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Death of an avatar: Presence and learning in virtual worlds Rebecca Ferguson The Open University

Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

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Page 1: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Death of an avatar: Presence and learning

in virtual worlds

Rebecca FergusonThe Open University

Page 2: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Playing dead

Page 3: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Typology of SL death

Physical-world life – Physical-world death Permanent / temporaryPhysical-world life – Virtual-world death Permanent / temporaryVirtual-world life – Physical-world death Permanent / temporaryVirtual-world life – Virtual-world death Permanent / temporary

Page 4: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Social presence

Social presence – the feeling that a mediated experience is not mediated. As a result, people respond as if the medium is not there.

• Social richness • Realism• Transportation • Immersion• Parasocial interaction• Social response

Page 5: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

1. Physical-world life Physical-world permanent death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

Field tripsExploration of issuesPrompt to creativity

Page 6: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

2. Physical-world life Physical-world temporary death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

Field tripsExploration of art and literaturePrompt to creativity

Reduced sense ofpresence adds emotional safety

Page 7: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

3. Physical-world life Virtual-world permanent death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Sense of communityDiscussion of big issuesDigital practices and new literacies

Page 8: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

4. Physical-world life Virtual-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✘

Stimulus for creativityMeanings of deathGothic literatureHorror genre

Page 9: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

5. Virtual-world life Physical-world permanent death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Macabre and upsetting

Digital practices

Page 10: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

6. Virtual-world life Physical-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Field tripsHelps bring sites to lifeDifferent perspectives

Page 11: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

7. Virtual-world life Virtual-world permanent death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✘

Rites of passageIdentityUse of cultural tools

Page 12: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

8. Virtual-world life Virtual-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

http://projects.ict.usc.edu/force/cominghome/checkpoint.php

SimulationsEmergency training

Familiar from games

Page 13: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Presence and SecondLife death

PLPDp PLPDt PLVDp PLVDt VLPDp VLPDt VLVDp VLVDt

Richness ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Realism ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Transport ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Immersion ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Parasocial ✔ ✔ ✔

Social ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

-------- Physical life ------- ---------Virtual life ---------

Page 14: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Dying to know

Field tripsHelps bring sites ‘to life’; provides different perspectives

Exploration and discussion of issueseg Meanings of death, Rites of passage, Identity

Exploration of art and literatureeg Gothic literature, Horror genre

Stimulus for creativitySense of community

Digital practices and new literacies Use of cultural tools

Simulations – including dangerous situationsEmergency training

Page 15: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Abraham, B. (2009). Permanent Death - The Complete Saga. http://iam.benabraham.net

Bayne, S. (2008). Uncanny spaces for higher education: teaching and learning in virtual worlds. ALT-J, 16(3), 197-205.

Klastrup, L. (2008). What makes World of Warcraft a world? A note on death and dying. In H. G. Corneliussen & J. Walker Rettberg (Eds.), Digital Culture, Play and Identity: A World of Warcraft Reader (pp. 143-166). Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Lombard, M., & Ditton, T. (1997). At the heart of it all: the concept of presence. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 3(2), 1-42.

Relevant reading

Page 16: Death of an avatar presence and learning in virtual worlds

Second Life:Marie Arnold

Fox Phlox