I submitted my student evaluation form, and I informed my site supervisor that she had to fill out and submit an evaluation form for site supervisors. I will be waiting to hear from either my site supervisor or Professor Franks whether the supervisor has completed and submitted her form.
As I stated in the form I filled out and submitted, doing an internship for The Association of Virtual Worlds is good for graduate students that are first time interns. The work is similar to all other college course work in that it is basically research and writing. The only things a graduate intern needs to know to work for the Association is how to do internet research and write. The intern should therefore have enough college experience to feel confident and comfortable enough to work for the Association. I am sure most virtual internships include some research and writing, but more experienced interns should seek internships that may be different from their previous college course work and thus be more challenging.
I completed a final report for my site supervisor, which focuses on the relationship between technological trends and money. These trends include virtual currency, social media, internet marketing, online gaming, and the connection between mobile devices and internet marketing. The report basically is about how these trends may create positive economic changes for businesses.
If SLIS continues offering The Association of Virtual Worlds to interns, my advice to the interns is to try and improve their internet research and writing skills, and also become more skilled and confident to work independently, since the intern works alone and is not always supervised.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Week 14
I have been given a final assignment from my site supervisor, which is a report on the money aspect of trends. It is to be done the same way as my report on mobile technology earlier in the semester, with regards to method and formatting. I will collect and put together news blogs about the money aspect of trends, and evaluate them the same way I evaluated the news blogs on mobile technology in the earlier report.
However, I am completing the Final Report for Professor Franks this week, or by Thursday morning to get it done as soon as possible, to make sure it does not conflict with all my other work, to relieve stress, and to take a weight off of Professor Franks. Therefore, the final assignment from my site supervisor, which is essentially the same as my earlier mobile report and fulfills the same learning outcome, will not be included in the Final Report for Professor Franks. I have already met all the requirements for the Final Report, including meeting the number of required hours (I worked 137 hrs., which meets the requirement of 135 for the course). This brings me to one situation that some virtual interns may be unable to avoid. It is important to get the Final Report completed as soon as possible, but even when it is done and it has been turned in at an appropriately early time and not too close to the May 15 deadline, a site supervisor might have a final assignment to give the intern, in which case the intern will not be able to add it to the Final Report.
On a note regarding Learning Outcomes, an intern will of course have a set of learning outcomes at the start of a semester. However, there is no way for them to yet know exactly what types of assignments their site supervisor will give them. A site supervisor will likely give them assignments that will change their learning outcomes over the course of the semester. This is especially true if the site supervisor has never worked with interns in the SLIS program and therefore neither the SLIS department nor the site supervisor have a full professional understanding of each other. Furthermore, the SLIS department could have information about a site, which interns are supposed to use to create their learning outcomes. However, over the course of the semester, the site supervisor may make changes to their policies regarding interns and the work involved in the site, which will lead the intern to make changes to their learning outcomes.
Although I had to make some changes to my three learning outcomes, I felt that I fulfilled them with the assignments I was given. I did learn what I needed to know about new virtual technologies, mobile technologies, and virtual and 3D environments in general.
However, I am completing the Final Report for Professor Franks this week, or by Thursday morning to get it done as soon as possible, to make sure it does not conflict with all my other work, to relieve stress, and to take a weight off of Professor Franks. Therefore, the final assignment from my site supervisor, which is essentially the same as my earlier mobile report and fulfills the same learning outcome, will not be included in the Final Report for Professor Franks. I have already met all the requirements for the Final Report, including meeting the number of required hours (I worked 137 hrs., which meets the requirement of 135 for the course). This brings me to one situation that some virtual interns may be unable to avoid. It is important to get the Final Report completed as soon as possible, but even when it is done and it has been turned in at an appropriately early time and not too close to the May 15 deadline, a site supervisor might have a final assignment to give the intern, in which case the intern will not be able to add it to the Final Report.
On a note regarding Learning Outcomes, an intern will of course have a set of learning outcomes at the start of a semester. However, there is no way for them to yet know exactly what types of assignments their site supervisor will give them. A site supervisor will likely give them assignments that will change their learning outcomes over the course of the semester. This is especially true if the site supervisor has never worked with interns in the SLIS program and therefore neither the SLIS department nor the site supervisor have a full professional understanding of each other. Furthermore, the SLIS department could have information about a site, which interns are supposed to use to create their learning outcomes. However, over the course of the semester, the site supervisor may make changes to their policies regarding interns and the work involved in the site, which will lead the intern to make changes to their learning outcomes.
Although I had to make some changes to my three learning outcomes, I felt that I fulfilled them with the assignments I was given. I did learn what I needed to know about new virtual technologies, mobile technologies, and virtual and 3D environments in general.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Week 13
I am still waiting for my site supervisor to give me feedback on my latest project on new virtual worlds and the latest companies who have created them. Although I have not had any experience using virtual and 3D worlds, I did learn much about them including their purposes, the many types available, and the people that use them.
I went to websites for many virtual environments and the companies creating them, gathered screenshots of their logos and basic information about them, which will be placed into upcoming editions to The Consumer Guide To Virtual Worlds and The Enterprise Guide To Virtual Worlds. Readers of the guides that are members of The Association of Virtual Worlds and other individuals and companies can learn about these new virtual and 3D worlds so they know what virtual technology is now available that can benefit them professionally, improve their businesses, and also entertain them whenever they use virtual and 3D worlds for play.
Virtual and 3D environments are now able to provide people with tourism locations, allow them to visit virtual versions of cities such as GeoSimPhilly that is a virtual Philadelphia or Wild Style City that is a virtual San Francisco enabling users to tag virtual graffiti; but also to allow people around the world to interact, make friends, play games together, create 2D and 3D content, and share music and music related information.
Readers of the upcoming guides will know that there are many virtual and 3D worlds that can appeal to all sorts of individuals and companies, and which ones are intended for them and that will best meet their professional and entertainment needs.
I went to websites for many virtual environments and the companies creating them, gathered screenshots of their logos and basic information about them, which will be placed into upcoming editions to The Consumer Guide To Virtual Worlds and The Enterprise Guide To Virtual Worlds. Readers of the guides that are members of The Association of Virtual Worlds and other individuals and companies can learn about these new virtual and 3D worlds so they know what virtual technology is now available that can benefit them professionally, improve their businesses, and also entertain them whenever they use virtual and 3D worlds for play.
Virtual and 3D environments are now able to provide people with tourism locations, allow them to visit virtual versions of cities such as GeoSimPhilly that is a virtual Philadelphia or Wild Style City that is a virtual San Francisco enabling users to tag virtual graffiti; but also to allow people around the world to interact, make friends, play games together, create 2D and 3D content, and share music and music related information.
Readers of the upcoming guides will know that there are many virtual and 3D worlds that can appeal to all sorts of individuals and companies, and which ones are intended for them and that will best meet their professional and entertainment needs.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Completed New Assignment
This week I completed my new assignment for The Association of Virtual Worlds. The assignment was to locate any virtual worlds and companies that create virtual and 3D immersive environments that were not listed in the previous editions of The Consumer Guide To Virtual Worlds and the Enterprise Guide To Virtual Worlds. These new virtual worlds and companies will therefore be added to upcoming and revised editions of both guides.
I found some new virtual worlds and companies by researching websites that introduce and list all the latest virtual worlds and companies that create virtual worlds, which are recommended to those interested in such technology. There are many new types of virtual worlds that allow their users to visit U.S. and foreign towns and islands, make friends, play games with people either all over the world or locally, share knowledge and passion for music, and create graffiti. I do not really use virtual environments, but I learned a lot about their purposes, capabilities, and basically the various types that are available to people around the world. Some of these virtual worlds are open to people around the world, while others are intended for people in particular countries or towns. Nevertheless, they all aim to give people the closest possible experiences of being in distant locations or doing things in far away places. There is really not that much of a difference between these virtual worlds; one virtual environment for instance allows users to examine graffiti in San Francisco, which gives them the feeling that they are in San Francisco; while another virtual world allows people to play games on an island, which gives them the feeling of being on that island. It is all about giving people the feeling as best as possible of visiting a particular place that they are not really physically at.
I have not yet gotten feedback on my assignment, but I hope these worlds and companies will be useful for the upcoming editions of the guides.
I found some new virtual worlds and companies by researching websites that introduce and list all the latest virtual worlds and companies that create virtual worlds, which are recommended to those interested in such technology. There are many new types of virtual worlds that allow their users to visit U.S. and foreign towns and islands, make friends, play games with people either all over the world or locally, share knowledge and passion for music, and create graffiti. I do not really use virtual environments, but I learned a lot about their purposes, capabilities, and basically the various types that are available to people around the world. Some of these virtual worlds are open to people around the world, while others are intended for people in particular countries or towns. Nevertheless, they all aim to give people the closest possible experiences of being in distant locations or doing things in far away places. There is really not that much of a difference between these virtual worlds; one virtual environment for instance allows users to examine graffiti in San Francisco, which gives them the feeling that they are in San Francisco; while another virtual world allows people to play games on an island, which gives them the feeling of being on that island. It is all about giving people the feeling as best as possible of visiting a particular place that they are not really physically at.
I have not yet gotten feedback on my assignment, but I hope these worlds and companies will be useful for the upcoming editions of the guides.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Week 11: New Assignment
I received a new assignment from my site supervisor, which is to help her update two guides by The Association of Virtual Worlds. One guide is called Consumer Guide to Virtual Worlds and the other is titled, Enterprise Guide to Virtual Worlds. The assignment is to do Internet research to find both virtual worlds and names of companies that supply virtual or 3D immersive environments that are new and were not listed in the previous editions of the two guides. Once I find the latest virtual worlds or new companies that supply such environments, I will do a write up of them which will include the names of the worlds or companies, but also links to the web sites for those virtual worlds or companies. These write ups will be added to updated and upcoming editions of the guides.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Week 10
There is not much to report this week since my site supervisor is currently working on my next assignment and is getting it prepared. She will send me my new assignment by e-mail at the end of this week.
My site supervisor was originally going to assign me a new project the week before Spring Break, but decided to hold off since I was busy with cataloging midterm exams. She decided to wait until the first week of April to create my new assignment, which I will be expecting by Monday.
My site supervisor was originally going to assign me a new project the week before Spring Break, but decided to hold off since I was busy with cataloging midterm exams. She decided to wait until the first week of April to create my new assignment, which I will be expecting by Monday.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Week 9
This week I completed my report on mobile technology for The Association of Virtual Worlds. My site supervisor gave me much positive feedback and thought it was "excellent," but wanted me to make changes to my bibliography. She wanted the changes to better meet the bibliography format needed for the report. Originally, I had listed my site supervisor as the author of the blog posts on mobile technology I used as references. I instead followed my site supervisor's advice by removing her name as the author of the information and replaced it with the original sources of the information as the authors, followed by the dates of publications, titles, and quick links to the blog posts made by my site supervisor. I removed other things (some APA formatting) that would be more appropriate for graduate course term papers, and added whatever my site supervisor wanted and that would be better for business reports.
My advice to other virtual interns, certainly future interns, is when they have a site supervisor who has them do a paper or report, that they must closely and clearly communicate with their site supervisor to learn about how they should format and organize their work (such as title page first, table of contents second, conclusion last, or a particular order of bibliographical information). The intern should know that a site supervisor may not want the same type of formatting or organization that their graduate professors want, and that the formatting and organization of reports may have to adhere to the types of businesses they are interning for.
Overall, it was a successful assignment and my site supervisor appreciated the work I put into it, that I had closely followed her rules, that I made some good cases in favor of some of the mobile technologies, but also that I added a section on negative aspects to mobile technology like cyber bullying and techno stress. I focused on both positives and some negatives so that I would avoid bias. I know my next assignment will be the first week of April, so I will certainly be interested to see what my site supervisor will have me do and learn next.
My advice to other virtual interns, certainly future interns, is when they have a site supervisor who has them do a paper or report, that they must closely and clearly communicate with their site supervisor to learn about how they should format and organize their work (such as title page first, table of contents second, conclusion last, or a particular order of bibliographical information). The intern should know that a site supervisor may not want the same type of formatting or organization that their graduate professors want, and that the formatting and organization of reports may have to adhere to the types of businesses they are interning for.
Overall, it was a successful assignment and my site supervisor appreciated the work I put into it, that I had closely followed her rules, that I made some good cases in favor of some of the mobile technologies, but also that I added a section on negative aspects to mobile technology like cyber bullying and techno stress. I focused on both positives and some negatives so that I would avoid bias. I know my next assignment will be the first week of April, so I will certainly be interested to see what my site supervisor will have me do and learn next.
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