"Technology Enabled Identity within Virtual Worlds and

Implications for Our Future Within A Metaverse."

Gulfam Fatima

MY EXPERIE

NCE

IN S

ECOND LIFE

Used second life as an immersionist and an argumentationist.

Imersionist: Interaction, communication, involvement

Argumentionist- believe that the real person is not the avatar but the person sitting behind the computer screen.

Role play- Had a different name for my avatar. But, was being myself

My experience of creating the cube made me think about my identity.

EMBODIE

MENT

(Loomis, 1992; Biocca, 1997) “Embodiment is only possible because of the distinction between the phenomenal body and the physical body”.

(Thomas,2006) refers to this process as “metaxis” which is “the state of belonging completely and simultaneously to two different, autonomous worlds: the image of reality and the reality of the image”,

However, Biocca would argue that the ‘self’ can not be presented in two different places and can only be present either in the real or virtual world

EMBODIEMENT

(Stein,2007 stated in J.Leslie,2008;6) “Stroke victims visiting the SL Dreams protected area for people with disabilities have reported that the experience of seeing themselves walking aided in their recovery”.

Lack of IT Skills “Three-dimensional MUVEs are providing just such

environments for anyone with a reasonably up-to-date computer and Internet access”

The internet can cause addiction Health problems- back pains and eye strains. Obsession Experience bullying

Criticisms

(Z. Phillip,1997;39) We are simply acting in cyber space, and being involved in the process of the virtual events.

(Z. Phillip,1997;38) VR, understood as immersive, however, further surpasses such an interactive model , because human agents are cut off from actual contact with the natural environment and thus do not generally single out and particular objects or events with which to interact.

Virtual reality being real?

Tech

nology In

Virt

ual

World

s

Affordance Extended capability

communication Voice, chat, SL groups, search

Embodied social presence 3-D perspective on avatars (oneself & others)

Building/engineering/design/sculpting

Highly flexible robust tools & training

Animation and scripting Motion, behaviours, sensors, lighting, sound

Data visualizations & simulations

Modeling, infinite scale, micro/macro, role-play,spread sheet conversion, historical, art

Sound & spatial relationships

Example: reflexive architecture, avatar orchestra

Language immersion Example: 27 language-specific islands

Learning communities created by & for users

Example: Educators Coop Residential Island

International SL collapses geography

Low capital expense operations costs

Overhead, travel, equipment, training, energy

Fundraising Am. Cancer Soc., Katrina Relief, kiva.org

Recruitment/administration/management

Universities, IBM > 1500 employees in SL

Bringing distance & online learning together inthe 3-D virtual world

Online-course class photo only in SL

Educatio

n

(N. G. Canbek; 2010) Virtual life has been used for training and education

(N. G. Canbek; 2010)The following activities that users tend to engage in which are: “Role play, Diagnostic, Problem solving, Demonstration, Collaborative, Constructive, skill building, gaming”

Current trends in SL for education

( J.Leslie,2008;8)“Educational users want more stability in the software platform, faster functionality, lower or less expensive initial equipment requirements, easier-to-learn scripting and building tools, increased ability to import ready-made objects from other programs, simpler ways to stream media, and more seamless integration of most other standard-use software products into the SL virtual environment”

Expected future changes

( Jeggins & Collins, 2007), even though new technologies bring pedagogical utopia for the innovators, there is still an ambiguity regarding what second life will bring to educational evolution.

Limitations

(Ragas & Neely,2009 stated in G.Salmon,2009;529) There is a growing interest from academics and teachers.

Reports like (O’Reilly Radar Team,2008 stated in G.Salmon,2009;528). The number of registered users (residents) of SL has grown rapidly over the past 4 years, and there is increasing interest from educational institutions.

Atkins & Blackal,2008 stated in G.Salmon,2009;529) that all universities will have an SL presence in 5 years.

Virtual world and Education

Tren

ds

(Nalates,2011) In the future there is likely to be an increase in the population accessing second life as the figure seems to go up each year. For example on an average day there were 10,000 signups which had increased to 13,000-14,000 sign ups per day.

(Gartner Inc,2007 stated in G.Salmon,2009;528), known for forecasting ‘adoption cycles’, predicted that by the end of 2011, 80% of all active Internet users would have an avatar and would be registered in one or more virtual worlds.

Change in trend

Metaverse Technology Effects Production Ownership Popular culture

Trends to possible future

Meta

vers

e

(Smart, Cascio & Paffendorf, 2007; 7). In the 20 year scenario, they may become primary tools (with video and text secondary) for learning many aspects of history, for acquiring new skills, for job assessment, and for many of our most cost-effective and productive forms of collaboration.

(S.Jhon, C.Jamaise & P.Jerry,2009;4) many of the Internet activities we now associate with the 2D Web will migrate to the 3D spaces of the Metaverse. This means we will be able to benefit from both 2D and 3D web.

(S.Jhon, C.Jamaise & P.Jerry,2009;4) Its emergence is being enabled by a number of exponential technology capacity and performance growth trends

Metaverse

(S.Jhon, C.Jamaise & P.Jerry,2009;4) In 2016 the Metaverse may be primarily a social and communication space, but experts suggest it will have many other uses as well.

Metaverse and Education

Television and the metaverse will increasingly converge. The better internet television becomes, the more metaverse-like it will be. So too with online spaces that will increasingly embed interactive video.

(S.Jhon, C.Jamaise & P.Jerry,2009;7) SL’s next generation of server upgrades will also support spatial audio streams of its inhabitants, which will provide an attractive and useful new dimension to the VW.

(S.Jhon, C.Jamaise & P.Jerry,2009;6) As graphical technology improved, it crossed a usability threshold, then broadband connectivity increased, and now software advances are giving new creative powers to the user

Metaverse and Technology

(J.Leslie,2008;4)The technical system includes the SL software, the individual computer and Internet connection of each user, and the vast expanse of virtual simulations that comprise the SL metaverse (a combination of the real world with the virtual world).

How is SL Technical

These software’s allow you to export textures:

3d max

Maya

Blender

Scripting Language allows prototyping of interactivity – The Tech Virtual

Trends for ICT in SL

(J.Leslie,2008;2)The two critics related to the emerging of second life are “(1) function or purpose of the activity, and (2) the audience or user”

(J.Leslie,2008;2) “Crowded classrooms may create navigation difficulties in SL for the audience”

Criticisms

Thank you