This article explores the experience of a researcher who was part of a pan-European team exploring one of the currently available avatar worlds used for educational purposes. The article reports research undertaken as part of the European Union (EU)-funded project EQUEL (e-quality in e-learning) from the point of view of a single researcher. The EQUEL project was organised into several Significant Interest Groups (SIGs) and the Agora SIG was set up to explore knowledge-sharing in 3D (three-dimensional) avatar-based systems, in particular Active Worlds Educational Universe (AWEDU – http://www.activeworlds.com). AWEDU is a relatively common, stable and explored 3D system. Further details of the research reported here can be found in papers presented by Jensen and Fejfer Olsen et al at the networked learning conference 2004 (http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/past/nlc2004).
References
1.
BeckerB.MarkG. (2002) Social Conventions in Computer-mediated Communication: A comparison of three online shared virtual environments, in SchroederR. (Ed.) The Social Life of Avatars. London: Springer-Verlag.
2.
BioccaF.HarmsC.BorgoonJ.K. (2003) Toward a More Robust Theory and Measure of Social Presence: Review and suggested criteria, Presence, 12(5), pp. 456–480.
3.
BlascovichJ. (2002). Social Influence within Immersive Virtual Environments, in SchroederR. (Ed.) The Social Life of Avatars. London: Springer-Verlag.
4.
BoyleT.CookJ. (2004) Understanding and Using Technological Affordances: A commentary on Conole and Dyke, ALT-J, 12(3), pp. 295–299.
ConoleG.DykeM. (2004a) What are the Affordances of Information and Communication Technologies?ALT-J, 12(2), pp. 113–124.
7.
ConoleG.DykeM. (2004b) Understanding and Using Technological Affordances: A response to Boyle and Cook, ALT-J, 12(3), pp. 301–308.
8.
CrookC. (2002) The Campus Experience of Networked Learning, in SteeplesC.JonesC. (Eds) Networked Learning: Perspectives and issues. London: Springer.
9.
OlsenS. FejferJensenS. SiggaardBolanderK.DeepwellF.JonesC.R.MannS. (2004). Narratives from the 3D Agora-world, in BanksS.GoodyearP.HodgsonV.JonesC.LallyV.McConnellD.SteeplesC. (Eds) Networked Learning 2004: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Networked Learning 2004, Lancaster: Lancaster University and University of Sheffield.
10.
GibsonJ.J. (1977) The Theory of Affordances, in ShawR.BransfordJ. (Eds) Perceiving, Acting and Knowing. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.
11.
GibsonJ. J. (1986) The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.
12.
GoodyearP.JonesC.AsensioM.HodgsonV.SteeplesC. (2001) Effective Networked Learning in Higher Education: Notes and guidelines. Lancaster: CSALT, Lancaster University. http://csalt.lancs.ac.uk/jisc/.
13.
HansenK. (2002) The Design of Public Virtual Spaces in 3D Virtual Worlds on the Internet, in QvortrupL. (Ed.) Virtual Space: Spaciality in virtual inhibited 3D worlds. London: Springer-Verlag.
14.
Hudson-SmithA. (2002) 30 Days in Active Worlds – community, design and terrorism in a virtual world, in SchroederR. (Ed.) The Social Life of Avatars. London: Springer-Verlag.
15.
HutchbyI. (2001) Technologies, Texts and Affordances, Sociology, 35(2), pp. 451–456.
16.
JamiesonP.TaylorP.G.FisherK.TrevittA.C.F.GildingT. (2000). Place and Space in the Design of New Learning Environments, Higher Education Research & Development, 19(2), pp. 221–236.
17.
JonesC. (2005) Nobody Knows You're a Dog: What amounts to context in networked learning, in LandR.BayneS. (Eds) Education in Cyberspace. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
18.
KirschnerP.A.StrijbosJ.MartensR.L. (2004) CSCL in Higher Education, in StrijbosJ.-A.KirschnerP.A.MartensR.L. (Eds) What We Know about CSCL: And implementing it in higher education. Boston: Kluwer.
19.
KreijensK.KirschnerP.A. (2004). Designing Sociable CSCL Environments, in StrijbosJ.-A.KirschnerP.A.MartensR.L. (Eds) What We Know About CSCL: And implementing it in higher education. Boston: Kluwer.
20.
LefebvreH. (1991) The Production of Space. Oxford: Blackwell.
21.
NardiB.O'DayV. (1999) Information Ecologies: Using technology with heart. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
22.
NilssonA.HeldalI.AxelssonA.SchroederR. (2002) The Long-term Uses of Shared Virtual Environments: An exploratory study, in SchroederR. (Ed) The Social Life of Avatars. London: Springer-Verlag.
23.
NormanD.A. (1990) The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday.
24.
NormanD.A. (1999) Affordance, Convention and Design, Interactions, 6(3), pp 38–43.
OliverM. (2005) The Problem with Affordance, E-Learning, 12 (4), pp. 402–413.
27.
RybergT.PontiM. (2004) Constructing Place: The relationship between place-making and sociability in networked environments – a condition for productive learning environments, in Dirckinck-HolmfeldL.LindströmB.SvendsenB.M.PontiM. (Eds) Conditions for Productive Learning in Networked Learning Environments. Aalborg, Denmark: Aalborg University/Kaleidoscope. http://www.ell.aau.dk/index.php?id=60
28.
SchroederR., (Ed.) (2002) The Social Life of Avatars. London: Springer-Verlag.
29.
JensenS. Siggaard (2004) Knowledge Sharing in the 3D Agora-world, in BanksS.GoodyearP.HodgsonV.JonesC.LallyV.McConnellD.SteeplesC. (Eds) Networked Learning 2004: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Networked Learning 2004, Lancaster: Lancaster University and University of Sheffield.
