Virtuality and Education

From WikEd

Virtuality and Education

Authors: Katrina Bromann, Cheryl Camacho, Erin Collins, Delores Lloyd, Meredith Tarczynski, Kimberly Ulrich, Renee Urban, and Angie Wooten

Wiki Administrator: Aaron Harris

Created for: Ethical & Policy Issues in Information Technologies, Summer 2007

Instructor: Professor Nicholas Burbules

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Contents 1 History and Context 1.1 History 1.2 Context 2 Education 2.1 Virtuality in the Learning Environment 2.2 Challenges 2.3 Virtual Learning Applications 2.4 Online Education 2.5 Virtual Field Trips 2.6 PLACES TO TAKE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS 2.7 Edutainment 3 Language and Virtuality 3.1 Language in Non-Technical Virtual Realms 3.2 Language and Role Play 3.3 Language Shift and Technology 3.3.1 See Also 3.4 Created Language within Technological Speech Communities 3.5 Global and Cultural Implications of Language Shifts 3.6 Opportunities for Education due to Language Shift in Virtuality 4 Identity 4.1 Brief Social/Cultural Context for Identity & Virtuality 4.2 Introduction 4.3 Colonialism: A Historical Context for Virtuality & Identity 4.3.1 See Also 4.4 Digital Technologies, Identity & Virtuality 4.4.1 The Idea of "Us" Challenged Online 4.4.1.1 See Also 4.5 Educational Opportunities and Challenges Related to Identity & Virtuality 5 Business of Virtuality 5.1 Business As a Virtual Environment 5.1.1 See Also 5.2 Virtual Environments as Business 5.3 Beyond Second Life 5.4 Other Opportunities 5.4.1 See Also 6 Conclusion 7 Works Cited 8 External Links

[edit] History and Context

"We live at a new frontier…where media, computing and telecommunications converge to create 'wired worlds'… where words, sounds and images flash around the globe in digital data streams…where access to digital information is central to work, entertainment and education…where prosperity is governed by the ability to question and use knowledge". From Wired Worlds, National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, Bradford, UK.

[edit] History

Virtuality, defined as the seeming of anything as opposed to its reality (Wikipedia), has redefined the way people have immersed themselves in communication, education, entertainment, etc. over the last couple of centuries. Though the term seems fairly new (emerging in the late 1980’s, early 1990’s), the definition of engaging oneself in a virtual world has simply evolved into what we think of as engagement in today’s modern technology from centuries ago. Taking a look back at virtuality brings us to the idea of people going outside of their own reality through media such as plays with actors and actresses as early as the 18th century. In this time people immersed themselves in the actor’s lives as if the world the actors were living in was reality. The idea of plays evolved into what we know as black and white picture shows, to colored T.V, to dramatic film-making, to reality T.V. to the newest craze of interactive movies (History of Film). This evolution has made engagement in virtual realities easier than ever before.

Not only has television created a world were people are able to step outside of their own natural character to live the virtual lives of others, but so has the newly profound information age of the use of the internet for global communication and networking with others. The computer took conventional writing and organization to a whole new level with the introduction of database and spreadsheet programs capable of producing the same results in half the time. With the introduction of the World Wide Web communication across the world became possible through email, instant messaging, chat rooms, blogs, etc. Information also became readily available at the click of a button enabling the economic world to become more powerful than ever before, making it seemingly impossible for businesses to survive without it. Along with an increasing global economy through computer technology came an increase in readily available information for educational purposes. Computers have evolved to the extent that, with appropriate software, digital recording has become available for virtual studies and research in practically every field of study particularly the medical field, space studies, science, etc. In the classroom setting, students of all ages can go online and take virtual field trips to a lot of very famous settings including that of the White House and houses that sheltered slaves on the Underground Railroad. In math, students can take apart three-dimensional shapes to get a better understanding of how formulas for basic and advanced mathematical studies have come about. Even now, with the invention of online chat rooms and the creation of Avatars,students can feel comfortable discussing some of the most important social issues of our time with people from around the world.

Virtuality has consumed the lives of people for centuries and, with technological advances, will continue to consume people’s lives in a much more powerful and faster way. Though there are many controversial views on the power that virtuality has had, there is no doubt that it has created a world filled not with passive participants, but with people who have become more active than ever before on seeking new and profound information about themselves and the world around them.

[edit] Context

Virtual Reality (VR) may seem like a fairly recent concept, and in fact the term itself is a decidedly Twentieth Century construct. Oxford English Dictionary cites its first use in 1987 and defines it as “a notional image or environment generated by computer software, with which a user can interact realistically, as by using a helmet containing a screen, gloves fitted with sensors, etc.” Indeed, in many minds, the idea of virtuality is intimately tied with technology; “virtuality,” “virtual reality,” or “the virtual” are all concepts which currently call to mind computers, hand-held devices, and other gadgets. In a broader sense, however, virtuality existed long before computer software. Alternative definitions of virtuality suggest that it can be used to denote any immersive experience, not just one facilitated by technology. In his paper “Rethinking the Virtual” Professor Nicholas C. Burbules posits “…the key feature of the virtual is not the particular technology that produces the sense of immersion, but the sense of immersion itself (whatever might bring it about), which gives the virtual its phenomenological quality of an “as if” experience” (2). If virtuality is thought of as being a combination of interest, involvement, imagination, and interaction, culminating in the overall immersive experience, then it is not a new concept at all, but rather an age-old phenomena. Allowing for a broader interpretation of the virtual implies that such experiences have been around for centuries, in the form of theater, role-playing, storytelling, reading, listening to music, or engaging in conversation.

What, then, differentiates virtuality today from the so-called virtual experiences that have been possible throughout history? The most overt answer lies in the emerging media available for virtual experiences. The digital generation has access to software and hardware that make online interactions possible and prevalent. Role-playing, for example, moved from the stage to the screen, as people began to experiment with virtual worlds in an online environment. New devices allow for a whole new level of involvement and interaction in the virtual worlds, in some ways decreasing the amount of physical interaction (not much movement is required to navigate spaces such as Second Life) and in some ways facilitating new bodily yet virtual experiences (for example, spaces such as The Cave at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications). In ways previously unthinkable, people can reexamine and rethink the space and time around them, using new technology to redefine and reevaluate the difference or sameness of the real and the virtual.

Other trends provide further context for the increasing importance and focus on virtual reality in recent years. Recent social and cultural trends have emphasized the importance of personal identity, and much of the way virtuality develops is in relation to exploring or creating personal identities. This is an age of participatory culture: “A participatory culture is a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations, and some type of informal membership whereby what is known by the most experienced in passed along to novices.” This concept, along with new frameworks and models for media literacy, are explored in a white paper titled “Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century.” The issues that surround virtuality past and present are similar, be it a role-playing experience in early Greece or a role-playing experience with an online avatar, and yet virtual experiences in the Twenty-first Century are also nuanced due to the developing technology. Personal identity is an issue that would have been experimented with in drama or through listening to music without any technology at all, but virtual online worlds provide an added dimension. Furthermore, additional issues now arise, such as being able to take on different identities in the absence of face-to-face interaction. Other relevant areas of interest related to virtuality as it is perceived today include language, business, and education, because each of these areas is presented with great new opportunities and challenges as a result of the new digital technologies and emerging social trends.

[edit] Education

[edit] Virtuality in the Learning Environment

According to Clark (1983), graphics technology allows us to create several varieties of digital images and displays that effectively enrich education. Using virtual capabilities, teachers and students are given a unique experience consistent with successful instruction including hands-on learning, group projects, active discussions, field trips, simulations, and concept visualization. These experiences provide an amazing advantage allowing for a new focus on students’ individual learning and performance styles. “The Virtual Reality learning environment is a context that includes the multiple nature of human intelligence: verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, auditory, spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal” (Bricken, 1991). The virtual learning environment’s individualized student experience also fosters interest and motivation. According to Gee (2003), “motivation is the most important factor that drives learning.” Research carried out by Harrington (2006) indicates that educational virtual environments are characterized by students’ enjoyment, engagement and increased attention. Furthermore, students involved in virtual environments exhibited an increase in school attendance and a decrease in the use of profane language.

Another advantage of virtual learning environments is that children are allowed to explore multiple views, which is the Gibsonian ideal of Ecological validity (Harrington, 2006). Through participation, students become active in cultures so they can see more clearly their relationship to humanity as a whole. The virtual learning environment can be used to construct visual, multi-signal interpretations of the past and future or to construct scaled realities from microscopic to enormous dimensions. Virtual environments provide “a safe experience of distant or dangerous locations and processes. We can tele-exist in a nuclear reactor or under the sea, experiment with virtual chemistry and biology, and inhabit macro- and micro-cosmic systems scaled for human participation” (Bricken, 1991). Furthermore, students can participate in collaboration because multiple participates are provided the opportunity to interact simultaneously within the same audiovisual environment while conversing with expanded capabilities. The Science Wow Factory is an excellent demonstration of collaboration. Three school teams from different continents worked together to produce a website that has a collection of witty Readers’ Theater science scripts based on favorite science experiments and demonstrations. These scripts were developed by students as part of their small group guided writing sessions and collaboratively created with two other classes in different countries. The scripts are intended to be used as “platforms for further investigation, experimentation and discussion” (Bruce, 2005). The organization of the project was supported by Tapped In, which provided a secure educational environment with real-time online chatting sessions for the students and teachers.

This individualized and “safe-haven” experience has important implications for students, especially those that are often overlooked in the mainstream. This would include students who are significantly ahead or behind their peers, have learning disabilities or physical health issues. Others would include students who are bullies or “bully magnets” and students who have transportation or safety issues (Revenaugh 2006). The study conducted by Marshall Raskind, Malka Margalit, and Eleanor Higgins in 2004 to understand the struggle of students with learning disabilities outlines the potential benefit for exceptional students. In the study, they “established a virtual, but authentic community where children exchanged electronic communications on topics of personal significance and interest in what they considered to be a comfortable and ‘safe’ environment” (Raskind, 2006). “In several instances, the children were more willing to self-disclose through online messages than in face-to-face ‘real-world’ interactions” (Raskind, 2006). Raskind, Margalit, and Higgins believed this was because the virtual environment offered a social context that did not accentuate their social skill deficits and resulted in positive interactions with their peers. Here not only did the virtual environment give a “voice” to students who, because of fear or frustration, were often unwilling to speak, it gave teachers, parents, and doctors an insider perspective on what life is like for these children.

Catergories of Virtual Learning Communities

Categories of Virtual Learning Communities	Description	Distinguishing Features
Knowledge Building	Members focus on topics of interest and construct communal data bases of information	Share common interest and personal responsibility of contributions
Inquiry	Goal-based orientation among participants that requires active involvement from community members	Shared purpose and active solution seeking
Practice	Based on learning lived practices of the community	Active participation and reflection
Culture	Based on shared history, common sense of ideology, or ritualistic traditions	Strong group identication and sense of tradition
Socialization	Based on connecting individuals with common interests or a common background for social exchange	Emphasis on social interaction and entertainment
Counseling and Development	Provides support services to individuals and nurturing individual growth	Empathetic relationship building and concern for human well being

[edit] Challenges

While the aforementioned findings are significant, not all students benefit from virtual reality environments. Factors that may influence students who do not benefit from virtual realities are: social issues, hardware, network, and content and curriculum quality. Often specific software is necessary for virtual reality learning to occur, which schools cannot always afford; therefore, businesses and the government are going to have to bare the burden of expenses in support of their vested interest in fostering a successful education system. According to Burbules, Callister, and Taaffe (2006), resources and opportunities that can be distributed by the public such as technical access to computers, networks, training and experiences are important goals for society to pursue. Therefore, the costs should be “addressed through social and community capacity-building.”

Cultural challenges exist as well. All stakeholders in education (parents, community, teachers, etc.) are not convinced of the “educational effectiveness, measured by substantial learning and performance increases” are directly attributed to Virtual Reality technology. Additionally, educators fear that Virtual Reality technology will be “dropped into the classroom, and that it won’t really help them teach more effectively” because of lack of training. Swan et al (2006) explains, teaching and learning have changed little since the last great media revolution because of the way computing devices have been placed in schools and classrooms. However, virtual and other technologies available today have changed what is pedagogically possible, therefore, teaching must be reconceptualized as conducting learning and the content and focus redefined to meet the needs of this century. This requires learning that will force teachers to adapt a new pedagogical philosophy, engage in training and collaboration that supports technological pedagogy imposing additional expenses on schools and their districts.

Other challenges and concerns include the fear that technology could potentially have negative attributes that would lead to the dissemination of propaganda, advertisement and misinformation. Furthermore, some “worry that virtual schooling will isolate students, sequestering them with their home computers and cutting them off from interaction with their peers and the outside world” (Revenaugh, 2006). Therefore, it has been recommended for schools to coordinate more field trips and social events and for parents to involve students in outside events such as scouting, sports and volunteer programs.

Furthermore, until teaching, learning, and technology are reconceptualized within a ubiquitous framework of education, the challenges of digital technology such as virtual learning will continue to persist. According to Swan, Cook, Kratcoski, Lin, Schenker & Hooft (2006), “teaching needs to become more the responsibility of the student, and located with her in an expanded space and time that extends beyond the classroom.” For students whose families' incomes prohibit them from obtaining the necessary technology to have the capabilities to extend their learning outside the classroom, the gap continues to increase and the concept of the digital divide is further perpetuated. “Until access to computers is ubiquitous, until every student has access to appropriate digital technologies whenever and whereever he or she needs them, what is possible will remain mere potential” (Swan et al. 2006).

[edit] Virtual Learning Applications

Virtual learning applications occur in a variety of forms combining hands-on learning, collaborative communities, graphic software, and virtual reality technology. Some are a combination of digital and “real world” activities while others are entirely technical in nature. Either way, in some respects, they often resemble life transpiring in a video game. Critics may say that “games” do not belong in the classroom, however emerging research disagrees. According to Gee (2003), “games incorporate a whole set of fundamentally sound learning principles.” These principles include providing students with information in context of actual use, challenging students “at the outer and growing edge of their competence,” and allowing students to produce knowledge. Thomas’ observations (2005) of students interacting in a virtual community indicated additional learning benefits including creating practices of learning and building knowledge through trial, error, and reflection. Au (2007) reports that recent published studies suggest “that games have the power to teach analytical skills, team building, and problem solving on the fly.”

An interesting example of this is an experiential learning project which took place in a German Elementary School classroom (Kritzenberger, 2002). In the project, eight and nine year olds carried out a multi-step process of bringing a story to life. They began by collaboratively composing a story about the world of dragons. They then set the “stage” by creating real world objects out of papier-mâché and recording sounds which they digitized and animated with LEGO software. The final product was an interactive theatric performance where students performed their story by interacting with the backdrop of the virtual world they created. Kritzenberger, Winkler, and Herczeg (2002) contended the project along the “Virtuality Continuum” to be “a very promising learning space for constructive and collaborative learning of children enabling semiotic learning experiences.”

Another application on the rise in the world of education is the innovative web creation by Linden Lab known as Second Life. According to their website, “Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.” The site hosts two “worlds” a mature world for adults 18 years of age and older and a teen world for 13-17 year olds known as Teen Second Life. According to Au (2007), “the educational applications should be obvious.”

"The ability to build 3-D objects collaboratively and in real time with others in the same world has enormous potential for teaching building, design, and art principles. Because Second Life is a rough simulation of the natural world, with meteorological and gravitational systems, the possibilities of experimenting with natural and physical sciences are endless. Meanwhile, the ability to interact with people from all over the globe enables political and cultural exchange and research in a safe and controlled environment." (Au 2007)

Several learning institutions share Au’s vision of Second Life and have utilized it to set up educational projects. One example is Global Kids, a nonprofit organization that uses Second Life to encourage students to explore topics regarding leadership, citizenship, and global awareness. Because of Second Life, Global Kids' students are engaged in higher order thinking activities such as planning, creating, designing, judging, explaining, supporting, modifying, and reflecting. Global Kids' administrators and students explain the details of their unique strategies including the "human barometer" in the worthwhile video, Global Kids in Second Life, located at this site. Collaboration and bringing stories to life are the main goals of another Second Life project, Kids Connect. In the pilot phase of 2006, Kids Connect students in New York and Amsterdam worked together to combine attributes of their cities to build a hybrid city in Second Life. This hybrid city's purpose was to serve as a space for their virtual theatric performances. During this process, students explored the relationship between theater and technology through digital storytelling, improvisational theater, video editing, sound recording, and collaborative performance. Global Kids and Kids Connect are amazing projects that not only excite students but reach beyond the boundaries of the classroom walls, consequently, changing the face of learning. Students, themselves, have observed this change and express how using Second Life encourages a higher level of engagement because everyone can be "heard." Learn more about student perspectives of how Second Life encourages multiple simultaneous conversations making the interaction much livelier and stimulating than a traditional classroom in this video.

Use of Second Life in the classroom is not limited to teens. Several collegiate institutions are embracing the use of Second Life to conduct classes including Librarianship courses at the University of Illinois and a course exploring the influence of public opinion in law at Harvard Law School. Second Life also serves as a platform for collegiate institutions to cultivate partnerships with other educational facilities like museums and nonprofit organizations. An example of this the New Media Consortium, a nonprofit organization that strives to identify areas of potential impact in teaching, learning, and creative expression that created the NMC Campus in Second Life as a space for exchange between members all over the world.

As with any type of change, Second Life comes with challenges as well. Working in Second Life requires advanced technology including a strong 3D graphics card and broadband Internet connection meaning that schools with older equipment would have to shoulder costly upgrades. Additionally, teachers would have to be comfortable in assuming the new role that using virtual environment requires as in being a facilitator and mediator rather than a “sage on the stage.” Global Kids' Barry Joseph advises caution for educators stating that “working with youth in Teen Second Life is on the cutting edges of progressive pedagogy, so you might want to wait before getting involved if you aren't willing to lose a little blood along the way” (Au 2007).

[edit] Online Education

Online Education has recently become more popular than ever. Online education first began with educational television programs. As computers became more popular, and the internet was used by thousands of people, education was being offered through the internet. Online education grew as people realized its advantages. “The Internet is making it possible for students with families, full-time jobs or other responsibilities to earn a college degree without sacrificing the amount of time or money needed for a traditional brick-and-mortar degree.”

As more and more people own their own computers at home it opens more doors for online learning. Many universities offer courses on the internet. This allows the students to not have to leave their houses, or take a course from a university that is thousands of miles away. Some schools have programs where you can earn a degree through online learning. Other schools just offer an array of different course to help apply towards the goal of a degree.

Online learning opens many opportunities. People do not have to leave their house anymore to go to class. This means they don’t have to worry about driving and traffic, or walking across campus to get somewhere. If students are taking an asynchronous course, they can go on the computer whenever they have time to complete assignments or listen to lectures. If students are enrolled in a synchronous course they still have the benefit of talking with other students and getting the sense of community and belonging to a classroom.

There are some challenges that come with online learning. The first is to own a computer. Online learning requires that you have your own computer to complete the course work on. If a person does not own their own computer it can be very difficult for that person to participate in the course. This becomes a big disadvantage to those who have a lower income. Another challenge for online learning is motivation. Students who are enrolled in online course must have a lot of self-motivation. If students are taking an asynchronous course they can be allowed to go on whenever they have time. This means that they must have motivation to go onto the computer to complete their work.

[edit] Virtual Field Trips

Video and photography advances coupled with the delivery power of the Internet have brought forth the unique opportunity for people to visit new places from the comfort of their computer desk chair. Virtual visits have popped up all over for a variety of purposes.

One such purpose is virtual field trips. According to Steele-Carlin, “trips range from the simple, such as a photo tour of a famous museum, to the extremely detailed and high-tech that offer video and audio segments to make the visit more interactive” (2005). These virtual trips have many benefits including no cost to attend, no time constraints of travel, being tailored to specific grade levels and learning goals, in addition to creating a learning opportunity in places that may not be accessible.

Here are one high school student’s thoughts after taking a virtual field trip:

"Taking a virtual field trip is so much better than boarding a school bus and going to a museum or something and listening to a boring speech about each of the exhibits. It’s better in that I could view each place in my own time; I wasn’t rushed through, like on many field trips. I would gladly go on this type of trip again. It saves time and money and is very convenient” (Steele-Carlin, 2005).

There are many types of trips out there, some are better than others. One exemplary example is Cezanne’s Astonishing Apples at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At this site, students can explore the works and history of the French impressionist painter, Paul Cezanne. Educational benefits include thought provoking questions, an online storybook, additional reading suggestions, and related interactive games. It is easy to follow with its direct flow and clear purpose in addition to the stunning feature of interactive prints where students can zoom in and out to critically observe pieces’ details. Another well-organized example is This Old Habitat. At this site, students watch a video to learn about the habitats around Chicagoland. Then students are directed to Chicago’s Field Museum website which contains an interactive quiz game and four experiment activities to complete offline. There are so many sites out there to meet the needs of many grade levels and topics. Good places to start the search for quality virtual field trips are Virtual Field Trips at Apple Learning Interchange and Virtual Field Trips at Internet 4 Classrooms. Both sites offer links to several worthwhile virtual field trip experiences on a variety of topics and for a range of age levels.

It may be hard for some teachers to find a trip that fulfills their specific needs or goals. For those so driven, there is software available to create your own custom-made trip. Some software can be purchased; an example is TourMaker software developed by Tramline. Other software can be utilized for free at places such as the Utah Education Network.

Virtual visits have other purposes as well. Another important application of this technology is college campus tours. High school students can start their college searches at campustours.com where they can visit hundreds of campuses with a click. This website pulls together important information regarding school statistics, virtual tours, and real-time web cameras to give students a feeling of being there with out leaving their home. According to Dyrli, “virtual tour represents a fundamental change in attracting students through the Web, and not having one may affect (schools) recruitment goal negatively.” It says a lot about today’s technology driven students that they may not even consider a school which does not present itself effectively on the web.

Virtual trips and tours have obvious benefits; however, they are not without with challenges to overcome. Virtual field trips can take students to places they have never been, but poor developed ones can sometimes take students to places they should not go. Virtual field trips can pull together a variety of resources to assist students in developing a well-rounded view of a topic, but poor developed ones can overwhelm students with too many unconnected resources. Virtual field trips can inspire students with fascinating information, but poor developed ones can frustrate students with excessively advanced reading levels. The best way to avoid these road bumps is to evaluate the trip ahead of time to ensure it will be worthwhile. Teachers' evaluation should ask these three questions.

1. Does the trip meet the educational objectives of the topic?

2. Is the path of the trip clear and can the steps be navigated easily?

3. Is the trip adaptable for different learners (i.e. include sound clips for non-readers)?

If it is decided the trip is not worthwhile, creating a new trip is always an option. Teachers choosing to create original virtual field trips should consider the same criteria during its construction. Additionally, these teachers should be sure to properly cite their resources to demonstrate for students the importance of ascribing works to the creator.

[edit] PLACES TO TAKE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Virtual Field Trip to the Louvre

[edit] Edutainment

Edutainment is a game like software that relies heavily on visually appealing material to engage children in learning. Edutainment is intended to attract and hold students attention by engaging their emotions through vividly colored computer animations. It was signed on the premise of making learning fun.

Edutainment is a stimulating and interactive way to learn. Instead of a teacher lecturing a group of people, the learner is learning through interactive and stimulating television programs and computer activities. Edutainment started with television shows such as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, and Blues Clues. The characters in these programs have the children watching their show get involved. They would teach their viewers new information through interactive entertaining approaches. As computers became more popular edutainment was provided by a computer screen as well as the television.

As more people experience edutainment they are realizing the benefit. All types of edutainment are being used in the classroom. An example is educational computer software games. “Educational computer software, as a form of highly interactive technology and a form of digital content, naturally fits in the context of students’ learning since it can deliver nonstop actions, realistic sounds and vivid colors to get students’ attentions (Maushak, et. el 2001)”. Students are very mesmerized by a computer screen, and if we can find computer games that are motivating, engaging and entertaining we can use them to help students learn.

There are many opportunities from using edutainment. By using edutainment in the classroom the students’ motivation can go up. The students want to learn about a new topic when they get to go on the computer and play a game to learn about it. Edutainment also provides engagement in its learning. The students can apply what they are learning to their own lives, which leads to a deeper understanding.

Along with opportunities there some challenges. A person must have access to a computer with internet in order to utilize most edutainment on the computer. If schools are limited on computers, then the students will not get access to the edutainment. Along with limited supply can lead to costs of supplies. Some edutainment programs cost money. The district must have a budget that allows for purchasing of these programs. Another challenge of edutainment is, technology suggests that information is gathered, processed, and constructed which causes students to develop a form of thought which suggests how to approach the world in a certain way. Therefore, allowing technical logic to replace critical, political and ethical understandings. According to Zuhal (2006), “good learning is a process of socially based, active co-construction of contextualized knowledge and webs of relations among its nodes,’ which this technology does not support.” Because education has more to do with developing individual’s thinking and reasoning so information can be appraised to separate the relevant from irrelevant along with the important from the trivial. Requiring models that will teach students to absorb or reject the mass of information and its validity.

[edit] Language and Virtuality

As identity plays a significant part in the concept of virtuality, so does the issue of communication within virtuality. If we are to accept Burbules’s definition of virtuality as discussed in earlier sections, that there are “four interrelated factors at work…interest, involvement, imagination, and interaction” (Burbules, p. 9), then we can understand that part of that involvement in immersion is the attention to communication and language. We cannot speak of the virtual without giving the unique communication that is developed within each community its due.

[edit] Language in Non-Technical Virtual Realms

Since the virtual does not exist merely by the use of technology, but rather from the state of immersion the participant is involved in, whether that is “watching a film, reading a book, listening to music, or just being caught up in a reverie or conversation” (Burbules, p.9). Language, then, is caught at the heart of this immersion, because it is—in large part—the tool by which humans understand one another. Certainly to read British author J.K. Rowling’s series of Harry Potter, the American reader must familiarize himself with certain syntactical structures and new vocabulary, both “magical” and British. We immerse ourselves within the novel, adapting ourselves to the language of the book and of the author. If we are to watch films, moviegoers again adapt themselves to the particular language by the sheer nature of immersion within the virtual. However, while these two activities are virtual experiences, they are not interactive, and thus the observer does not engage within the developing of an identity withing the virtual, and thus has no reason to change their language habits. However, if immersed within the virtual world that technology brings about, then we have a participator within the virtual, such as in chat rooms, MOOs, MUDs, and MMORPGs. By creating an identity--an avatar--a participator creates a desired role; within that role comes forms of movement, dress, and possibly most important, language.

[edit] Language and Role Play

Within the article "Children Online: learning in a virtual community of practice," Thomas (2005) discusses Elianna, a girl who creates the community of the Gathering of Elves. By becoming immersed in the virtual world of Tolkien through reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Elianna created her own virtual world, learning not only facts, but assimililating personalities, mannerisms, and speech patterns into her characters. Through this role play, Lily, a another participator in the community, has created a character whose speech and language has changed to fit those of her characters's personality facets: one facet is that of a warrior; the other is that of a romantic character. Though children don't often sense that when they play, high-level learning skills are in use, Thomas highlights this: "From a linguistic perspective, the children’s written role-playing language reflects a high lexical density and complexity, detailed descriptive nominal groups, and a high degree of symbolism and figurative expressions" (p.31). Thomas discusses with Lily about her character, and Lily gives an example of how her character's speech changes with the facet of her identity within this virtual world: "[Warrior] Lalaith: NO!!!! You touch him, you’ll die before you ever see your life. You can trust your mind to it! Back up now or I shall throw my sword into your neck!...[Romantic] Lalaith: My heart weeps at the site of your tears, tell me Tregallien, what makes you cry so?" (p. 31). The difference in syntax, diction, and tone between the two facets immediately suggest that Lily has learned language skills that many English teachers seek to teach! That a child can role-play to such degree is remarkable, but even more surprising is the complexity of the linguistics a child can learn. Certainly the learning of these linguistic structures would elevate the participator's ability to excel within the non-virtual world of school. Take Percirion, another role-player within the community. As a child, Percirion is aware that this virtual world is teaching him skills and fostering a desire to learn better English so that he can sound more articulate within his role. Undoubtedly, the linguisitc skills learned within the virtual slip into his non-virtual society as well! Thus the virtual world of role-playing has, within the context of Thomas's article, had a profound impact on the learning and lingusitics of these children within the Gathering of Elves.

[edit] Language Shift and Technology

However, while technology, role-playing, and the virtual have been able to inspire others to increase their abilities in language, anyone who has used the Internet, or who has or teaches children who do use the Internet, knows that language has also seemingly become more swift and truncated, with the prevalence of acronyms, abbreviations, and letter/number combinations in order to more concisely get meaning across. Much of this truncation is, no doubt, in part to the relative space that is given for communication within any particular cellphone, IM, Chat, message board, or MMORPG; timing, too, or kairos, is as important in Internet language as is lack of space, for if a user waits too long to post a witty response, the moment is lost and the conversation moves on. Many of these truncations, abbreviations, etc. have spilled out into daily speech and culture, with billboards warning “dnt txt & drv” and cellphone commercial characters speaking “IDK, my BFF Jill?” Truly, with the development of the Internet and other technological devices, the ease and speed of information transmission increases. In turn, humans continue to be hungry for power; humans have the desire to know more and at a faster speed so that we may possess more power than our counterparts. The “need for speed” drives companies to create more portable, uninvasive, and faster technologies, further thrusting us into the virtual. But what impact do these truncations have on our children and their abilities to communicate? Will the eloquence of language, seen within Thomas's article on the Gathering of Elves, be outrun by the practical nature of "get the idea across?" Will TLAs (three-letter acronyms) prevail in the virtual world, creating an entirely new language that may spill beyond the virtual world, creating knowledge possessed by those who "have," leaving those who do not knowledge-victims of the Digital Divide?

[edit] See Also

• Cingular Commercial "IDK, my BFF Jill?"

[edit] Created Language within Technological Speech Communities

Language is power, because those who cannot speak the language are at the mercy of those who can. Virtual communities, over time, develop their own inside jokes, their own language nuances, and their own specialized acromnyms, unknown to outsiders. These communities have changed language, likely due to the space allowed for transmission and the speed at which the communicator would like to transmit his thoughts. One study by LeBlanc (2005) investigates the speech community of the fraternity-like Pen website, saying that “Online communication blurs the distinction between spoken and written language” (p. 11) and that “Internet participants’ use of succinct, short sentences harkens to spoken language” (p. 12). LeBlanc points to the “Pen family language” which “involves use of a lexicon derived from internet technology, computer literacy, techie elitism, online gaming language, [and] mathematical symbols…”(p. 31) forming what LeBlanc calls a “new pidgin” of the modern day (p. 32). These blurrings within virtual realms illustrate a balance of power within language; those who know the inside language and are regular posters are accepted; those who do not or are new, are "flamed." Flaming occurs when a new poster attemptsto join the community. Flaming includes "defamation of charater" (p. 27) often intended to illustrate that the new poster does not know how to use the language, or does not know what he/she is talking about. The term "DYJGTIT!?" that stands for "Did you just get the Internet today!" may be thrown at a flamee to suggest that the flamee is technologically unsavvy, suggesting an obvious tilt of power in tech knowledge, as well as linguistic knowledge. Again, those who have the resources for the technology have been immersed within the linguistics, and those who do not have the resources are left to fend for themselves against those who may not want to share that knowledge.

As a sidebar, LeBlanc reports that “another blurring of spoken and written language occurs when orthographic conventions are articulated orally” (p. 34). LeBlanc points language errors within the virtual impact language within the real: “a member once admitted to me that she now pronounces “teh” [thӘh] aloud in conversation, a result of so many instances of reading the intentionally misspelled word on the Pen boards” (p. 34). Undoubtedly, the culture of the community has brought forth privately created language not only on the Pen boards, but also within any specialized speech community within technology. Tech culture can run among many lines, some of which are not only elitist in tech knowledge, like with the Pens community, but also along gender lines.

[edit] Global and Cultural Implications of Language Shifts

And yet there are other, wider, cultural implications with language and virtual mediums, the least not being the fear of English as the global standard in language and virtuality. With the initial globalization of English as the dominant language on the Web, inevitable fear and backlash against globalization was imminent. Daniel Dor (2004) suggests that the heart of the linguistic debate centers around the global and the local: that globalization will cause English to prevail, becoming the lingua franca of the information age (p. 97). With the rise of Englishization, then, must come the inevitable language loss; however, Dor finds that this is untrue: “the estimates for 2004 are 280 million English users and no less than 657 million non-English users” illustrating that by using the previous estimates “non-English users will then represent 67 percent of the world’s economy—in comparison with the 33 percent represented by English speakers” (p. 99). Furthermore, Dor cites through several examples that language, then, is not being dominated by English on the Internet, but rather the Internet is a becoming a multilingual space, witnessing the resurgence of languages as the Internet gains wider spread, and providing space for the hybridization of language on message boards and IMs, and perhaps later into speech, as is witnessed by LeBlanc (2005).

[edit] Opportunities for Education due to Language Shift in Virtuality

But what does this development of new languages, as seen in global areas and in specific speech communities, as well as the debate of Englishization mean for our current students? Certainly they are participating in the use of such media, but perhaps without knowledge of the greater construct. How do we educationally use this knowledge about language to further our students’ horizons? Certainly the topic of language, its use, trends, and technology could become and easy and interesting forum for American English classes and History classes; students are often unaware of just how their everyday actions are thrusting the world into a new direction. Bringing the debate of globalization and the insistence of a lingua franca to an American high school classroom, and then link to a high school classroom in another country where English is spoken, but not overtly, and then hear their views on the subject, would certainly be educational and lively. However, Susan Cook brings up a new perspective in “New Technologies and Language Change” (2004) about racism and the Internet; she cites that race is continually an overwhelming problem within the world, not just in face-to- face meetings, but in the virtual world as well “despite the fact that it is an environment where [physical] and aural identity markers are absent” (p. 105). Citing Kolko, et al (2000), Cook discusses that race is either wholly “on” or “off,” and that “it is either the direct focus of discourse” or completely invisible” (p. 105). To teach the effects of language as it pertains to race, actions, learning, and later life, would be beneficial and educational to all schools and students.

Yet Sternberg, et al. (2007) asks the question "How does an online environment affect reading comprehension or writing achievement?" (p. 417). Two schools of thought reside here: that emailing, IMing, texting, and cellphone talking requres students to know how to communicate through speech and written language. The question remains, however, do these activities have a positive effect on literacy, language, and schooling? (Sternberg, 2007). Sternberg also discusses that opponents of IM and texting argue that "with these communication modes, students often use non-standard English...and that this interferes with development of abilities to write in standard forms when required to do so" (p. 417). However, these questions simply further push teachers to identify the reasons for language use; it's fine to use appropriate language-and its changes-where necessary, all the while teaching the necessity of standard English for the workforce and later life. As those knowlegeable in Web 2.0 know, technology can and should be used, but mostly taught how to be used within a classroom.

It is clear, however, that language change is occurring, and that if we can harness a child's motivations to learn the more stylistic nuances of a language at an earlier age, we will reap the benefits of a greater ability to communitcate. But at the same time that children are energized by role-play and the linguistic fine-tuning of their imaginations, there are others who are more interested in the here and now and "getting the idea across." But what is perhaps significant, is that the lingusitic divide--those who can speak well, and those who choose not to--may be becoming greater just like the Digital Divide.

[edit] Identity

[edit] Brief Social/Cultural Context for Identity & Virtuality

“It is easy to agree on the fact that, from a sociological perspective, all identities are constructed. The real issue is how, from what, by whom, and for what. The construction of identities uses building materials from history, from geography, from biology, from productive and reproductive institutions, from collective memory and from personal fantasies, from power apparatuses and religious revelations.” (Castells, 2004).

[edit] Introduction

An examination of the social and cultural context of identity is a comprehensive undertaking that crosses and combines many disciplines. In the interest of succinctness, I will briefly focus specifically on the context of colonization (including pre- and post- identities of the colonized and colonizers). Identity and the idea of virtuality are extremely connected.

[edit] Colonialism: A Historical Context for Virtuality & Identity

Burbules (2004) states that “the virtual should not be understood as a simulated reality exposed to us, which we passively observe, but a context where our own active response and involvement are part of what gives the experience its veracity and meaningfulness.” When we think of virtuality in this way, it is easy to expand and complicate the concept that many of us are comfortable and familiar with; the concept that indicates that virtuality is “fake”, not real, imagined, and strictly technologically based. This expanded idea of what virtuality is, as a context that we engage in and that we make meaningful through our own involvement, makes it easy for us to make connections to identity contexts like colonialism. The changing of collective identity takes place globally and at every point in history, however it is easier to discuss it in the colonial context because the influencing/dominating factors are so clearly visible and defined.

Castell states that “all identities are constructed; the real issue is how, from what, by whom, and for what” (2004). This statement really ties into colonization. The impact of colonization of various cultures around the world was often extremely disruptive to the collective identities of the colonized people because it often insisted on a new power structure, moral system, and an upturning of traditional cultural norms and values, as these were often relegated to a position of inferiority. The struggle to resist this new context gave rise to colonial rebellion in some instances, submission in others, but always the collective identity of the colonized was changed, altered, or redefined in some way. The very idea of identity is inextricably connected to the idea of virtuality as defined by Burbules (2004). It is a constructed mechanism that is heavily reliant on context and our active response and involvement. Group identity was reconstructed when faced with exposure to a different context; that of the colonizer. Read the words of Chinua Achebe, famed Nigerian writer and activist and how they give glimpse to the idea of changed context for Nigerians after colonization:

“In those days—when I was growing up—I also remember that it was only the poor benighted heathen who had any use for our local handicraft, e.g. our pottery. Christians and the well-to-do (and they were usually the same people) displayed their tins and other metal-ware. We never carried pots to the stream…Today things have changed a lot but it would be foolish to pretend that we have fully recovered from the traumatic effects of our first confrontation with Europe…For no thinking African can escape the pain of the wound in our soul." (Achebe, 1965)

Achebe’s words are an example of the new collective identity that has been forged out of the new colonial (and post-colonial) context. The sense of identity is extremely real and extremely meaningful to Achebe and to that of the colonized group of people. For example, the Black experience in America is not necessarily something that can be physically touched or concretely defined; it is extremely dependent on context, interaction, and it is incredibly meaningful to those who identify with it, making it a virtual experience for those who identify with it. There are many times when the Black experience is physical: When someone uses physical appearance to mistreat a black person, when black people have been physically assaulted and/or killed, etc.; these are not virtual experiences, but the context of Blackness itself is continually redefined by various social contexts and interaction, and there are many aspects of this experience that are grounded in Burbules’s definition of virtuality: “the virtual should not be understood as a simulated reality exposed to us, which we passively observe, but a context where our own active response and involvement are part of what gives the experience its veracity and meaningfulness” (2004).

[edit] See Also

• Colonialism and Identity Formation
• Chinua Achebe Biography

[edit] Digital Technologies, Identity & Virtuality

[edit] The Idea of "Us" Challenged Online

This idea of identity as being an aspect of virtuality is strengthened when we take a look at the discomfort that has occurred with the insurgence of role playing games, avatars, and virtual worlds on the internet. Many have become uncomfortable with these phenomena because the traditional view is that identity is something that is constant, and inextricably connected to our physical appearances. When we think of these online identities within the context of the Burbules (2004) definition of virtuality, it strengthens the argument that virtuality and identity are inextricably connected: “the virtual should not be understood as a simulated reality exposed to us, which we passively observe, but a context where our own active response and involvement are part of what gives the experience its veracity and meaningfulness.”

When we use this definition of virtuality, the crossover to identity, especially identities that are developed on the internet, where others cannot truly see or touch our physical, is strengthened. People have stated that they have fostered in-depth, fulfilling relationships using their created internet identities and/or avatars, as noted in this Chicago Tribune article on avatars and virtual worlds. Some people have more than one online identity/avatar in addition to their “real-life” identity, which pushes our boundaries of identity more than ever; traditionally, we are supposed to have one identity that remains mostly static throughout our lives. The “norming” of online identities will certainly continue to shake our understanding of “self” to the core as more technology is developed that allows us to interact in new ways, with others and with ourselves.

Beyond these considerations, the idea of having an online identity is an idea that entails a great deal of debate. Some people feel that online identities are dangerous because people can create “false identities” that protect and cover child and sexual predators who use the internet to find their victims. Others feel that online “extended” identities are wonderful because they give people the opportunity to get to know each other outside of the superficial constraints of the “real” world. In fact, a team of researchers from Georgia Tech hope to answer what they call some crucial questions for virtual community designers: Is it possible to create a genderless classroom? A raceless courtroom? A rich environment where a user can be not just a pseudonym, but a person with a full history of culturally bound rules and expectations.

An article in USA Today discussed the dangers and benefits of increased participation in virtual identities. Megill University psychologist Glenn Cartwright is attributed with the following quote in the article: “Being able to `distribute' yourself easily through cyberspace is likely to result in a reshaped personality, better understanding, increased compassion, and heightened global awareness of the real world. Through virtual reality, there can be a little part of you witnessing events all over the world. By `being' in all those different places, you gain an understanding of those different places." Cartwright also critiqued the potential for danger by discussing the potential for psychological and social dangers of virtual worlds, interactions, and identities: “For the young and mentally ill…virtual voyages could result in impaired judgment, escapism--or worse.” He goes on to caution: “I think all of our judgments have the potential to be impaired after trips into virtual reality. The question is who among us are going to be so impaired they can't return to a normal form of making choices? If you become an ideal person in the virtual world, then have to come back and be the same old person you were, that could be very depressing. It could lead to low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness and insignificance, even self-destructive acts. Perhaps it will be necessary in virtual reality for people to show a license that they're psychologically fit."

[edit] See Also

• GA Tech researchers study social interaction in online community

[edit] Educational Opportunities and Challenges Related to Identity & Virtuality

“The dynamics of interaction, imagination, interest, and involvement which create the sense of immersion in virtual space and time, I have argued, are closely tied to experiences of mobility, inhabitance, action at a distance, haptic sensitivity, and performative identities that each, in various ways, engage our embodied selves.” (Burbules, 2004 )

There are three main (and very connected) areas where educators should focus their attention when taking these ideas of virtuality and identity into the classroom and the school.

The first is centered on thinking about the identities that are extremely meaningful to our students and how our identity influences the power dynamic of the classroom. Also to think about the idea of a colonizing power’s potential to change (or damage, depending on your viewpoint) the cultural identities of our students; and aligning that potential with words that are commonly used in education like “mainstream” “standard” and “norm.” (Weinstein, 2003)

• Cultural Responsiveness In the Classroom

The second idea is centered on the Burbules quote at the beginning of this section that focuses on the idea of immersion. This sense of immersion is what takes place when children are fully engaged in a topic. This is the goal for many, if not all, teachers. As Burbules states “dynamics of interaction, imagination, interest, and involvement…are closely tied to experiences of …performative identities that…engage our embodied selves” (2004). What I gather from this idea presented in Burbules work is that if we want engaged students, all of these dynamics must work with, not against, our students’ performative identities. Knowing who our students are, beyond the surface assumption level as “black, white, rich, poor, single parent household, etc.” is extremely key to our success in the classroom (Delpit, 1995).

• Lisa Delpit’s Book, Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom (1995)

One thing that has been challenged with this new idea of identity and virtuality being connected is that we are one-dimensional people. In fact we are so multi-faceted that we can create new facets to our identities that interact with others in the newly re-defined “space” that is the internet. As teachers, we must get to know our students as they come to us, as they change, grow, and are confronted with different contexts. If we can do this, then the implications for educating all children successfully can be realized.

The third thing that will continue to impact educators and schools, is the controversy surrounding online identities. This will continue to impact schools as we make decisions about what is and is not okay for students to access: “Internet communication can transcend face-to-face communication, can be very persuasive, and in certain circumstances is even more desirable. Lack of face-to-face cues, physical appearance and vocal inflections, which might arouse scepticism, are absent in Internet communication especially when it is time delayed such as in e-mail or question-answer Websites.” As this quote indicates, endless possibilities exist when we begin to think of how students could use “alternate” identities to interact, think, problem-solve, and discuss in different ways. Angela Thomas, a researcher from Australia conducted research that revealed that the children in her study learned without an expert, using strategies such as “trial and error, discussion, and through the construction and transformation of their identities, both in and out of the fictional role-playing context” (Thomas, 2005).

However, these possibilities must be tempered with caution because of the danger that does exist in the online community for children. Collaborations between parents, online sites, state agencies, and schools have contributed to lobbying efforts and policy changes that are attempting to make it more difficult to be a child sexual predator on the internet. The reality is that there is no realistic way to make these efforts 100% effective, so as we continue to find new ways to use the virtual world (which is a part of our real world) to extend and alter our identities, more questions, concerns, and controversy will arise.

[edit] Business of Virtuality

[edit] Business As a Virtual Environment

As mentioned above, advances in computer and communications technology has allowed businesses to shift from the traditional hierarchy paradigms and clichéd ideas of traveling salesmen and move toward a global business view. According to Kharif, “at the typical global corporation, 20% of employees have never met their boss in person”. In addition, by April of 2007, 83% of companies defined themselves as “virtual workplaces”, up from 57% only 12 months before. (Johnson) Because of the fast paced information society we live in, major decisions are expected to be made in hours instead of weeks (Lichtman) and the eye is always on the prize: efficiency and effectiveness. Corporate business has the money and access to many burgeoning technologies and ideas and the business world has seized the opportunity to use virtual technology and immersive environment mentality in a way that less fiscally endowed institutions, such as schools, are not able to. Money not only makes the world go around, but it also helps to make it smaller and faster, it seems.

The major issue at stake for virtual business users is engagement (Kharif). With physical travel becoming more costly and less reliable (Lichtman), face to face meetings have become more difficult. The development of video conferencing offers small relief, as the technology does not allow for meaningful interaction between the participants. However, virtual presence, or telepresence, has allowed users to engage with each other as naturally as possible without having to be in the same physical space – a virtual meeting room. Companies like Telesuiteare creating virtual spaces that allow for immersion and interaction at the same time. The ability to react to the others in the meeting, regardless of whether they are in the same building or not, has become more natural and comfortable because all parties are in fact in the same space – the same virtual space.

Virtual worlds such as Second Life also allow for virtual meetings, though in a slightly “more virtual” way. Users create avatars that will represent themselves at a meeting held in Second Life in a virtual room (which could take the shape of a conference room, a lagoon, or even inside a volcano. One major difference between this and telepresence is that engagement is with a physical representation of the user that does not have to be based in reality. Instead of a real-time video image of a colleague, one’s avatar might be interacting with the colleague’s avatar which may not convey the facial expression and emotions that the real person may be. The interaction is still there, but the face to face engagement may be compromised.

Such technology has untold potential for educational purposes. Using technology such as Cisco’s Telepresence lab could allow for global classrooms, exposing students to their peers around the world, making history and cultural lessons literally come alive. Gaining access to the best teachers and subject experts would no longer be constrained by logistics and travel arrangements since the teacher would no longer need to be in the same state as the rest of the class. Collaboration between classrooms and students could become global collaborations. However, these systems and technology are prohibitively expensive, with costs as high as $200,000, (Metz) making their use beyond the resources of most schools. Second Life does not require a fee to be present in the world, but setting up meetings and meeting spaces is not free.

Of great concern here then is the lack of resources for schools to get students not only aware of but also comfortable and confident with the types of interactions they will need to be prepared for when they enter the work force. Just as the education model of the last century was based upon preparing students for a lifetime of work, so too are we seeing a shift in the skills that students will need once they graduate. Virtual workplaces could arguably be even more fraught with pitfalls than the “traditional” ones of the last century because the learning curve can be so steep for one who has not been exposed to the technology or mindset needed to succeed in a world of virtualities. No longer is it sufficient to teach computer skills and Powerpoint to students. Educators are now responsible for preparing students for a lifetime of changing technology. Even the most technologically advanced teachers cannot possibly imagine what innovations may arrive in the upcoming decades. To give students exposure or access to immersive worlds is not enough – it is becoming more important to teach students how to cope, how to change, how to imagine, how think differently about their world, their technology, and how they will contribute to the virtual worlds surrounding them.

[edit] See Also

• Lichtman Talking About Telepresnece (You Tube)
• Cicso Telepresence Demo (You Tube)

[edit] Virtual Environments as Business

There is little doubt that virtuality is aiding businesses to do their business, but virtual worlds are also allowing for business advancement and opportunities for growth in new fields. Places like Second Life are fertile ground for product placement, making one’s brand name as ubiquitous in the virtual world as it is on television or in movies. With millions of users -- numbers range from 4 to 8 million registered “residents” (Hurst-Wahl, Hobson) – Second Life provides a captive audience that is interested in interacting with products in a way they cannot in the real world. Toyota and Pontiac have both set up car dealerships in Second Life where one can design a dream car, take it for a spin, then buy a virtual representation of it (using real money virtually represented by Linden Dollars) to keep in the virtual world. Dell computers have gone one better, allowing users to create their ideal computer, and then have one shipped to their home. (Hobson) This sort of interaction with products goes much further than mere online shopping. It allows for interaction with the merchandise beyond simple zoom-able photographs and makes the interaction personal.

In exchange for all this buyer interaction, companies get to observe what the customer is really interested in when there is no risk – invaluable information that can’t be gleaned from focus groups. This interaction also allows companies to establish relationships with potential clients that may not have been aware of or considered them before. The key demographic that most companies are after are the “early adopters” – the group of consumers that find a new product, work out the kinks, and make it cool for everyone on the street to own (Hobson). Conventional wisdom indicates that Second Life users are from this demographic, so any foothold a product can get in Second Life can be beneficial.

A significant portion of early adopters are school-aged kids who have significant sway over their peers. There is some danger, however, in pushing students to embrace these virtual worlds with no boundaries or supervision – for either the students or the businesses and institutions. The complete access and freedom that makes these worlds so exciting and useful are the very things that create “captive audiences” of the users. When you are immersed in such an alternate reality, issues of identity and personal contribution can become blurred, leaving the door open to influences from Big Businesses without the user being aware that they are being so rabidly pursued.

This concept of early exposure and brand recognition can also be transferred to non-profits and institutions such as libraries and schools. Establishing presence in a virtual world like Second Life would not only be beneficial in terms of “coolness” but also help illustrate the ways that schools and institutions can interact with one another. A library, museum or school could create a virtual representation of itself in Second Life and then use Second Life as an outlet to promote upcoming events, hold book discussions or club meetings, or make users aware of important issues. In addition, schools and public libraries could hold joint events, building a virtual connected space that serves students and creating an immersive environment that can bridge the logistical and financial difficulties that make it difficult in the “real” world to join together. Fundraising, advocacy, and participation are only the beginning of the ways a non-profit can use virtuality to reach beyond the walls and budgets that constrain them.

Reverse product placement is also becoming a phenomenon of virtualities, further blurring the lines between what is real and what is virtual. Items like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean from the fictional world of Harry Potter have now become real merchandise, for sale by Jelly Belly Co.. Fans of the video game Grand Theft Auto can enjoy the soft drink Sprunk, advertised all over the GTA world. (Edery) Even the virtual world of The Simpsons has come to life due to movie tie-ins and promotions, with real Kwik-E-Marts (converted 7-11’s) that sell Springfieldian brands.

Clearly there is much money to be made in these virtual worlds, but who owns all of this virtuality? According to Steve Smith, Blizzard Entertainment “maintains ownership over everything that is made by users” in their World of Warcraft world, including avatars, actions, and other creations made by the users. In contrast, Second Life creators purposefully went the other way, stating, “What you have in Second Life is real and it is yours. It doesn't belong to us. We have no claim to it. Whatever you do with Second Life is your own intellectual property. You can claim copyright on it. You can make money. We [say] the same thing about land: Land is yours to own and resell.” (Fitzgerald)

The openness and transparency of Second Life is one of the things that makes this particular virtual world so appealing to some. Others are more concerned with privacy issues with virtuality. Discussing proprietary information over a third party server can be risky. In the education sphere, exposing students to an essentially open virtual world raises questions of privacy and safety, particularly when students may feel “protected” by the anonymity of an avatar. To alleviate these issues, the future may be in selling the Second Life software to companies or schools so that they can run on their own servers, establishing what amounts to a private Second Life. (Kharif)

[edit] Beyond Second Life

Virtuality as business is not limited to fully developed, highly technical worlds like Second Life and World of Warcraft, however. Marketers and advertising have latched onto the ways they can push the “two key aspects of being human; our innately social and visual natures” (Parris) to develop immersive campaigns that go beyond online advertising.

One tactic changing the way virtual spaces and marketing intersect is the use of webisodes. Unilever recently concluded a webisode-based online campaign called Caress Fairy Tales designed to attract online audiences to their product. Taking it one step further, Suave and Sprint will be presenting a new web series called In the Motherhood that will be a collaboration between star Leah Remini and other moms around the country, all contributing to the final series, to be seen on MSN.com. The interaction will also extend to an online community for mom and by moms.Some companies go even further by creating virtual customers that potential customers may relate to. So much more than casting the right actor for a commercial, they are essentially flesh and bone avatars that have been created to answer any apprehensions that the customer may have. One example of this is the online and television campaign for Loestrin 24Fe, which both employ the use of a woman named Cammie to connect with customers. These types of advertising campaign are indicative of where the future of virtual spaces may lay.

[edit] Other Opportunities

Other industries are also finding virtual technology and world to be helpful:

• Training – Using interactive PC models to train railroad workers “Trainees can 'walk' through the station and interact with virtual customers and members of staff. Some of these people can act as mentors to answer questions and give advice.” (Rushby)
• Engineering – Using systems such as AMADEUS as an immersive experience to help “see” structural issues and potential. (Fortner)
• Mental and Physical Health
  • Virtual avatars and Schizophrenia
  • Using virtual immersive experiences to help police officers understand how to deal with mentally ill. May require login
    • Also
  • Using virtual reality to understand balance issues in older people.

The bottom line is that these technologies are creating opportunities for allowing a user to empathize with another – practically walking in another’s shoes in order to improve their own journey. There may be no more important tool to provide students with the experiences they need to succeed in the world.

[edit] See Also

• Business & Gaming Blog
• My Virtual Life

[edit] Conclusion

Visualization and immersive experiences are very important in education. It facilitates understanding. And while virtuality has been thought of as being a combination of interest, involvement, imagination, and interaction, culminating in the overall immersive experience, it is not a new concept. As has been explain, it is an age-old phenomena. Allowing for a broader interpretation of the virtual implies that such experiences have been around for centuries. With this in mind, this wiki has attempted to provide information regarding the historical context, identity, business, language and educational aspects of virtual realities. Incorporated in the topics is information about the social and cultural changes resulting from virtual realities, the affects, and the educational challenges and opportunities created by the web because, the current state of multimedia tools and environments.

The availability of the web has created mechanisms for visualization in education which provide an immersive experience that is no longer limited by the imagination. The emerging media available for virtual experiences has allowed the digital generation to have access to software and hardware that make online interactions possible and prevalent. New devices allow for a whole new level of involvement and interaction in the virtual worlds, in some ways decreasing the amount of physical interaction and providing the richness of technology that increases the popularity of the web and provides virtual experiences and education to people around the world.

While virtuality has enhanced Education, it has also created challenges as well including social issues, hardware, network, culture, and content and curriculum quality. Specific fears include the inability to afford virtual technologies, lack of teacher training for virtual technologies, student advertisement bombardment, and an inability for many students to lack the resources to extend their virtual learning experiences outside of the classroom.

As we move forward into the 21st Century, Virtuality will be a more invasive force in our lives. As virtual technologies continue to become more prevalent, the education field will need to become more flexible to the impact such technologies will have. It remains to be seen if virtual technologies will enhance or hinder student learning.

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