Lamoureux at CUR 2008

Teaching Field Research (ethnography) in a virtual world--Second Life

Ed Lamoureux, Ph.D.Bradley University

Multimedia Program CUR National Conference

June, 24, 2008

P r o f e s s o r B e l i v e a u the Professor

Our machinima, as introduction

about our first class, before “voice” in SL

Why we did it

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).Qualitative research in new media industries.

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).Qualitative research in new media industries.Testing SL as distance ed. platform.

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).Qualitative research in new media industries.Testing SL as distance ed. platform.I am the theory guy, so have to keep up!

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).Qualitative research in new media industries.Testing SL as distance ed. platform.I am the theory guy, so have to keep up! Re-enable me to teach field research methods.

Why we did it

NMC testing Second Life for teaching and learning.Multimedia students interested in game design/immersion.3D learning spaces (not just entertainment).Qualitative research in new media industries.Testing SL as distance ed. platform.I am the theory guy, so have to keep up! Re-enable me to teach field research methods.Make course available to distant ed. students (ours and others).

First run, Jan. 07: 3 weeks


MM 491: Field Research Methods/Ethnography


MM 491: Field Research Methods/EthnographyIntroduction to field research-- (the movie was this)


MM 491: Field Research Methods/EthnographyIntroduction to field research-- (the movie was this)100% in SL.


MM 491: Field Research Methods/EthnographyIntroduction to field research-- (the movie was this)100% in SL.3 hours per night, M-F.



5 students; 4 with preliminary research projects, one as cinematographer.



5 students; 4 with preliminary research projects, one as cinematographer.Used TeamSpeex for voice (now voice is built in)



5 students; 4 with preliminary research projects, one as cinematographer.Used TeamSpeex for voice (now voice is built in)Met in NMC Boardroom (skybox) on NMC SL campus.



5 students; 4 with preliminary research projects, one as cinematographer.Used TeamSpeex for voice (now voice is built in)Met in NMC Boardroom (skybox) on NMC SL campus.Students by application only with stiff requirements (their own technology, facility with SL, an early declaration of research topic).

Learning Ethnography


Getting organized


Getting organizedMapping/tours (places, people/functions,

action zones)


Getting organizedMapping/tours (places, people/functions,

action zones)Establishing a sampling strategy

(location, time, aspect/event, and amount)



Entering


EnteringCasing


EnteringCasingApproaching


EnteringCasingApproachingRelationships


EnteringCasingApproachingRelationshipsPresenting the self & the study +

reciprocal negotiations.


EnteringCasingApproachingRelationshipsPresenting the self & the study +

reciprocal negotiations.HSP/ethical practices/protocols.


Learning EthnographyData Collection


Watching/listening as passive presence or with limited interaction



Interviewing an informant.



Interviewing an informant. First run, way less interviewing than one would

usually do.



Interviewing an informant. First run, way less interviewing than one would

usually do.

Data recording, data coding and data security (subject protection and physical security)


Learning EthnographyData Analysis


Developing theoretical leads from the data



Taxonomies and categorization



Taxonomies and categorizationConstant comparisons



Taxonomies and categorizationConstant comparisonsDrawing inferences from data.



Taxonomies and categorizationConstant comparisonsDrawing inferences from data.Writing up results



Taxonomies and categorizationConstant comparisonsDrawing inferences from data.Writing up results

First run, not much time for data analysis.



Completed projects were significantly less than a full research prospectus.


Completed projects were significantly less than a full research prospectus.

Students did blogs both to provide “tracking” for me and to “give back” to the community of practice/subjects.

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

Human Subjects protection is complex

Issues Raised

Human Subjects protection is complex difficult for committees to get their heads around it.

Issues Raised

Human Subjects protection is complex difficult for committees to get their heads around it.overlaid by the “usual” complications for field research

Issues Raised

Human Subjects protection is complex difficult for committees to get their heads around it.overlaid by the “usual” complications for field research loads of “interesting” activities going on (some pretty “racy”)

Issues Raised

Human Subjects protection is complex difficult for committees to get their heads around it.overlaid by the “usual” complications for field research loads of “interesting” activities going on (some pretty “racy”)

who gets “extra protection”?

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

Permissions

Issues Raised

Permissionsindividuals

Issues Raised

Permissionsindividualsthe community of practice

Issues Raised

Permissionsindividualsthe community of practiceland owners and proprietors

Issues Raised

Permissionsindividualsthe community of practiceland owners and proprietors TOS

Issues Raised

Permissionsindividualsthe community of practiceland owners and proprietors TOS

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

Multi-channel communication (3X2)

Issues Raised

Multi-channel communication (3X2)voice & text

Issues Raised

Multi-channel communication (3X2)voice & textpublic, group, private

Issues Raised


observation alone won’t “get” private or group text or voice.

Issues Raised


observation alone won’t “get” private or group text or voice.voice adds more complexity (identification, note-taking, etc.)

Issues Raised

Issues RaisedStudent interest is quite variable.


Some activities aren’t as “fun” as are others.


Some activities aren’t as “fun” as are others.SL is not as intrinsically interesting to undergrad. students as it is to us (SL demo is older).



Grad Students “come around.”



Grad Students “come around.”Students can become engaged in SL and its activities, but they have to be interested in them.

Issues Raised

Issues Raised

SL works for some things, not for others.

Issues Raised

SL works for some things, not for others.SL issues (functionality, stability, high entry threshold, proprietary factors).

Test course becomes 2 “real” classes: 333 & 444MM 333 Intro. to Second Life"Normal" v. "qualitative" science Fields and communities of

practiceMethods in virtual researchSubject protectionsApproaches: Field Research,

Ethnography, and Ethnography of speaking

Casing, presenting self, and entering

Research rolesMapping a scene & SamplingData recording & renderingInterviewingProduct: ProspectusField Research: Strategies for a

Natural Sociology, Leonard Schatzman, Anselm L. Strauss

Second Life: The Official Guide (Paperback) by Michael Rymaszewski

MM 444Methods for literature reviews Re-entering communities of practiceAdvanced qualitative data collectionGrounded TheoryConstant Comparison data analysis

techniquesData management and computer

aided approaches to qualitative data analysis

Presenting research: writing and speaking

Product: Completed Project

Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research by Barney G. Glaser, Anselm Strauss

Virtual Methods by Christine Hine (Editor)

So why bother?Chickering and Gamson's 7 Principles of Quality Education,

Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson (1987) "Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education" American Association of Higher Education Bulletin pp.3-7.

Encourages contact between faculty and students



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Emphasizes time on task



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Emphasizes time on task Communicates high expectations



Encourages contact between faculty and students Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students Encourages active learning Gives prompt feedback Emphasizes time on task Communicates high expectations Respects diverse talents and ways of learning



How do virtual worlds solve?Chris Swain, UK Info Island



Alternative learning environment that provides:


Alternative learning environment that provides:Inclusive neutral and social spaces.


Alternative learning environment that provides:Inclusive neutral and social spaces.Real time global interactions with sense of “presence” even with #s of

people.



people.For the price, a more articulate environment than most online

collaborative spaces




collaborative spacesSupport Networks:





Multiple support networks: peer to peer, formal and informal, synchronous and asynchronous communication channels






Collaborative space: Learners and teachers encouraged to be collaborative.







Learning & Teaching Dynamic:







Learning & Teaching Dynamic: Variety of teaching and learning styles--great for kinesthetic and audio

visual styles!








visual styles! Can help to blur the distinction between the role of the teacher and

learner.








visual styles! Can help to blur the distinction between the role of the teacher and

learner. Opportunities for greater range of interactions with the teacher.




Assessment


AssessmentAlternative environment to support formative and summative assessment

- from RARPA [recognize and record progress and achievement in non accredited learning - http://www.aclearn.net/display.cfm?page=1290] to virtual portfolios

http://www.aclearn.net/display.cfm?page=1290







Showcase work in an interactive 3D environment








Showcase work in an interactive 3D environmentHelp learners to become more actively involved in designing and

carrying out their own assessments.









carrying out their own assessments.Personalized Content










Enables a 3D environment for wide range of curricula.










Enables a 3D environment for wide range of curricula.Adds to the “technology toolbox” for teachers.











Flexible Curriculum











Flexible CurriculumCurriculum can be more “bite sized” and delivered anytime - anyplace -

rather than the institutional and non flexible 9-5 Monday to Friday.












rather than the institutional and non flexible 9-5 Monday to Friday.Can link home/school – home/college












rather than the institutional and non flexible 9-5 Monday to Friday.Can link home/school – home/collegeHelp to provide flexible learning pathways












rather than the institutional and non flexible 9-5 Monday to Friday.Can link home/school – home/collegeHelp to provide flexible learning pathwaysEnable learners to co-design, manage and access the curriculum non-

traditionally





What’s next?

What’s next?For the course:


“Solve” the IRB dilemma.



Continue to promote the class in 100 & 200 level course.




Revise the course both for IRB issues and student interest factors.





For me:





For me:

Researching Religion in SL.





For me:


Expand a chapter about IP law in virtual worlds.





For me:


Expand a chapter about IP law in virtual worlds.

Continue to perform to expanding audience.

http://slane.bradley.edu/com/faculty/lamoureux/website2/slstuff.html

[email protected]

www.thesixtyone.com/theprofessor





mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.thesixtyone.com/theprofessor

http://www.thesixtyone.com/theprofessor

Teaching Field Research (ethnography) in a virtual world--Second Life

Ed Lamoureux, Ph.D.Bradley University

Multimedia Program CUR National Conference

June, 24, 2008

P r o f e s s o r B e l i v e a u the Professor