Three things that make virtual worlds unique online environments; space, body, identity

Mark Childsmarkchilds.org

Definition

• synchronous and persistent network of people and computer programs (embodied as avatars and agents), facilitated by networked computers, which uses navigable space to engage the user’s belief.’

SPACE

Space

• Navigable, consistent space with “physics”.• All give rise to mediated presence.• Similar to gamespaces, ritual spaces, theatrical

spaces – bounded spaces in which separate rules and conventions exist and which have a heightened semiotic system that requires engagement of belief – fourth places.

Fourth places• Draws on Callois, Carr, Castronova, Gee, Huizinga, Oldenburg, Suits,

Turner, Wenger, and others, and structures these according to an extended Activity Theory model

• Belief and metaxis (Presence). • Boundary objects and semiotics (Tools). • Different goals and aims (Object).• Transformation of role and status (Division of labour).• Suspension of normal conventions, (Rules). • Participation requires the ability to engage belief (Subject). • Identity and roleplay (Identity). • Community and Communitas (Community). • Transformation and outcome.

http://www.cognitivedesignsolutions.com/Instruction/TestingEvaluation.htm

AVATAR – SELF PRESENCE #1 –IDENTITY / BODY IMAGE

Social presence and identity

“I didn't want to look UGLY”“I wanted to look more "personalized" rather then the

sample model”“originality seems important to some as well, beauty in

the eye of the beholder”“I want to look like I smell nice.”“I didn't want to be too skinny and generic”“it is difficult for me due to not being able to witness

other peoples non-verbal behaviors or reactions to comments”

Social anxiety

Student E: This is sad...I am scared to leave! I am worried will end up bald, lost, and naked again. One life is enough...

Student Z: I worry about looking silly in this because I don't feel comfortable with this type of environment

Student D: don't want to look "stupid" ... I'm worrying about sitting down and can't do it

Cycle of disengagement (Barrett 2002; 35)

Low copresence

Feels impersonal

Feel vulnerableLimit information

Low social presence

Cycle of engagement (Caspi and Blau 2008; 339)

High copresence

Sensitive to others’ presence

Experience community

Motivated to project self

Acquire presence skills

AVATAR – SELF PRESENCE #2 –EMBODIMENT / BODY SCHEMA

Theatre Design and New Media

Real life theatres in Second Life• What do you think the challenges for actors and designers

would be in the real theatre this model represents?• What would be the challenges for actors and designers working

in the virtual theatre in Second Life?

Theatres that only exist in Second Life• From the stage design (and any other surrounding spaces) what

can you determine are the nature of the performances and the communities that built the stages?

• How do these theatres/ auditoria differ from real life theatrical spaces?

Learner experience 3 months in

• “Because we've got the atmosphere, because you can play around with the characters and make the audience be back in that century, It encourages as an audience member to actually think ‘wow we’ve actually been transformed’”.

• “It's not just the idea round the theatres; we actually have to perform in different spaces to get the atmosphere”.

Virtual body schema

• Given enough time spent inworld, virtual body becomes mapped to body schema, technology “disappears into the architecture of the body”.

• Around the same time students report “feeling the atmosphere of the space”.

• A link could be embodied cognition.• “Cognitive processes are deeply rooted in the

body’s interactions with the world” – Wilson.

Bodies defined by acting

• Interaction is not what happens in the object, it’s what happens in the mind of the learner

• “we actually have to perform in different spaces to get the atmosphere”

• “i like dancing / because we’re on the stage / it feels right” - Rosa

Presence v. learning experienceData from all cases

High presence

(2-4)

Low presence (0-1)

High rating (3-4)

26 2

Low rating (0-2)

1 6

Contact

mark@markchilds.org / SL: Gann McGannIn shops now• Reinventing Ourselves (with Anna Peachey, Springer)Forthcoming• Experiential Learning in Virtual Worlds (with Greg

Withnail, id-net)• Making Sense of Space (with Iryna Kuksa, Chandos)• Understanding Learning in Virtual Worlds (with Anna

Peachey, Springer)