Immersive Education:How Virtual Objects Have Meaning

Anthony FontanaLearning Technologies ConsultantInstructor of ArtVirtual Campus Co-AdministratorBowling Green State Universityhttp://anthonyfontana.com

Prepared and presented:

University of Oregon October 19th, 2009 University of Oregon’s Immersive Education Days#uoied

These slides were modified from their original presentation to include notes for the online viewer.

Why are the Visual and Performing Arts important to VWs?

"The user is the content" –McLuhan.

Everything in SL is made by a user.

Every action is performed by the user.

Not every user is an artist but every user is (could be) a work of art.

Why are the Visual and Performing Arts important to VWs?

Art and new media value the unique and the individual.

A virtual world offers individuals a chance to make unique choices.

'Culture of individuality' can become 'Culture of user creativity'.

Notes on last slide:

Art and new media value the unique and the individual.

Twitter, Facebook offer ‘custom’ feeds from our friends and contacts.

Virtual Worlds that offer less choices don’t seem to fair as well. I would say that is because the user (the signified) has a harder time identifying the avatar (the signifier) as him/herself.

What is Art?

Most people would answer expression or communication. (Syntax)

Art contains meaning. (Semantics)

Art asks the viewer questions. (Pragmatics)

Art relies on signifiers (signs, symbols) for signified real world objects.

Notes on last slide:

The painting says “This is not a pipe.” That’s because it’s a painting of a pipe.

The painted pipe is the signifier for the signified real pipe.

What is Art?

Syntax: The relationship of signifiers to what they stand for (Signified)

Semantics: The formal or structural relations between signifiers (Grammar, design principles)

Pragmatics: The semantic relations of signifiers to each other and to interpreters (Context)

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

Virtual worlds contain only signifiers.

Virtual Cup = Cup (the word) = Cup (a picture of the object) = A real cup

Notes on last slide:

Virtual worlds contain only signifiers IFThat virtual world is a recreation of the real world. Abstract worlds are less likely to contain (unabstracted, real world) signifiers.

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

The function of virtual world signifiers may differ from the real world objects they purport to represent.

The function of an art object unknown until the viewer contemplates it.

The function of any virtual object is unknown until used.

Notes on last slide:

For instance, a virtual tree may contain within in the written works of Shakespeare, it may change colors when touched, or laugh at you when you walk by.

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

Virtual world objects are like art objects because:

(Not just signifiers for a signified real world object)

A juxtaposition of semantic relations interpreted by the viewer.

Notes on last slide:

The Virtual Guide Dog Project is a good example of this. The virtual object looks like the dog and fulfills the same meaningful function as a real guide dog, helping the visually impaired.

However, the virtual guide dogs can teleport its user to different locations, work with another program to read text chat, and help navigate by reading text about a location embedded within another object. Real guide dogs cannot do these things, obviously.

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

Art object =

Meaning [[Semantics (the relationship of signifiers to signified)

+ Syntax (formal, grammatical, structural relationships between elements (line, shape, value, texture, color)

+ Pragmatics (the semantic relations of signifiers to each other & to interpreters (CONTEXT)]]

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

Virtual object =

Meaning [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

+ Meaning of Function [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

Notes on last slide:

“Virtual object” is meant to represent:Any virtual object that signifies a real world object.

What does Art share in common with Virtual Worlds?

Virtual object =

Meaning [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

+ Meaning of Function [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

Equation is missing 'Level of Immersion’

What is Immersion?

When the user no longer differentiates the signifier from the signified, they are immersed.

The object virtual IS. The statement 'my avatar' becomes 'I' or 'me'.

Notes on last slide:

Not only does “my avatar” become “I” or “me” but virtual objects go from begin used through interface:“I need to right click on that motorcycle and click ride”

To being used:“I want to ride that motorcycle”

What is Immersion?

Are there various levels of immersion?

If so, are the levels immersion affected by:

• Time spent immersed or in VW (extensive exposure)• Acceptance of cultural norms/ practices (conditions native to…)• Relationships made in the space (social immersion)

What is Immersion?

When users create virtual objects they are assigning a signifer to a signified.

Various levels of expression and communication are hindered through interface.

What is Immersion?

Virtual object =

Meaning [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

+ Meaning of Function [[Semantics + Syntax + Pragmatics]]

x Number of functions

X Level of Immersion

Virtual World Education and Art Pedagogy

Educators turn to virtual worlds to create simulated educational experiences that force students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom.

Art pedagogy invovles educational experiences (creation, process, and critique of artwork) that force students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom (skills, techniques, methodologies).

Art studies have always created educational experiences that force students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom.

Notes on last slide:

The student who created the work in the last slide was not told to make an advertisement for Converse. He applied the knowledge learned in the classroom to make piece (that IS an advertisement).

The work created from art classes IS art. It can be debated whether the art is good or not. And perhaps the art won’t always be exhibited or seen outside of class.

Virtual worlds allow educators in other disciplines to create experiences/objects that are simulations of the real world experiences/objects the students are studying/interested in creating.

What is Immersion?

Educators intent on creating immersive experiences must consider:

• Point of Immersion• How do simulated experiences force student to apply knowledge

What is Immersion?

Will the knowledge applied to a signifier (the virtual object) will remain the same when applied to the signified (the actual object)?

Digital painting is an example…

Learning to digitally paint does NOT teach you to actually paint.

Notes on last slide:

Example: Programming the physics of a race car in a virtual space and programming the physics of an actual car are very different. However, a simulation can take place that would hypothosize how far the car might travel off a cliff.

An example where this is a problem is digital painting. It's called painting (the signifier) because it uses similar techniques and can often lead to similar results. Even the tools are called 'brushes'. However, the color isn’t always called paint and the process does not help a student become a good 'painter' who uses real paint (the signified). A digital painter only gets better at digital painting.

Educators creating an immersive learning environment might consider:

• What is the student's identity in this experience?

• What is the appropriate environment?

• Will the students interaction with the simulated person, place, thing be the same in real life?

• Can you make the students believe it will?