Global Conference on Gifted Education Meets in Second Life

The Global Conference on Gifted Education held its eleventh global virtual meeting in Second Life last week, taking advantage of the platform’s global reach.

(Image courtesy Global Conference on Gifted Education.)

“Information can be accessed from anywhere in the world,”said Leslie Graves, member of the Executive Council for the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, who presented at the virtual meeting on Aug. 27. “For example, there were people from at least ten different countries there last night.”

The low cost of the platform is also a major benefit, she added, since the organization is able to keep the meetings free for participants.

“They can see and hear speakers they would normally have to travel and pay to see,” she said. “For the presenter, it is a good platform, because they get a broad exposure to a multicultural and international audience.”

Although the organization is headquartered in Bavaria, in southern Germany, the events are conducted in English. Graves herself works in Ireland as an educational consultant and resource advisor.

This month’s topic was about how libraries benefit gifted children. Previous topics included underachievers, supporting the emotional needs of gifted children, and using virtual world technology in gifted education.

Last month, David Deeds, technology manager and teacher at the Changchun American International School in China, talked about starting an OpenSim grid for education.

Next month, Mary Bruck, founder and the President of Critical Thinking Institute LLC, will talk about engaging students in critical and divergent thinking. Attendees can preregister for the event here.

miriam.pia@hypergridbusiness.com'