The Effects of Instructor-Avatar Immediacy in Second Life,

an Immersive and Interactive 3D virtual Environment.

By: Sabine Lawless-Reljic, Ed.D.

May 26, 2010

NonVerbal Communication

• Clothing and bodily characteristics• Physical environment– Proxemics– Chronemics

• Movement and body position– Kinesics– Posture– Gesture– Haptics

• Eye Gaze• Paralanguage

Implementation Suggestions• THE VIRTUAL WORLD• Choose the VW according to your needs• Introductory session to VW• Set the right expectations

• YOU• Identify your own immediacy style• Emphasize voice qualities• Personalize your avatar (physical and automated

gestures ≥ lipsync + speech gesture)

• YOUR STUDENTS• M[u]VE them (Move, Use, Verbalize, Engage)