Deep inside each and every one of us, lays a power that we never fully realize. It contains the courage, hope, and passion of a warrior longing to fulfill the needs of a sacred few. Only when that need is exceptionally great, and the situation truly desperate, is one called to be the savior of a world. Alex is young boy not unlike you or I. That is until a magical spell whisks him away to the land of Furcadia. Here, he meets some unlikely friends as he finds himself called to stop an all-powerful, evil force set on driving this new world into chaos. Through Alex s journey, he must solve one mystery after another as he learns about the people and the world around him. One obstacle after another presents itself as he seeks to stop an incredible force. In doing so, he finds that there are many mysteries that lie within him as well.

"Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries is designed to help librarians and educators recognize the potential of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and consider ways to get involved as they proliferate. Lori Bell, Rhonda B. Trueman, and 24 contributors describe innovative projects in Second Life and other virtual worlds, and demonstrate how reference, teaching, collections, discussion groups, young adult programs, and other services can be successfully applied in a virtual environment."--Cover.

Andrew (archone89144) was marked Online on Sun Jun 09 13:57:07 2013. andrew: The future is freedom. The Federation, a vast civilization of humanity and its allies and derivatives spanning across hundreds of worlds. The future is cutting edge. Ships travel infinite distances by folding space-time like cloth, to worlds where athletes fence with magnetic fields of atomic scale cross section rotating at near light speed (also known as lightsabres) and genetically re-engineer themselves as nonchalantly as they would with plastic surgery. andrew: The future is dangerous. Pirates taking advantage of the libertarian environment, alien species of decidedly hostile intent, political intrigues motivated by the ever present urge to control and dominate other sentient beings. The future is a hunting ground. The future belongs to the Huntress...

This book examines the powerful role of popular culture in the daily online literacy practices of young people. Whether as subject matter, discourse, or through rhetorical patterns, popular culture dominates both the form and the content of online reading and writing. In order to understand not only how but why online technologies have changed literacy and popular culture practices, this book looks at online participatory popular culture from MySpace and Facebook pages to fan forums to fan fiction. Interviews and observations reveal the skills and practices students develop, as they sit multitasking at their computers, across popular culture genres and electronic media. For educators, the book provides significant insights into popular culture literacy practices, thus illuminating how students are making meaning and performing identity every day as they read and write online.

Each year, there are more and more avatars in rich virtual environments. These immersive worlds - where the world within the screen becomes both the object and the site of interaction - are on the increase, matching the promise of technology with the creative minds of students. Educators, keen to incorporate the evolving literacy and information needs of 21st century learners, will want to understand the opportunities provided by multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs), massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and 3D immersive worlds, so as to be able to create more interactive library, educational, and cultural projects. The challenge is to accept that these interactive environments are here to stay and that schools can, and should, embrace learning in virtual worlds. (The Learning in a Changing World series by ACER Press addresses how the process of learning is evolving, including the array of resources available in the digital age, the changing curriculum, and the different teaching strategies needed in order to use new media and technologies. The series presents core areas for teachers, librarians, and school leaders to consider for 21st century learning which are: the digital world, virtual worlds, curriculum integration, resourcing, and the physical environment. All are essential elements to enable and empower students to be lifelong learners and active participants in society.)

Finally, a book about the Internet that takes place outside the Internet! Your Next-Door Neighbor is a Dragon leaves the bleeps and bloops behind for a series of surreal interviews and adventures with the people behind the computer screen. Something Awful's Zack Parsons risks life and sanity by meeting with people who believe they are real dragons and elves, attending a furry convention in costume, paying a visit to a white power group in Texas, talking shop with people who want to be swallowed whole, and witnessing the launching of the Ron Paul Blimp. More than a year in the making, this epic adventure is full to bursting with the jokes about wieners and poopy that made Something Awful a true Internet sensation. Have you added the book to your cart yet or do you just hate yourself that much?