Hello. For my first posting in this blog, I thought I'd just repeat part of my profile (as it is now.)
I work for the Open University in two capacities. I am an Associate Lecturer on various mathematics courses, and I am a COLMSCT Associate Teaching Fellow.
My real life name is Breen Sweeney, and my Second Life name is Breen Mathy. During 2008 I held tutorials in Second Life with volunteer students from M208, and during 2009 I'm planning to hold some more tutorials on the February 2009 presentation. In 2008 I used a specially created FC forum to keep track of comments, to post agendas and record informal minutes, etc. During 2009 I'll be trying to use this blog instead.
So I'll be both making personal comments in this blog about my Second Life experiences, and also making entries in here for any students who may attend my 2009 tutorials.
If you check my profile and click on my webpage, you'll be directed to the COLMSCT page about my project ... or just go here; my COLMSCT project page (set to open in new window/tab)
Comments
Just testing
Hi Breen,
I selected comment on your blog and it seems have worked, but then that is probably becasue this is your second life blog and not the blog provided by the OU on your tutor home. Still it is good to comment on something! I have been enjoying second life even if I am not able to apply it to my tutor role just yet.
.
New comment
Ohhh thanks Lorraine for posting. No this is exactly the same type of Tutorhome blog that the others have ... all I've done is to go in and rename it.
But yesterday I couldn't even add a comment myself, yet today I can.
I must go and see if I can post in someone else's blog ... maybe it's a timing issue, maybe the blog has to exist for a day or two before the system's are updated and people can reply?
Wahay!
It let's me post a comment! Tres jolly!
Regarding your link - I think you have to explicitly tell it that this piece of text is a link (even though it's clearly a link as it starts with http). Some blog software is simply simple about such things.
Breen's blog
Hi Breen,
Have just come online to catch up on the blogs and to see if I to can leave a comment - guess what, I can and I have!
Looking forward to trying second life one day.
Hilary
New comment
Thanks Nigel. I actually went to edit the post and I put in some HTML type formatting to make it into a link ... but everytime I clicked on 'save changes' the changes weren't saved. (No error message.)
I hope they expand the software so I'm able to reply specifically to people's comments, and maybe send thenm an email (if they wish).You won't see this comment unless you check back and look at the responses every now and then ... and people usually don't have time to keep doing that.
Cheers, Breen
Seeing updates
Hi Breen,
I think you have to sign up to the RSS feed to be notified of any updates, and that also works for comments. I don't use RSS, but I might if the blogs catch on.
Hilary
New comment
Thanks Hilary, in time I might trying the RSS feed.
I've noticed you do have to 'log in' to be able to reply to make comments. So I've learned something new ... commenting is restricted to OU staff and students.
That is an advantage if you're using it for OU work only. Clearly personal blogs can use other outside blogging software. (I have a personal blog using LiveJournal, for example.)
If could be a disadvantage if you were using the blog for a mixture of OU work and outside work ... however maybe if you make your comment visisble to the world, maybe other should be able to comment, and this is an oversight?
I'm learning.
Missing information
Can I just point out that there is a significant piece of information missing from Breen's Blog. He refers to being in Second Life but he doesn't say that he and I will be playing Cinderella's ugly sisters in the SLam Dram Luvvies Panto - 8pm this evening. Break a leg!