What is the Teen Grid on Second Life?

By Pia Klaar---December 2008

Teen Second Life• SL was developed by Linden Research

Inc. (a.k.a. Linden Lab) and came to life on the Internet in 2003. Teen Second Life opened in 2005.

• Until February 2006, TSL was populated entirely by teens

• Teens are there between the ages of 13-18

• Now there are educators and non-profit organizations there

“Approved Adults” on Teen Grid

• In addition, Linden Lab went on to launch the Campus program which gives qualified educators the use of a free parcel of land for a semester.

• Since then, educator and non-profit run islands, owned and inhabited by non-Linden, background checked, "Approved Adults" have become a major part of the TSL landscape.

• Over 1 million square meters are owned by 18 different educational projects.

Closed Estate• On the closed estate model, educators need to

work with a TG-approved developer to set up the accounts.

• Adult and teen are able to communicate

– They can form groups

– They can IM

– They can exchange objects.

• All teens and adults are confined to that particular estate

Closed Island Examples

• Skoolaborate

• Pacific Rim Exchange

• Hatters Island

• Metaversa Island

• Ramapo Island

Open Estate Model

• In contrast, Eye4You Alliance island for example is an "open" or "public access" estate. Teens from the mainland of Teen Second Life can come to their island and participate in activities.

• Advantage: Teens from the mainland of TSL can visit. • Challenge: Adults cannot IM or form groups with mainland

TSL teens. – Teens who have created their own TSL accounts are

technically on a different estate. – Avatars on different estates cannot form groups, IM or

exchange objects. They will not be able to see each other in Search.

• Here the adults are locked down to these islands

Examples of Open islands• Eye4You Alliance

• GlobalKids

• Tech Savvy

• Here the adults are locked down to these islands

• The teens from the Teen Grid can come and go but the adults must stay on that island only.

Visiting TSL• Some adult-owned projects are willing to sponsor guests and

volunteers from time to time. • Join the SLEDT list and announce that you are seeking a sponsor. • Explain your purpose. • You will be required to provide an Ascertain background check to the

sponsor. • You will make a new avatar at secondlife.com. When Linden Lab

receives the updated staff list and a copy of the background check from your sponsor, your avatar will be moved from SL to Teen Second Life to your sponsor's estate.

• The avatar you are creating to be moved to the teen grid will be on the main grid until it is moved over to the teen grid.

• After clearance has been obtained (an email is received by Ascertain indicating you have passed your background check) you are ready to be moved.

• Make sure you have PG supplies with you (textures, clothes, etc.-check your freebies so that they are PG) as your avatar does not get to move back and forth from the main grid to the teen grid.

• You will know that you have been moved if the next time you log in, you are on the teen grid estate you requested to be moved to.

• You will be confined to the island of your sponsor.

Background Check

• Ascertain Screening and Investigations, LLC

www.ascertainsi.com

Limitations for Adults on Teen Grid

• You cannot bring TG objects to MG• Search is limited to your specific Estate in the

Teen Second Life; you can only search for items, people, groups and events that are on your Estate.

• You have one chance to bring inventory into Teen Second Life when you create your alt account before it is moved to Teen Second Life, by transferring inventory from your regular Second Life account.

Steps I Took to Get on TSL Open Estates

• First, you I got a teen educational group to sponsor me.• I created an avatar on the Main Grid, • I had a background check which is then approved by by

the Lindens.• The Lindens then transferred that avatar onto the teen

grid to the Eye4You Island.• I created a different avatar for GlobalKids. Again this

avatar was created on the Main Grid. Again, I had to get approval from the Lindens.

• I did not have to get another background check.• The Lindens then transferred that second avatar to

GlobalKids Island. • I was able to bring inventory from the Main Grid to the

TG with each of the avatars.

Steps I took to get to TSL Closed Estates: Skoolaborate

• The school district sent in documentation to have the teachers approved by the Lindens.

• Teacher’s avatar is created on Skoolaborate, not the Main Grid .

• The teacher registers the students into the island.

• There are many schools from around the world on this island.

• Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Chile, UK, Portugal, Taiwan

An early image of Eye4You Island September 2007.The island has changed a great deal since that time and has become larger in size.

http://eye4youalliance.youthtech.info/

Sunday meeting where teens and adults discuss and plan for upcoming events.Eye4You Alliance Island -- 2008

On Eye4You Alliance 2007Informational Bulletin Boards with upcoming events.

This event was hosted by Eye4You and GlobalKids. The live audio presentation was streamed inworld. Ishmael Beah gave a talk on his book “ A Long Way Gone”

First Virtual College Fair 2007Hosted on Eye4You Alliance island.More than 20 colleges all over the world sent representatives. About 175 teens attended.

College Fair 2007 on Eye4You Alliance. Colleges sent representatives from the Main Grid over to the teen grid.

2nd Annual Virtual Collage Fair on Eye4You --2008

College Representative at College Fair 2008

College Representatives at College Fair 2008

Literary Festival on Eye4You --- Fall 2007

Author Barry Lyga here with his avatar –FanboyAuthors were invited to come to the Teen Grid to present their book and talk to the teens.

Summer Author Chats on Eye4You Alliance Island ---Summer 2008.

Jacqueline Woodson Jack Gantos Meg Cabot

These authors had their avatars come into the Teen Grid on Eye4You Alliance.Here they meet the teens and discussed their books etc.

Craft Fair 2007 on Eye4You Alliance island

One of the things that the teens love to do is building and scripting.So, one of the adult volunteers came up with the idea of a Craft Fair.

2nd Annual Craft Fair on Eye4You Alliance island -- 2008

There are different categories and prizes given for the winnersThe first Craft Fair was such a success that we decided to continue with this event.

TSL Model UN on Eye4YouThe building was created and built by teens.

NASA on Teen Grid JSC LT is currently

exploring the use of

3D virtual worlds as a platform for NASA education activities and programs. 

•http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/

An Overview of GlobalKids Island December 2008

Global Kids is involved in leadership programming for youth, bringing youth from its New York-based programs into the space, and streaming the audio and video of major events into the world.

Global Kids’ work in TSL is conducted in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the International Criminal Court, among others.

GlobalKidsD.I.D.I. Initiative Dream It Do It

The D.I.D.I. Initiative is a partnership in Second Life

between Youth Venture and Global Kids to improve

health and healthcare.

A group of panelist for the D.I.D.I. Initiative Teens can get $1,000 in seed funding and social entrepreneurial training through the Dream It Do It Initiative in Second Life.

Teen presenting his D.I.D.I. Initiative program to a group of panelist.

Summer 2008

Holocaust Building on GlobalKids

Skoolaborate Map The islands are divided into 6 areas---

Orientation, Education1 and 2, Culture, Living, Active

Skoolaborate stresses the idea of Global Citizenship.

Overview Image of Skoolaborate -- Winter 2008

Showing the Orientation Area

Overview Image of Skoolaborate ---Winter 2008

Showing the Active Area

The Living Area on Skoolaborate – Winter 2008

Skoolaborate – Winter 2008Showing the Education Area

Pia Klaar presented in Second Life on December 20, 2008 Eduisland V.