Portrait: The Academy of METROPOLIS and Anette Hummel

Having a look at the list of regions connected with METROPOLIS one will see the six regions named Academy owned by Anette Hummel.
On May 30th and 31st the Second Annual Celebrations of the Academy will be held in the grid. A good time to introduce the Academy in "The Hyperzette"

When we met Anette told me that the regions Kreativ and Kreativ2 also belong to the Academy complex and being the first regions with the same objective holding the old names.

Hyperzette:
Hello Anette, when did you step on the virtual stage and I assume it was Second Life ?

Anette:
Yes, You are right and it happened 2008.

Hyperzette:
Why did You change to the METROPOLIS Grid ?

Anette:
Somehow I never liked it in SL and with the METROPOLIS grid I found my assignment. I feel that I am needed here and beI am happy. I am a supporter of the grid as well as a DJane. I do have a lot of fun, which I never have had in SL. I call METROPOLIS my home since 2011.

Hyperzette:
What induced you to set up classes and being a mentor ?

Anette:
The thirst for knowledge.
(At this point, she handed me a notecard, which I will publish in excerpts)
The Project started 2012. At the beginning she created a group to exchange knowledge and experience about the 3D modelling tool "Blender". Some experienced people met and the idea was to give the knowledge to others. That was the birth of "Anette's Schule".
The METROPOLIS TEAM made the approach to her to open the school officially. This laid the foundation of the "METROPOLIS Academy". After four years existence Metropolis experienced what knowledge had been needed:
Transferring knowledge and know how in the use of tools and technics to other residents.
The courses are free of charge and include themes like: Creating sculpties and MESHes using "Blender", Texturize with "Gimp", LINUX for beginners, How to start an own region with Open Sim technologies, HTML and PHP Courses. To have an overview about all of them see:
http://hypergrid.org/metropolis/wiki/de/index.php?title=Academy

Hyperzette:
Are there other mentors beside yourself ?

Anette:
Yes, there are. Everybody can offer to be a mentor if she/he has the knowledge. I will prepare everything else, to get it running. In real life I am lecturer and thus trained. I will help on the teaching methods, that's what I am familiar with. Or it may happen that I will help during the lessons. Also that gives me a little bit more time for the administrative works which have to be done.

Hyperzette:
What is the reason to have 6 regions with the name Academy ?

Anette:
Well, the regions are prepared for the lessons and that is why there are so many. The region "Academystart" is the center location, where each course will start and the people and me will meet to answer questions  and to know each other. The courses accompanied by text and footage and in the forum you can read the chatlogs.

Hyperzette:
What kind of courses do you offer ?

Anette:
Seminar 01: BLENDER
Seminar 02: GIMP
Seminar 03: OpenSim - Installation of a simulator
Seminar 04: OpenSim for Beginners
Seminar 05: How to create clothing
Seminar 06: How to build
Seminar 07: How to handle terrain
Seminar 08: How to manage the inventory
Seminar 09: MESH Viewer
Seminar 10: JOOMLA

Beside this we introduce the Virtual World for the ones never been in contact with Virtual Worlds before.

New at the moment is a course about "How to make Animations"

Hyperzette:
Are the courses held in german language and what requirements are needed to participate in a course ?

Anette:
Most of the courses are held in english. But if the mentor is able to give it in english and the participating scholars agree on english, the courses will be given in english language as well. There are no requirements like voice needed. In the meeting before a course we agree on what is the minimum requirement.

Hyperzette:
Reading the offers I can see Blender, Gimp and Joomla, each of them software tools which are used outside the virtual environment. Especially Blender and Gimp often are needed to make preperative operations for further developments and buildings in the virtual world. (MESH, UV-map, texturize). For me it seems to be a bit difficult to offer a course inside the virtual world for a tool one has to use outside ?

Anette:
As a lecturer in RL I am familiar with teaching methods and there are some very good methods, not even used in Second Life. During the lessons you see pictures and instructions on boards in world one can follow on the home PC. We also provide material to compare own approach with prepared approach. Beside that I may get contacted out of office hours and I will answer single questions.

Hyperzette:
Do you arrange the courses due to the experience of the scholars, like apprentices and experienced and if so, does the scholar have to have special requirements ?

Anette:
No requirements are needed. If needed the classes can be split at any time. So the mentors keep an eye on it not to make it too difficult or too boreing for an individual.

Hyperzette:
How to register for a seminar ?

Anette:
You can do that on the Web page:
http://hypergrid.org/metropolis/wiki/de/index.php?title=Academy
Beside all the nedded information you will find a Mail address. Just send a mail and tell about your request. You will get a confirmation


Thank you very much Anette for this informative and interesting interview and further success for the future.........
......and Happy Birthday !


For the "Academy": Anette Hummel
For "The Hyperzette": zaphod Enoch

Translation to English: zaphod Enoch

Destination:
METROPOLIS Region Academystart