OpenSimulator Community Conference 2015

Who is Irene Cruz? My presentation was connected to the Empire State College (SUNY) MALET Program.  Entering this program has been life-changing for me.  My initial career path was in Graphic Design and for many years I provided this service as a Consultant within companies such as; SONY, PEPSI, IBM and McGraw-Hill.  I enjoy the creative atmospheres, however, something was lacking.  That something was to be an Educator.  I have a long line of educators in my family and much like the movie, "My Cousin Vinny", I must have this abilty in "the blood."  So, I went back to school and became an Adult Educator for Higher Education.  Now it seems, I have another itche, and that is to mesh my creative ability with my teaching/training abilities.  Fully entering the VW (VLE) environments was what it took!  I am now completing my MA degree this month of December, 2015.  I am currently looking to pursue another career avenue that lends itself into Instructional Media Design for VLEs/MOOC and so forth.  I would love to connect with those who have the same passions and interests in an effort to produce a collaboration of ideas and products.   Please contact me through esolefllearning@gmail.com.  Thank you for this tremendous opportunity. 

ESC INFORMATION - Taking advantage of the affordability, OAR uploads, repurposing, and export features now available with open-simulator-based islands, an emerging-technology graduate program at SUNY Empire State College developed a concentration in virtual-environment design. Here adult students are scaffolded through basic island construction, sharing work with course colleagues as they progress through a theory-and-practice based program where they conceptualize, construct, pilot, and evaluate islands to meet their own professional needs. After highlighting core elements of this program, the instructor will have four students share their island outcomes, challenges and victories as they created, piloted, and evaluated their own simulations, training and teaching environments. The islands developed include: a simulated video training environment for learning professional video production, an island for acculturating non-English speakers to technology and to American life, a university outreach through a multi-level experimental island for both English and science education for K12 students, and a digital learning and literacy environment for library patrons.