Way back when, I kicked off classroom teaching at NCI, with a Basic Building class that ran every week for over a year. These days I'm out of the education loop at the NCI, but I really wanted to see how the classes are being handled, and I have an especial affinity for the Basic Building class.

With that in mind, I looked up a class that was on at a convenient time, and quietly slipped in to see how Kerhop Seattle handled his Basic Building class at NCI South yesterday.

Kiwi Alfa, the Machinimatographer whom revamped the Alt-Zoom camera to give it handy commands, has been holding a series of basic Machinima Classes in conjunction with Millions of Us. Held on the island of Fox Atomic, they cover such topics as how to record using the built-in camera in the client, what settings to use, and even how to use his modified camera.

Two classes have been held prior to these, but I wanted to let him settle in before I mobbed him!

Here is the remaining schedule:

• Feb 12th - 12:00 PM SLT/PST
• Feb 15th - 12:00 PM SLT/PST
• Feb 17th - 03:00 PM SLT/PST
• Feb 19th - 12:00 PM SLT/PST

Update: I should note that all of these classes are the same. They're just available on different days so you have a greater chance of attending. Thanks, Master Penguin, for raising this question!

Nerine Kasei is the energetic and friendly Marketing Manager for Useful Technology Corp (UTC). Useful Technology is preparing to launch Usability Island (despite recent disruption from a fire, and a Second Life software update) as a community-oriented effort in conjunction with their Linxter software. We spoke with her about UTC's upcoming launch in Second Life (on 17 December) and its recent announcement of educational support.

Usability Island is designed with a couple of goals in mind. Product assessment surveys in this case. People will be able to set up booths where they can have their product evaluated by Second Life users, in exchange for some reward (a gift or payment of L$). Useful Technology will be using it to get feedback on the new user interface of their Linxter suite of software. "Our Linxter product is going on closed beta on Friday, Dec. 15. While we put some major major hard labor into it, we're not sure how users will react to it. Thus, we're starting off with something small, the UI in this case, and seeing how the early technology adopters of Second Life react to it.", said Kasei.

Nerine Kasei of Useful Technology (whom we recently mentioned) offers us the following information about supporting instructor/educators in Second Life, now that Instructor subsidies are no longer paid by Linden Lab. We'll be hearing more about Nerine Kasei and Useful Technology before their launch on the 17th of December.

Plantation, FL – Useful Technology™ Corporation, an emerging next generation technology company and makers of the Linxter™ software suite, announced today that it will offer educational stipends to instructors who hold their classes on Usability Island, the company's virtual outreach island in Second Life.

As Second Life continues to grow, so do the responsibilities and roles of Linden Lab, the creators of the online virtual world. CEO Jason Milgram believed that while Linden Lab removed monetary support for educators within Second Life, they have instilled enough community spirit to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Milgram hopes that Usability Island will not only assist programmers, designers and artists, but educators and nonprofits as well.