Subfield: self-representation in online environments and applications related to gaming/simulations, distance education, and professional development.
What does this really mean? Few would argue that human interaction is a large part of daily life. As a greater portion and number of our common routines are migrating from first-world to virtual contexts, an interesting series of findings may be observed. Factors such as the perceived impunity of virtual interactions and varying levels of user proficiency (combined with countless other factors) leads scholars to wonder why it is people do what they do online. The study of self-representation in online environments is a critical void in current academic research and must be explored in order to better meet the needs of tomorrow's diverse population of learners at all levels.
Areas of interest overview:
Areas of interest deconstructed:
Self-representation in online environments:
- A fancier way to say avatar.
- The creation, usage, and user-perception of avatars are of greatest interest to me.
* Typically, these are 2D or 3D images people choose to represent themselves in virtual spaces.
Gaming and simulations:
- MMORPGs are massive multiplayer online roleplaying games.
* Tend to consist of server-based, corporately created content in a persistent world environment.
* Monthly subscription fees common.
* Examples: World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online
- MUVEs are mutli-user virtual environments.
* Usually consist of user-created content and are not necessarily persitent world environments.
* Examples: River City Project, Active Worlds, Neverwinter Nights
- Second Life is a popular simulation exhibiting elements of both MMORPGs and MUVEs.
* Rather antiquated in comparison, still being used by corporations and educational institutions.
* In-game items purchased with actual currency (real U.S. dollars!).
Distance education and professional development:
- The choice of grouping these two, despite their obvious differences, is highly intentional.
* Learning occurs in many environments, not just the virtual classroom.
- My interests include a wide range of applications spanning from preservice teacher professional development to corporate training.
Instructional design:
- Major theories of instructional design, including (but not limited to) ADDIE, Morrison, Ross, and & Kemp, and Rapid Design are critical knowledge pieces.
- My main focus regarding ID principles will be:
* to apply learning theories to technologies and/or related content.
* to bridge educators and instructional designers in regards to self-representation in online environments.
* assist in the creation of CMS/LMS/simulation environments to meet specified learning outcomes.
Influential folks:
Theories and concepts:
Recommended readings:
Banks, M. (2001). Visual methods in social research. London: SAGE.
Emmison, M. & Smith, P. (2000). Researching the visual: images, objects, contexts and interactions in social and cultural inquiry. London: SAGE.
Helmers, M. H. (2006). The elements of visual analysis. New York: Pearson Longman.
Kemp, J. E., Morrison, G. R., & Ross, S. M. (2007). Designing effective instruction. New York, NY: J. Wiley.
Klang, M. (2004). Avatar: From Deity to Corporate Property A Philosophical Inquiry into Digital Property in Online Games. Information, Communication & Society, 7(3), 389-402.
Kushner, D. (2004). My avatar, my self. Technology Review. April, 2004, pp. 50-55.
Markus, H. & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible selves. American Psychologist, 41(9) 954-969.
McLuhan, M. (2002). The medium is the message. In K. Askew, & Wilk, R. (Ed.), The anthropology of media (pp. 18-26). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
Pink, S. (2001a). Doing visual ethnography: images, media and representation in research. London: SAGE.
Pink, S. (2001b). More visualising, more methodologies: on video, reflexivity and qualitative research. 49(4), 586-599.
Pink, S. (2003). Interdisciplinary agendas in visual research: re-situating visual anthropology. Visual Studies, 18(2), 179-192.
Schwandt, T. (2001). Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry (2nd. ed). Thousand Oaks California: Sage Publications.
Squire, K. (2003). Video games in education. International Journal of Intelligent Simulations and Gaming, 2(1).
Tove´e, M. J. & Cornelissen, P. L. 2001 Female and male perceptions of female physical attractiveness in front-view and profile. British Journal of Psychology, 92, pp. 391–402.
Turkle, S. (1995) Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the Internet. Simon & Schuster: New York.
Yee, N. (2006). The psychology of MMORPGs: Emotional investment, motivations, relationship formation, and problematic usage. In R. Schroeder & A. Axelsson (Eds.), Avatars at work and play: Collaboration and interaction in shared virtual environments (pp. 187-207). London: Springer-Verlag.
Organizations of interest:
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