scottmerrick.net

artclectic in Second Life--Please drop in!

2009-10-27T08:35:00.003-05:00

Hey, all,Been knee-deep, virtually and really, living and learning with artclectic this past week. I've also lost my cell phone, but I have to admit it's been kinda quiet and nice without it. Am I reverting? Likely not, just pausing.I created a little machinima this week to share what I've been building in Second Life with folks who may not be able to come into the virtual environment to

"SLARTCLECTIC" You've Got to See It to Believe It!

2009-10-25T11:21:00.004-05:00

Hey all,I've been busy this past two weeks with artclectic, the fabulous annual fundraiser at my school, which happens to be masterminded and made to happen under the capable direction of my lovely wife, Lee Ann Merrick.Aside from all its own fabulosity, I've been granted permission and prims from Angrybeth Shortbread, art/science genious of great renown in Second Life, to experiment building the

Gearing up for artclectic 2009!

2009-10-09T06:07:00.007-05:00

I should mention that I’m knee-deep in artclectic work as the season barrels down upon us ineluctably. From helping to maintain the artclectic website to working on emma.com mailings to snapping pictures and working the twitter and facebook feeds I’m there, sports fans.If you’re in Nashville, or anywhere within driving distance, or anywhere within flying distance, I’m tellin’ ya, get here for the

Draxtor Despres Shares a Beautiful Mashup

2009-10-06T18:03:00.002-05:00

This is a really moving mashup of Virtual Environments (the platform for the interview), social media, and real life filmmaking. Don't miss its 5:41 minutes of brilliance. Heck, watch it here, but then go over to the original site to comment. You'll want to favorite his work, "conversations about Art, Technology, and Social Justice." I love the tagline on his profile: "Unless otherwise obvious,

Belated Announcement re a Huge Opportunity for USN

2009-10-05T08:08:00.006-05:00

I recently received a query from the Director of Products and Services Development at the National Association of Independent Schools, Susan Booth, for information on innovative projects at my school, University School of Nashville. It was accompanied by flattering encouragement from our school's Diversity Director (yes, we have one, do you?) Caroline Blackwell, a dear friend and colleague, so I

University of Texas System Poised to Enter 15 Campuses into Second Life--Where is YOUR School?

2009-09-29T07:37:00.005-05:00

UT System campuses join virtual worldUniversity of Texas System sets $250,000 aside for Second Life project.By Ralph K.M. HaurwitzAMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFFMonday, September 28, 2009Leslie Jarmon, a faculty development specialist at the University of Texas, sensed that David Prior would bring a certain skepticism to her ambitious proposal to create a series of virtual campuses in cyberspace.Prior,

The Little Tramp

2009-09-19T17:39:00.005-05:00

Posted here for friends and family of Seamus who are not on http://seamusupdates.ning.com, it isFind more videos like this on seamusupdates(seamusupdates is a private social comunity of friends and family interested in the recuperation of Seamus Morrison. If you feel you need to join Seamusupdates, please request an invitation by commenting here.)

How I (Seamus) Spent My Summer Vacation

2009-09-16T19:44:00.005-05:00

My dear godson Seamus Morrison, son of my brother-from-another-mother James, spent his summer in a very unique way. I'm pleased to share that he's taken up his piano lessons again, that he attends his wonderful independent school half-day or more as he's taking up the rest of his therapy, and that he is a hero of mine. We can all learn from the powerpoint he created to share... Find more videos

Videoconferencing To Bring the World to Students

2009-09-10T14:11:00.003-05:00

T.H.E. Journal today published a tasty little article on old friend and colleague Janine Lim's pioneering and persevering work to promote and facilitate the adoption of Interactive Videoconferencing in education. I'm so proud of her I must share here. My own school has recently been granted the loan of a marvelous Tandberg Edge95 codec by Tandberg Education Market Director (and another dear

Good Ink!

2009-09-08T13:38:00.003-05:00

A little ink at Learning and Leading with Technology, ISTE's print and online magazine: I responded a while back to an email from L&L calling for responses to the prompt, "Should You 'Friend' Your Students on Social Networking Sites? I came in on the majority side, as you'll see if you click to read the page I've screengrabbed below, but with a caveat: When former students are adults, as in

Kathy Shrock's Guide for Educators

2009-08-30T20:28:00.005-05:00

I've been doing some snooping around for resources lately, and I revisited tonight a link at the Discovery Education site to friend Kathy Schrock's resource page. If you knew about it or think you did and haven't visited it for a while, or if you don't know about it, visit now. Her Upcoming Presentations page indicates her current focus is in the area of "Information Overload," something all of

Huey is Home!

2009-08-22T22:42:00.012-05:00

So after 3 hours on Saturday morning at Smartcenter Nashville working with the wonderful Dusty, "Baby Huey" is home and here are some pics to prove it. I'm tickled with the exchange of our clunker for cash and thanks to the federal government for it. A friend came over today and saw it in the driveway and said, "When Barack Obama said 'Cash for Clunkers' that's exactly what he meant."Yup.More

A Belated Thank You--Looking Back and Looking Forward

2009-08-16T06:47:00.001-05:00

As I prepare a sort of "How I Spent My Professional Development Summer" 2 minute talk for a faculty meeting tomorrow, I notice that I posted this pic earlier, but I didn't post the little video with it. If you are interested in what I do, you need to see both of them together.Pictured above are the folks in Washington, D.C. who attended a very lightly advertised event at NECC09, a reception for

Beautiful Boy

2009-08-13T09:20:00.002-05:00

To my most beautiful godson, Seamus. I think of you every day, many times a day, wishing you full and speedy recovery. I know this has already been a journey of deepest love for you and your parents. Please hug each one of them for me.

Why Teens Don't Twitter!

2009-08-12T07:58:00.003-05:00

Checking into email this morning, I noted a comment at megablogge Lucy Gray's new ning, "Making IT Personal" and popped over there, checking out some recent posts that took me to a discussion thread started by Gordon Shupe, called "When I say Personal Learning Network you say _____." So I of course had to comment "Second Life and Twitter." Then I saw a link in his original thread post that stated

ISTE Speaker Series Event- VSTE-:How We Grew Our Presence in SL

2009-08-11T13:11:00.003-05:00

There is a state arm of the International Society for Technology in Education thriving in Virginia. Check out the Second Life event tonight to learn how they nurtured one of the most active educators' groups inworld. It's a neat story. Here's some info from the ISTE Speaker Series event just published:Once upon a time, four Virginia Beach computer resource specialists, Lisa Alconcel (SL: Jazmemo

Advice about Twitter et al

2009-08-07T21:39:00.001-05:00

There are a lot of folks who see social media--facebook, twitter, blogging, plurk, friendfeed, and more--as an opportunity to promote their businesses. I have this advice for them:Social media is about information. If the information is valuable and interesting it will go viral. If it's transparently commercial and self-serving, it will not. In fact, it may have the opposite effect. I mentioned

ISTE Eduverse Talks Episode #8 Live at iste-eduverse.org!

2009-08-05T11:44:00.002-05:00

Hey, all, our recent appearance as MUVErs on the celebrated ISTE Eduverse Talks live talk show series is now live an accessible at the ISTE Eduverse Talks website.I hope you'll take an hour or so to give it a watch. It's also pretty nice as an audio file, so if you have a long commute that may be the way to do it. Host Kevin Jarrett did a fantastic job of delivering probing questions about MUVErs

My New Theme Song--Thank You Bob!

2009-08-03T10:20:00.001-05:00

It's the last one on the album. It's All Good. Playing it over and over and over and over and...Really.Together Through Life

Back to Work! Where Did the Summer Go?

2009-07-30T14:07:00.005-05:00

I can't really complain. I've had a great summer. 10 days in D.C. at NECC09 helped fill it up, for sure, and three on Lake Conroe north of Houston, Texas fishing with my dear brother Ed. My son's in South Africa on a month long trek with his grandparents and his cousin, and I'm here at USN working to set up my students and faculty for the best year ever.There's a lot happening here with

Discover Magazine Features Partner John Miller

2009-07-17T15:25:00.002-05:00

In the newly released July-August issue of Discover Magazine, MUVErs partner John Miller is quoted and singled out for his pioneering work with online nursing distance education in Second Life--check it out! http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jul-aug/15-can-medical-students-learn-to-save-real-lives-in-second-life

Perritt's Path, Ya'll

2009-07-16T17:13:00.001-05:00

Eduverse Talks Archive!

2009-07-13T08:09:00.005-05:00

ISTE Eduverse Talks episode number 7 is now available for replay at the ISTE Eduverse website. Click the image below to visit, watch, listen, or watch and listen. I've been invited along with my MUVERS LLC partners Cathy Walker and John Miller to participate in another eipisode Tuesday, July 28, so join us there live (5 pm SLT, 7 pm CDT) or check back at the Eduverse website for its own archive a

Three Heads

2009-07-11T17:37:00.005-05:00

...are better than one.My dear 10-year old godson Seamus is recuperating from a recent operation to remove a brain tumor, and the whole story is much more than I want to share out here. I do want to share a picture his dad sent, from the hospital lawn, and I know that my brother-from-another-mother James will be okay with my sharing it.He sent this picture out to his legions of supportive friends

Why Jeff went to NECC09

2009-07-09T16:49:00.002-05:00

An amazing animoto that will hopefully be shared far and wide, from my good friend Jeff Agamenoni, Great Falls, Montana teacher and family guy supreme. I'm proud to be a part of Jeff's extended family!