Art Education in Virtual Worlds: How students can be inspired in second

life through unconventional settings:

Jessica Hickey

Graduate Student Summer 2013

Arizona State University

Digital Ethnography

“Digital Ethnography is a qualitative form of research that consists of 3 stages” (Stokrocki, 1997; Stokrocki & Andrews, 2010).

Stages:1. Data collection is a process of recording an event and pertinent information.2. Content analysis is a search for l themes or patterns of meaning both scientific and emerging..3. Comparative analysis is a process of interrelating findings or explanations ns to form new perspectives. 

Second Life at first glance:

To say Second Life made me calm, cool and collected would be an outright lie. It frustrated me, irritated me, and terrorized my dreams.

But from something I thought I would never use beyond this class has given me ideas for new ways to incorporate virtual learning and technology into my own classroom.

My Name is Jessica Hickey and I am graduate student in Art Education program at ASU. I also teach full time Junior High Art in Mesa, AZ. Recently, I was selected to become a STEAM educator (STEAM- Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) which means I would be collaborating with several subject areas to incorporate technology and interdisciplinary studies into my own classroom.

Me as a frustrated green robot.

After Spending many weeks, learning about second life, mostly as a fat green robot due to my lack of Second Life knowledge, I started to think about how I could tie in virtual worlds into my classroom, and if I am feeling some sense of community, could my students?

The activities should be more cooperative and less competitive.” (Carbo 2012)

First Endeavors in Second Life

I wanted to be able to think outside of the box, and more how my students would think of art… not limited to a gallery or painting.

I wanted to find people that are creative, in many ways.

I wanted to explore outside of the typical artworld.

I hoped to find a tool that will be able to used passed the art room, but give students real world knowledge in a new way. What peaked my interest was finding a reading on how Second Life was used to address body issues.

“A teacher in New York has used Second Life to help conduct a unit on self-image, with the kids using avatars to visualize their body ideals and issues—something that would be more difficult to do in real life. And there’s still a lot of potential, as Second Life lets students and teachers model complex objects: A working volcano, for example, could be created from scratch to study geology.When asked whether she thinks Second Life will become the next big thing in ed tech, Schrock is circumspect.” (Rapp 2008)

Research Interests

Can virtual spaces create a sense of community in a real life classroom?

Can virtual spaces/avatars be used as a conventional teaching tool?

Can students be inspired by virtual spaces/people from Second Life?

So this little Robot went interviewing:

Methods

I will interview 3 avatars, learning about their ideas of Second Life, Art, and how they contribute to the art world.

I will look for common words that they use to describe art and the work that they do

I will use a table graph to compare data collected from the interviews as well as personality traits.

Describe

Describe briefly avatar and quote from conversation in notes I will describe the locations and events that occurred.

Interview 1: Insight Homewood

After having a class period at Angel Manor, I came across this avatar who at first glance I thought would just be a viewer of art, but he also has created things in SL such as small clubs and staircases. He felt all art was equal and it really is in the eye of the beholder. He felt that SL gave him a greater appreciation for all things in RL.

We met at Angel Manor at his favorite piece :http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Angel%20Manor%20Estate/75/35/29

“[18:56] Insight Homewood: I view the real world with more of a sense of wonder now, having taken it for granted before. “

Interview 2: Avanthalas Absent

Avanthalas Absent is quite skilled with changing appearances, and often did as we approached different areas in second life. She is the creator of a Lewis Carroll themed museum which offers biographical information of his work, books and art, but also offers several interactive experiences such as coasters, boat rides, and chess. This avatar was eager to show me how to do several things on SL such as a complete makeover.

We interviewed two places. First the museum, then her ranch:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mieville%20Shelley/18/113/763

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hazel%20Woods/94/165/29

17:58] Avanthalas Absent: You have to learn SL while you're here. =P

[18:05] jshickey: Do you collaborate with anyone on this? [18:06] Avanthalas Absent: No... I'm OCD about detail and a little bit of a control freak about projects.

Interview 3: Kriss Lehmann

Kriss Lehmann lives in the Philippines, and lives completely off the work he and his wife do on second life. He even met his wife on Second Life! He does not consider himself an artist, but he is the creator of several trees in SL which he originally started to make by using Photoshop. He is very detail oriented and strives for perfection in every endeavor.

[17:21] Kriss Lehmann: I don't get inspiration so much inside SL, as I do from the real world. Even though you can create any type of fantastic environment in SL, I find that real life nature is awe inspiring enough for me. SL just become my canvas to take what I see in real life and recreate and expand on it

Kriss has a beautiful store that gives a very peaceful experience to the audience. Even though he does not consider himself an artist, it takes a creative to imagine all of this!

Each interview offered a unique experience and added to making an exceptional learning tool through discovery, trial and error.

Words Used in Common

Art, Artists, Artwork: 23

Learning: 18

Create: 12

Collaborate: 6

Inspiration 5

Explore: 5

Avatar Behaviors/ Biographical information

Insight Homewood

Avanthalas Absent

Kriss Lehmann

Age/Sex/Job 60/Male/Unemployed

38/Female/Due to illness, unemployed

36/Male/ Works in Second Life

Average time spent on SL per week

6 -8 hours 10-12 hours 20-60 hours

Personality on SL

Social, likes to learn from people and collaborate

Helpful, likes to teach, works alone, but will buy art from others for her museum.

Works alone, but enjoys talking to others and selling his trees

“Look” on SL Man in top hat and tails, with cane

Varies between Alice from Alice and Wonderland and Victorian look

Beachwear, strong build, “surfer” look

Content AnalysisQuestion Insight

HomewoodAvanthalas Absent

Kriss Lehman

Do you Create in Real Life?

No Yes Yes and No. Use Photoshop for trees used in SL

What are the benefit to creating/viewing art in SL?

Can view Art without being rushed, and for lower cost

Can create quicker, Museum basic took only 1 month

Can sell something and make living while working from home.

Is Art in Second Life comparable to Real Life?

Yes, and equal Yes and Equal Both have advantages, but inspiration always comes from RL

Do you feel SL could be used as a tool in classroom learning?

Yes, like Angel Manor, it gives all of your senses a show.

Yes, student can research on SL about artist work, like Lewis Carrol

Yes, with default avatars and heavy monitering

Second Life is an open-ended online world. Users design their own surroundings, and create avatars as their characters to work there. (Carbo 2012)

Interpret: Content Analysis and COnclusion

Summary

After spending 5 weeks in Second Life, interviewing, exploring, and learning I feel that there can be some warrant to use this in the classroom as well as giving students a sense of community, and show them that there are more than one pathway to be creative and give them real world experiences.

“Virtual worlds can provide an assortment of learning opportunities, from identity formation to social net- working, entrepreneurial skills, and financial literacy,” (Brown 2009)

Summary Continued As many teachers know, getting your students to be interested

in a project is having that hook. Creating an avatar, being apart of something where you can collaborate with others and learn from them (and not from the teacher) is that hook. This puts the students in the drivers seat and offers them a way to be constantly actively engaged.

“In addition to content-rich explorations, students in a virtual environment learn social, technical, and practical life skills in a setting that keeps them engaged, inquisitive, and playful. (Brown 2009)

Even though these SL creatives did not necessarily see themselves as artists, I certainly view them in that light. They are creating, and contributing to the viewer, all with a goal to send a message.

References:Brown, Maureen. (2009) Walk, Fly or Teleport to Learning: Virtual Worlds

in the Classroom

Retrieved from: www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=EJ859575

Carbo, Ruben. . (2012). How Students Use Second Life for Digital Learning.

Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/2012/02/internet-classrooms-using-second-life-for-virtual-learning/

Rapp, David. (2008). Virtual Classroom, Second Life.

Retrieved from:

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749877