Everything You Wanted to Know About TLE (Almost) in a Single Spot!

By: Alas Zerbino - TLE Official Blogger

Ihave always been impressed with the way that TLE Educational Network works so hard to make sure visitors to its virtual education campus in Second Life get information they need, and when and where they need it.

Too many times I've used a landmark provided by a Second Life venue and when I teleport there, I end up with no clue about where to go next! The landing point might be beautiful, but there're no signs or other information sources that tell me how to get to the specific place I was aiming for. (Is it over that hill? Beyond that forest? . . .) Sometimes I think it's because it's hard to see your own place from the perspective of a brand-new visitor; other times it's clear that the owners just don't want to "junk up" the location with information signs. Give me "junked-up" then! Nothing's more frustrating than trying to get to an event that starts at a specific time, and feeling like you're stuck in the middle of outer space!

Or, better yet, give me the ways in which the TLE Educational Network strives to make its events and locations as accessible to newcomers as to those of us who hang out a lot at TLE.

And now TLE has added an even more accessible information source to its Main Campus landing point in Second Life, and to other locations across its SL sims -- easy-to-spot and even easier-to-use information kiosks that look like this:

It's hard to not see that large shining box and red "Info" sign rising above the surroundings, even late at night (as shown in the first photo above)! From this attractive kiosk, you can get all kinds of information, just by clicking your mouse on its signs and buttons as follows:

1. To get an overview of TLE and key landmarks in a single notecard, click the box at the top (the one with the red "Info" sign).
2. Want to see the classes and events at TLE scheduled for the next 24-48 hours? Page through the calendar beneath the top box.
3. Then click on the slanted "TLE Educational Network" logo sign (at the base of the large group sign, on the table) to get the current week's news and events all on a single notecard.
4. That big sign sitting on the table lets you join the TLE Educational Network General Group -- with a single click -- so you can get updates about TLE and notices of new events, programs, and venues opening anywhere at this virtual education center. (And remember, the TLE General Group, like all TLE Groups, takes up NO slot in your Second Life group allotment!)
5. The column of smaller buttons lining one edge of the group sign will give you informational notecards and landmarks for the particular areas of TLE that are named on the buttons -- like the Interactive World History Museum, University, Sea World, and so on.
6. A similar column on the other side of the sign displays buttons that, if clicked, will immediately open TLE's Web sites: its home page, blog, online calendar, Facebook group, and Twitter page.
7. The four blue icons at the base of the kiosk give you information about the Creative Showcases (for musicians, writers, and artists) and the sandbox and SL classes at the TLE Newbie Park.
8. Finally (for now, at least!), to get operating instructions about the kiosk itself, you can click the small red "i" icon on the base, and instructions will appear in your text chat window.

Along with the new kiosks, TLE has enlarged the landing point at its Main Campus, so it's easier to see and use all the helpful signs and devices there:

• Calendar boards listing the current day's and week's events (as in photo above)
• A teleporter (in front of calendar boards in photo above) that you can page through to find and then select any location on the TLE virtual education campus (and above the campus -- in the case of a few sky builds!)
• The staff paging board (showing on the far left in photo above) where you can click on anyone shown as online to get immediate help
• Other poster-boards that, if clicked, will offer information or a teleport to a specific location (see photo below)

And that's just the Main Campus landing point! Information kiosks, teleporters, and poster-boards for specific teleports or notecards are within sight almost anywhere you go around the TLE Educational Network.

Which makes sense -- TLE's mission in Second Life is to provide free knowledge and education to everyone, so naturally it would want to do what it can to make its virtual education as easy to find as possible.