New Video from the Virtual Worlds Story Project

I came across this in my daily feeds, a link to a video "Educators Discover the Magic of Story Quests". The video recounts highlights and of course relays the benefits of questing with excellent footage of the latest quest by Jenaia and Marty of the Virtual Worlds Story Project. It's a short video, but definitely worth a look. Jen and I spoke briefly a few days ago about the project and of the plans for Worlds Aids Day on December 2^nd. If you page down a bit, there's a press release that I posted earlier in the day about the event to be held in Second Life. I had participated in the "Uncle D" quest and had written a short story. I was thrilled when Jen asked me to read the story on December 2^nd and eagerly accepted the invitation.

An Update on the Reluctant Quester

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post here in Lane's List about the "Reluctant Quester" and good friends Jenaia Moraine and Marty Snowpaw. You may recall my having explained that Jen and Marty are well known in second life for their work on the Virtual World Story Project. I'd also written an article about their recent activities which appeared in a SL Newspaper article, "Stories without Borders Quest Workshop at 2009 SLCC". This evening I received an e-mail update from Jen announcing that the adventures of the Reluctant Quester and Cice his "opinionated sidekick" had been captured in a machinima by filmmaker Ariella Furman. The machinima will air in an invitation only premier in Second Life on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at noon PDT/SLT. Meanwhile, here's a taste, a trailer that I'd viewed previously but watched again and again tonight, "SWB-The Life and Times of Uncle D – Trailer".

I know you'll be as captivated as I was … enjoy.

The Reluctant Quester

The following came to me by way of good friend and fellow writer, Jenaia Moraine. She is well known in second life for her work on the Virtual World Story Project along with co-founder Marty Snowpaw. Jen explained in the note card she'd left for me that Marty is writing "a series of posts about what it was like to grow up in an education system that labeled him stupid, incorrigible, and even retarded."

An invitation from Marty was included and follows:

FROM MARTY SNOWPAW: A Learning Feast

"Who are the learning disabled? How about me? Today, the term would be "learning differences," but back when I was going through school that more politically correct term hadn't yet been coined. I was more used to hearing words like, "stupid" or "moron" - sometimes "incorrigible", slow, and underachiever," with an occasional "retard" thrown in for good measure.

Today, with many years as a teacher and producer of children's educational programming under my belt, I'm revisiting and rethinking my childhood experiences. Using the Questing model we've developed at the Virtual World Story Project in Second Life I am utilizing stories and storytelling to exorcise old ghosts and help others celebrate the gift of their differences.

In virtual worlds, such as Second Life, online games, and social media those like myself have found our place at the table. It's a learning feast accomplished almost entirely without the help of institutions and educational professionals. Moreover, we are building communities based on diversity that welcome both, the able and disabled, the tall, fat, and skinny, and encourage intergenerational interaction. Nice.

You can read about my adventures as the Reluctant Quester, ably aided and abetted by my therapy dog Cice, at the Virtual Worlds Story Project's Blog . I hope you will share them with students who need encouragement and colleagues who need sensitizing to who we really are, the so called "Dumb and Dumber." Comment, contribute, tell us your story or your students' or your child's stories. Telling stories will make you and the people who hear them feel better. I do."