Death of an avatar: Presence and learning

in virtual worlds

Rebecca FergusonThe Open University

Playing dead

Typology of SL death

Physical-world life – Physical-world death Permanent / temporaryPhysical-world life – Virtual-world death Permanent / temporaryVirtual-world life – Physical-world death Permanent / temporaryVirtual-world life – Virtual-world death Permanent / temporary

Social presence

Social presence – the feeling that a mediated experience is not mediated. As a result, people respond as if the medium is not there.

• Social richness • Realism• Transportation • Immersion• Parasocial interaction• Social response

1. Physical-world life Physical-world permanent death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

Field tripsExploration of issuesPrompt to creativity

2. Physical-world life Physical-world temporary death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

Field tripsExploration of art and literaturePrompt to creativity

Reduced sense ofpresence adds emotional safety

3. Physical-world life Virtual-world permanent death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Sense of communityDiscussion of big issuesDigital practices and new literacies

4. Physical-world life Virtual-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✘

Stimulus for creativityMeanings of deathGothic literatureHorror genre

5. Virtual-world life Physical-world permanent death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Macabre and upsetting

Digital practices

6. Virtual-world life Physical-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✘

Social ✔

Field tripsHelps bring sites to lifeDifferent perspectives

7. Virtual-world life Virtual-world permanent death

Richness ✘

Realism ✘

Transport ✘

Immersion ✘

Parasocial ✘

Social ✘

Rites of passageIdentityUse of cultural tools

8. Virtual-world life Virtual-world temporary death

Richness ✔

Realism ✔

Transport ✔

Immersion ✔

Parasocial ✔

Social ✔

http://projects.ict.usc.edu/force/cominghome/checkpoint.php

SimulationsEmergency training

Familiar from games

Presence and SecondLife death

PLPDp PLPDt PLVDp PLVDt VLPDp VLPDt VLVDp VLVDt

Richness ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Realism ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Transport ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Immersion ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Parasocial ✔ ✔ ✔

Social ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

-------- Physical life ------- ---------Virtual life ---------

Dying to know

Field tripsHelps bring sites ‘to life’; provides different perspectives

Exploration and discussion of issueseg Meanings of death, Rites of passage, Identity

Exploration of art and literatureeg Gothic literature, Horror genre

Stimulus for creativitySense of community

Digital practices and new literacies Use of cultural tools

Simulations – including dangerous situationsEmergency training

Abraham, B. (2009). Permanent Death - The Complete Saga. http://iam.benabraham.net

Bayne, S. (2008). Uncanny spaces for higher education: teaching and learning in virtual worlds. ALT-J, 16(3), 197-205.

Klastrup, L. (2008). What makes World of Warcraft a world? A note on death and dying. In H. G. Corneliussen & J. Walker Rettberg (Eds.), Digital Culture, Play and Identity: A World of Warcraft Reader (pp. 143-166). Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Lombard, M., & Ditton, T. (1997). At the heart of it all: the concept of presence. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 3(2), 1-42.

Relevant reading

Second Life:Marie Arnold

Fox Phlox