Presentation given by Mark Childs (Gann McGann in Second Life) on May 3 2018 for the Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable in the 3D virtual world, Second Life (TM Linden Labs)

1. Identity, literacy, immersion and
presence; joining together the
building blocks of virtual world
learning – part two
Mark Childs
Gann McGann
mark.childs@open.ac.uk

2. Immersion

3. •Immediacy
•Immersion
•Immersiveness

6. Immediacy
• The sense of transparency of the medium
between participants and the psychological
distance between them (Wheeler, 2007, 111 -
112)
• Unobtrusiveness
• Perception of non-mediation

7. Cisco “Telepresence”
http://arblog.inglobetechnologies.com/?p=1031

8. HowardLicthmann,TelepresenceOptions,May16,2011
http://www.telepresenceoptions.com/2011/05/_today_we_begin_publishing/

10. At the Heart of it All
• Matthew Lombard and Theresa Ditton (2006),
refer to the sense of connection to the place
as psychological immersion.
• Perceptual immersion is the degree to which
‘what you see’ submerges the perceptual
system of the user, enabling them to disregard
the medium.

11. Not the technology
• Immersion depends on
–Suspension of disbelief / engagement of
belief
–Motivation to engage
–Experience
–Personalisation
–Design of content (narrative,
appropriateness, etc)
–Ability to feel embodied

12. So …
• Perceptual immersion =
immediacy, non-mediation
• Psychological immersion =
telepresence, presence, “being
there”

13. Interface

14. Q: How important is immediacy in
creating a sense of connection with a
virtual space? Are there other things
as, or more, important than non-
mediation for a sense of presence?

15. Liminal
spaces.
Virtual
spaces

17. Tempest by Avatar Repertory Theater

18. Ritual Circle by Ian Pahune

19. http://www.flickriver.com/photos/coventrycc/sets/72157617161065823/

23. What makes these spaces special
• Belief and metaxis (presence)
• Boundary objects and semiotics (tools)
• Different goals and aims (object)
• Transformation of role and status (division of labour)
• Suspension of normal conventions, transformation of
time (rules)
• Participation requires ability to engage belief (subject)
• Identity and roleplay (identity)
• Community and Communitas (community)
• Transformation and outcome

25. Q: How do you feel the space of virtual
worlds differs from, or is the same as,
other forms of spaces you’ve
experienced?
Are there anything in the way I’ve
defined virtual spaces that you’d like
me to talk more about?