Category — Second Life

The Infoscape Research Lab is pleased to welcome a lecture by

Jeremy Hunsinger, Virginia Tech
‘Exploring Science in Second Life through the Interplay of Information
and Interactivity’

Mar 10, 1pm
Rogers Communication Centre 329
gelmer@ryerson.ca

Science in Second Life operates through the modeling and interacting
with virtual objects. These objects are primarily visual constructs
represented on the screen. There is an interplay of interactivity
and information found in constructions of scientific environments and
tools in Second Life. In this presentation I analyze builds in Second
Life that do one of three goals, either they are classroom materials
about sciences, sites aimed at toward improving the public
understanding of science, or sites that represent scientific history
and institutions. Construing the construction of objects as locations
of intersubjective experiences about science, I argue that there is a
varying mix of information and interactivity that is necessary for the
production of knowledge in virtual spaces and the lack of information
and/or interactivity hinders that knowledge production.

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CALL FOR PAPERS

special issue of Learning, Media and Technology

issue theme: Learning in Virtual Worlds

Edited by Jeremy Hunsinger and Aleks Krotoski

Virtual worlds are learning worlds.

There is substantial evidence that people learn in virtual worlds. While most learning in these spaces is informal, existing outside the school curriculum, formalised learning environments have also been developed in textual worlds, MOOs, MUSHes, MUDs and multi-media spaces like ActiveWorlds(R), Second Life(R), World of Warcraft (R) to support educational goals in primary, secondary, higher and lifelong learning contexts.

The extensive writings on virtual reality and virtual worlds over the past four decades have covered the breadth of the phenomena and experiences of learning via CMC in these situated spaces; this call for papers seeks scholarship that builds upon and extends those accounts. We seek research that deals with learning and research in social networks or among friends, learning through play, learning through artistic creation and learning in unconventional virtual realities. We seek papers that examine learning or modes of learning that occurs in unexpected ways.

For example, workshops have been transformed with the inclusion of new materials, like clay or other art equipment, encouraging participants to express themselves through different modes of communication. Such physical practices mirror the opportunities afforded in virtual environments, increasing potential outcomes by breaking down borders of expression, creating a place for play, and expanding discourse. We seek research that aims to capture similar alternative practices in learning within virtual worlds.

While all forms of scholarship and research are welcome, we prefer theoretically and empirically grounded study in the social or behavioral sciences. We seek a special issue that exemplifies methodological pluralism. The use of visual evidence and representations is also encouraged.

Submission guidelines:

This special issue is edited by Jeremy Hunsinger and Aleks Krotoski. Please contact them at jhuns@vt.edu and akrotoski@yahoo.com to discuss your submissions. The editors welcome contributions from new researchers and those who are more well-established. Submitted manuscripts will be subject to peer review.

Length of papers will vary as per disciplinary expectations, but we encourage papers of around 6000 words. Short discussion papers of 2000 words on relevant subjects are also welcomed for the ‘Viewpoints’ section. Learning, Media and Technology submission guidelines and referencing styles will be followed [see: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/17439884.asp]

The guest editors will consider papers received by March 15, 2009. Fewer than 10 papers will be accepted. The special issue will be published in early 2010. Please send papers to jhuns@vt.edu, clearly indicating that your submission is for the Special Issue on learning in virtual worlds.

Designing for learning in Virtual Worlds

Designing for learning in Virtual Worlds | Virtual Worlds Research Project

Seminar at Roskilde University

Department of Communication, Business and Information Technologies
Monday, October 13, 2008, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Room 43-2.29
———
This is my first event in Denmark this year, but not my last:)
Jeremy

Since Tuesday I have been in Milwaukee visiting SOIS and CIPR as part of my Information Ethics fellowship. I attended a discussion about a possible future conference on translating intercultural information ethics across the situated understandings that term implies across a plurality of contexts. That seems like a great project, I’m happy to help out there. For the rest of the time, I attended the conference Thinking Critically:Alternative Perspectives and Methods in Information Studies. It was an excellent conference and I met many interesting people in the field of information studies, most of which are leaders in their field or soon to be so. I also attended the 2008 Samore Lecture: “Interpreting the Digital Human,” by Professor Rafael Capurro, at the Allis Museum, which provided an excellent end to the conference. I had excellent dinners and conversation with colleagues that I’ve not seen for some time, and with new friends and colleagues. I suspect that I’ll be seeing many of these people again over the years. It was a great experience all around, though I did not get enough writing done on a promised paper that is overdue. It really looks like the CIPR and SOIS are up to some great things and I’m happy to be affiliated with them as an Ethics Fellow for another year.
—
Unrelated to the conference and my fellowship, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Thomas Malaby who has a book forthcoming on Linden Lab. We spoke at length about problems of research, computer game studies, his work with Linden Lab and his related work. It was a fantastic conversation and I hope to have similar conversations in relation to my work in Second Life in the future.
—
All in all the problem of alternative methods and the communities that support them is an important issue in my career. I have been affiliated with many groups on this topic from Phil Graham’s old NewMediaResearch, heterodox economics, and the political science perestroika movement list, to my current work with InterpretationandMethods and Theory, Policy and Society, not to mention my work with the Association of Internet Researchers. The work that I perform is primarily interpretive methods, from ethnography to textual analysis, though I’ve been known to use quantitative when it adds to the argument. The key to me though is to come to notion of understanding and being able to communicate what actually leads to certain understandings of the world. It concerns me that there are so many people with so many of the same issues across so many different disciplines and there is so little conversations amongst them. Though there are broad interdisciplinary efforts and efforts toward inclusion.

Mark Kirk today joined with local parents, teachers and law enforcement to call for federal action to protect kids from child predators and registered sex offenders on “Second Life”

[From Congressman Mark Steven Kirk - 10th District of Illinois]

—-

The headline should be Representative Mark Kirk is Ignorant and encouraging regulation based on ignorance. While he and his cronies in ignorance “Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks, Mount Prospect Police Chief John Dahlberg, Mount Prospect Officer Dirk Ollech and 10th district parents and teachers Janet Joy and Bonnie Graham of Arlington Heights” might believe that children are at risk in Second Life. They have failed to do their homework. Second Life keeps children separate from adults by providing a separate Teen Grid. This is separate from the adult grid, where people over 18 may do what people over 18 may do. The teen grid is policed and vetted by employees of Linden Labs. There is very much no chance that these children are at risk. Even a cursory investigation would have undermined the Representative’s position. I hope that he doesn’t judge other things based on ignorance of the facts.

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Call for Papers/Participation

Please join us in a workshop on learning and research in Second
Life(R) on October 16, 2008 in Copenhagen at Internet Research 9.0 (http://wiki.aoir.org/index.php?title=About_IR9.0
)

Paper Deadline June 15th.

Second Life is a 3d virtual environment created by Linden Lab (R)
which has captured the attention of researchers and teachers from
around the world from a variety of disciplines.

This workshop aims to improve the understanding of Second Life as a
Learning and Research environment. It will bring 35 researchers
together to collaborate, discuss and workshop diverse topics related
to research and learning in Second Life. We will pursue a full-day
schedule in which participants will discuss their work and interests
on four different topics: learning in Second Life, integrated
learning, the contributions of research to the community and ethical
research methods. How can we better enable learning in this sphere?
How can we better enable research?

Our honored keynote will be Pathfinder Linden

Researchers are requested to submit papers and short biography to slworkshop08@gmail.com
, which will be selected and distributed amongst participants before
the workshop. First invitations will be offered to those who provide
full papers for consideration.

These papers have two purposes: first is to provide a common platform
for understanding our research and teaching and second submitted
papers may be considered for publication in an edited volume being
produced in relation to the workshop, or possibly in peer reviewed
publication derived from the workshop (these are currently under
discussion).

Subsequent invitations will be made based upon research/teaching
statement and biography with priority given to people submitting full
papers. If you are interested in participating, please send an email
containing your information to slworkshop08@gmail.com.

Decisions will be made by August 1st, barring incident. There is a
limit of 35 participants at the physical meeting; the event will be
simulcast into Second Life which will be organized by Jason Nolan.

We welcome professionals, faculty and graduate students to participate.

This workshop is sponsored by Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, and
is organized by Jeremy Hunsinger, Rochelle Mazar, Aleks Krotoski and
Jason Nolan. Lunch, coffee breaks and the room is included in
participation. (And you’ll probably get a t-shirt!)

*We are also seeking additional sponsors, please contact jhuns@vt.edu
if you would like to sponsor this workshop.

After spending 1/2 hour or so this afternoon discussing his projects and ideas with Hackshaven of NOAA, I went downtown and met with Suzanne Seggerman of Games for change to talk about having some games for change in Second Life. She was in town because there was a Macarthur event. Rik showed up a little later, he seems to be getting on very well at global kids. I met a few other of the people associated with various projects and we came up with some good concepts for second life projects for games for change. It was a good time, I like hanging out with the macfound folks.

After that I came home and ran into Joi on IM and we chatted about Kula, CC, Icommons and Larry’s possible congressional bid. Joi said Mimi had asked about me, so i dropped her an email to see what’s up. While i was talking to Joi, Bryan Campen said hi on im, good to see he survived the days illness.

Similarly, i was talking with my fiance most of this time. Though, in parallel, i was also talking to my friend merentha in sl, she was taking photos and playing with windlight. so expect more buridan simon photos to randomly appear on the intarweb.

Other things in that regard, I submitted a panel proposal to internet research 9.0 on Science in Virtual worlds. My paper looks at the indices of interaction and information in virtual worlds as education environments. Other people from OII, FSU, and Ryerson also submitted.

I’m working with Aleks Krotoski on the proposal for a journal special issue on second life and I’m working with Aaron Delwiche on a separate publishing project related to second life. There is another one that includes Tracy, but that is farther out.

Linden Lab is sponsoring the second Preconference workshop on Learning and Research in Second Life at Internet Research 9.0. That CFP should be out by the end of the month.

oh i’m also going to WORKSHOP ON EMERGING NORMS, LAW AND ETHICS IN VIRTUAL WORLDS co-organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Science & Technology Law, and The Center for the Study of Law, Science and Technology at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (Arizona State University) on march 10 @ ASU. It is invite only and I’m glad i was invited as it is right up my alley.

The final things going on in second life for me is Lessons in Second Life, which I think is going to hit 20 meetings next week or perhaps last week. It is a weekly get together on the topic of ‘learning’ in second life. Usually 5 to 20 avatars show up and we discuss anything they want in an open table format.

I was working on an ‘ethnographers in second life event’, but it looks like that is not going to occur this semester.

SL Student Center
A number of folks have attended the Lessons in Second Life meeting that Jeremy Hunsinger hosts on Mondays from 1-2:30pm at the _blacklibrary on hyperborea.

[From sorry.afk: SL Student Center]

—

AJ posts about the idea that i’ve been working on for a universal student center in SL. It would be open to all students, a place that any and all instructors could put on their syllabus. it would be run by students with minimal rules and provided with some SL centric resources, like freebies and landmarks. My idea is that frequently classes are small and lack the critical mass necessary to feel safe in socializing and exploring in sl, this location would allow people from various courses, colleges, and universities to come together and find compatriots.

Well the Learning and research in Second Life workshop was by all current reports a resounding success. We had a full room in real life and a significant group of people in second life at Kula. We have some photos on flickr that are tagged, and some others that are note are in the Internet Research 8.0
tags. Linden Lab and Joi Ito sponsored the event that Aleks and I put together. John Lester/Pathfinder Linden gave our keynote and participated in the workshop. The goal of the workshop was to develop community and to increase the quality of scholarship. I think we have easily accomplished the former, and the latter will develop over time.

Isto Huvila’s blog

SLCC 2008 – Location Selection Narrowing Down!:
Yeap, it’s getting closer to the time where we all know where we’ll be when next year! Check out this post on the 2007 blog for the specifics as well as a heads up on a survey that will also be posted soon!
—-

Tampa…. or Raleigh… I’d rather not, though I’d get to see friends… I’d not like to go to SLCC in august at either location…