Presenting in Second Life

I have participated in 3 presentations thus far for DIGICOMM 3210. From what I have observed, Second Life can be a great way to share knowledge at a high level of interactivity. It allows communication through text and voice. It feels like Skype except that you have more control over representation. Some students have mentioned increased comfort in class discussions in comparison to conversations held in the class room. For presenters, they have the tools to create multimedia rich environments that compliment their presentation.

Allyce and I used self-representation to complement our presentation on Vesuvius by decorating our avatars in the stereotypical white Roman togas. Following a theme added fun and interest to the presentation while also reflecting a part of the history which we were discussing - fashion. We were glad to have Prof Farber join in with her costume! Perhaps apparel would be a good gift for site visitors.

In Captian Flail's presentation, he supplied us with t-shirts and signs as part of his mock-protest. As a participant, I felt more included in the activity and discussion. This also spoke to the importance of identity in group movements that extends online. Collective identity can help us feel part of something larger as well as inform onlooker. In Second Life, materials can be easily shared at little cost.

The great thing about Second Life presentation is that you can go beyond photos and videos. Users can enjoy environments with three-dimensional versions of objects and landscapes. We used Second Life as a space for recreating historical sites. This not a simulation of a place we can visit but of one that no longer looks the same or exists. 

If I were to go all out on our site, I would want to create Roman buildings and texturize the walls with ancient Roman art as it was originally painted; create paths and buildings as if new; animate a pyroclastic storm; create an example of an archaeological dig, specifically the Fiorelli Process; and recreate artifacts. I think that immersion can elevate students' attention and enthusiasm to learn. I hope that teachers recognize the potential of virtual worlds in the classroom.

Presentation today!

Welcoming any new and current Second Life users to join us in the FIMS Collaboratium today for a presentation on Mt Vesuvius!

We will discuss the events of the explosion of 79AD, the scientific description of the volcano, and the archaeological significance of Vesuvius. Visit this Second Life URL to participate once you have logged into the Second Life Viewer application: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Western%20University%201/115/115/35

Look out for me, Georgia Riddler, and this volcano if you get lost!

If role-playing is play, then virtual worlds are playgrounds.

In 2011, Bridget Blogdett and Andrea Tapia wrote "Do avatars dream of electronic picket lines?", a discursive exploration of the role of work and play in virtual worlds. The title parodies Philip K Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". Whereas Dick presents the question of the value on programmed "consciousness", Blogdett and Tapia challenge us to reconsider video games and virtual worlds as more than after-work entertainment. While the main subject matter, virtual protest, might seem as though it deviates from Dick's work, present a quote that echoes the his theme.

"Although players are the minds behind avatars, the avatar's actions feel as if they were occurring within another world. The avatar's act of protesting is assigned to the cultural borderland of the virtual world, seen as separate but overlapping with the real world person."

Just as Dick's characters' could emotionally associate themselves with androids (animal and human varieties), we too extend our personality and care for the avatars we become and associate with. The sentiment jumped out at me. I agree with it from my own experiences from connecting with digitally animated characters while also setting a distance. By playing the Sims, acting out different personalities; or being affected by changing form to a cat in Second Life, there is a change not just rendered by the game mechanics. We transfer our personalities and in it there is a transformation. This should not be hard to believe, as I think most people make similar changes in their interactions in real life. We mould ourselves to different people, and an avatar can mould us.

Considering the act of role-playing, even with only slight characterization, I newly accept that virtual worlds are inherently environments of play. When I first entered the article, I disagreed with this notion: "virtual worlds are classified as video games, they are grouped with playtime activities and not often associated with work." I thought that virtual worlds could not be immediately written off as play environments, but a pure form of communication. Now, I think that the deferral of consciousness to an avatar does imply that virtual worlds are play environments that blend work as well. It is a play in personhood, as we unconsciously act out a new self.

That's it for existential musings today!

Getting to virtual commerce

In researching my essay, I felt it important to look into the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and how it has been connected to virtual technology. Many different papers have been written concerning it purpose as a virtual office, business, community while also altering TAM by combining it with other attributes such as readiness, and people's personality traits. Another model is added -  the Hedonic Theory which attributes emotional and imaginal responses resulting in pleasure to the acceptance of virtual worlds.

In "User Acceptance of Virtual Worlds", Fetscherin and Lattemann bring up a few technical challenges: poor graphics, data transmission problems, server downtime and server failure among others. Some of these have to do directly with the virtual programming while others are a result of the service that can determine the VWs usability - the Internet. It would suffice to say that the incorporation of virtual world models in current popular communications depends on overcoming these barriers. If virtual worlds can be seamlessly embedded in the tools we already use, then it would be easier to popularize them.

In relation with my essay topic, the incorporation of virtual worlds with commerce should be one that can be made universally successful as there are many benefits. In "A Means-End Analysis of Consumers' Perceptions of Virtual World Affordances for E-Commerce", Tran et al, list "co-presence, product discovery, 3D product experience, greater interactivity with products and sociability as enhancements to the consumer experience that may positively impact sales. As traditional e-commerce has taken off with reduced experiential qualities has taken off, it could only be enhanced by closing the gap between consumer and products with virtual interactivity.

Across the world, models of virtual shopping have gained popularity in the form of shoppers using cellphones to scan codes outside their home. Looking forward, I am interested in the potential for virtual shopping in the home which come with environmental and social benefits. It can also benefit businesses which can appropriately stock their stores based on orders and not have to worry about items taking up shelf-space.

Work in a virtual space

I'd like to relate the article "Work in the virtual enterprise" by Lauge, Baungaard, and Ramussen to our recent experiences with the group projects. The article lists three categories which are crucial to project development: creating identities, building trust, and sharing knowledge.

Identity is described as an important part of communication that is challenged by the ambiguity created by spatial and temporal difference. Without sharing a space, there is the loss of physical interaction such as simply cooperating over the same screen. This challenge is apparent when working on the Second Life Space. When I worked on a previous project in a virtual worlds class, we were able to meet at the computer labs every week. Now, with me in Peterborough and no official meeting time we have to rely on digital interactions. Working side by side in a computer lab made creative input easier because we could point and review from the same screen to design our space. It also had temporal advantages as communication in physical space is instant. For this project, the speed of discussion is moderated by Internet connection and attention given by classmates. We have made do to communicate our identities through a series of interactions. First, we greeted each other through Facebook in a group chat. After exchanging a few ideas and noticing the inconsistency in active conversation, we set a time to discuss over Skype. This allowed us to familiarize and have a more dynamic conversation in determining our project topic, Mount Vesuvius.

Lauge et al discuss that trust in a virtual program is easily established when there is a moderator/supervisor or formalized procedure, so each party knows there are external expectations. Of course, we did not have this option! Therefore trust was established through communication and identity. As in previous group projects, I have found that as I get to know my partners better I can often gauge their investment and appropriate tasks based on their personalities. This trust building is labeled as "Knowledge based trust", which is described as team members knowledge of each other which better enables them to predict each other's behaviour.

Finally, sharing knowledge implied the workers' abilities to form effective procedures to ensure team members' access to important information. Most of the knowledge sharing we did was in real-time through Skype and Second Life, but we also are keeping a shared Google document to keep record of supplies and information for our presentation. Since this was a static document that did not notify us of changes, we keep a group conversation to update changes. The development of knowledge sharing  is very important in avoiding redundancies, mistakes or incomplete tasks.

Hits

Never Nude's feature film! Pay what you want across theatres, bittorrent on the 13th and download on iTunes. They basically decided they wouldn't make any money, everyone would be fed, and they'd come out with this kickass film.

On identity in Second LIfe

Virtual worlds allow us to experience a multiplicity of identities not possible in the real world. I worked with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario last summer and connected with hundreds of people with disabilities. For me, I see that the extreme value of identity is offered by empowering and activating people with disabilities. It offers emotional release to embody a new identity, or even communicate effectively in cases where people have trouble speaking or just leaving their home.

Here's Alice Krueger, who has multiple sclerosis on Second Life. She values the ability to socialize and do things her body does not allowed. She also mentions how her friend gets to take control of something like a night club, whereas his real life involves constant care by others.

Of course, it’s important to realize that we are all limited by our forms, social circumstance, finances etc in controlling our identity. This is the reason virtual worlds and games are so powerful. As we are engaged, we are extending ourselves through the characters.

As has been noted, it does not end and begin with virtual worlds. I think that even through writing, I am virtually controlling my identity. If that seems too obscure, consider chat rooms. No physical manifestation as an avatar, but the ability to perform as you wish built through anonymity. Gottshalk comments on the liquid transformativity of identity that is often taken advantage of to exercise contradicting personality traits. The passive become demanding, the meek, chivalrous, or the human to a playful kitty cat.

When asked why I myself chose an orange cat as my avatar, I believe it was just the physicality and playfulness symbolized with the cat that I enjoyed. Similarly, the cat really has no sexual identity and I can just be a wily character that looks funny sitting at a table of humans.