogs.vbschools.com/KimsKaleidoscope/.