Smith-Robbins Dissertation Defense Slides
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Sarah Smith-Robbins Ball State University Rhetoric and Composition Dissertation Defense March 28, 2011 Incommensurate Wor(l)ds: Epistemic Rhetoric and Faceted Classification of Communication Mechanics in Virtual Worlds
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The slides from my dissertation defense
Transcript of Smith-Robbins Dissertation Defense Slides
Sarah Smith-RobbinsBall State University
Rhetoric and CompositionDissertation Defense
March 28, 2011
Incommensurate Wor(l)ds: Epistemic Rhetoric and Faceted Classification of Communication
Mechanics in Virtual Worlds
Acknowledgements
• Dr. Rai Peterson, advisor• Dr. Brian McNely, committee member• Dr. Webster Newbold, committee
member• Dr. James Chesebro, committee member• Dr. John Dailey, committee member• Dr. Carole Papper, committee member
Agenda
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
2006
Purpose of studyCreate a simple, sustainable, discipline-agnostic method to understand how a new
technology can be matched with an educational need.
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Research Question
How are the communication mechanics of multi-user
technologies related to the educational potential and
effectiveness of those technologies?
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
How are the communication mechanics of multi-user
technologies related to the educational potential and
effectiveness of those technologies?
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Operationalizing Multi-User Tech
Tools should contain as many communication methods as possible
Virtual Worlds (VW) are:• Convergent, contain mechanics
found separately in other tools• Constructed from rhetoric
(Brummett’s ontological view of epistemic rhetoric)
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Virtual Worlds defined…1. Persistent2. Multi-user (massive)3. Avatars4. Wide Area Network (WAN)
Reviews of research illustrated even more incommensurate terms resulting in incommensurate research conversations
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
James: Realities have their own truths. 7 realities (ex. science, religion)
Chesebro: Media RealityVirtual Worlds are a 9th Reality
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Parasocial avatar relationships
Kuhn’s Scientific Revolution:
Paradigm shift, crisis in discipline
Commensurate terms needed
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
How are the communication
mechanics of multi-user technologies related to the educational potential and
effectiveness of those technologies?
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Purpose: establish commensurate terms and operationalize communication mechanics for further research
Faceted Classification•Ranganathan (1967)•Method to classify objects by defining and functional traits•Facets have no hierarchal order
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Faceted Classification: Method1. List all common characteristics
(mechanics)2. Conduct large scale analysis to
find most common facets, eliminate uncommon, group like facets (150 VWs)
3. Define operational facets4. Classify objects (75 VWs)
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Facet List:1. Dominant content form2. Dominant user-to-user
communication form3. Level of stigmergy4. Object ownership5. Identity formation6. Environment access7. User-to-user relationship8. User-to-environment
relationship9. Access to groups10.Number of groups
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Review of literature and existing worlds using facets reveals:•Opportunities for new/improved research•Trends in coexisting facets
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
How are the communication mechanics of multi-user
technologies related to the educational potential and
effectiveness of those technologies?
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Purpose: Examine how facets combine to create activities and genres which are designer-provided or user-created
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Activity Theory: EngeströmFramework to describe the cyclical and reciprocal interactions among:
•Subjects: actors/individuals
•Objects: purpose/objective•Tools: ideas, artifacts, or systems used to facilitate activity
TOOL
SUBJECT OBJECT
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Activity Theory: A system of growth and change within the scope and context of an activity.
Activity: Goal direction hierarchy of actions
Action: Conscious chains of operations
Operation: Autonomic performance of tasks
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Activity analysis of VW tutorials demonstrated that tutorials include facets in context of common/dominant designer-provided activities
Not as useful to analyze user-created activities
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Genre Ecology Modeling:•Spinuzzi, Hart-Davidson, Zachary•Illustrate ways in which users deviate from designer-provided activities to create their own
Genre: Typified communication responses to recurrent/recognizable social situations
Both designer-provided and user-created genres are made possible through facet combinations
Example of user-created genre:Corpse spamming in WoW
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Facets =
Commensurate Terms =
Lower threshold for genre and activity literacy in a VW =
Increased ability to manipulate genres to construct meaningful user-created activities
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
GEM levels of activity:1.Strategic: Leadership
(designer) defined2.Tactical: used to
accomplish specific tasks in support of strategic goals
3.Operational: Executed actions that comprise tactical activities
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
VW/ Designer-provided
Strategic Entertainment, achievement
Tactical Level character through quests
Operational
Click buttons
Coordination creates a satisfying experience
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
VW/ Designer-provided
Instructional/User-created
Student/User-created
Strategic Learning objectives
Course completion, grade, employment
Tactical Assignments and assessments
Connection of course objectives to personal goals and grades
Operational
Information, experiences
Attendance, time management, understanding requirements
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
VW/ Designer-provided
Instructional/User-created
Student/User-created
Strategic Entertainment, achievement
Learning objectives
Course completion, grade, employment
Tactical Level character through quests
Assignments and assessments
Connection of course objectives to personal goals and grades
Operational
Click buttons Information, experiences
Attendance, time management, understanding requirementsFacet understanding required
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Four types of dis/coordinations among activities:•Conflicting•Overshadowing•Complimentary•Additional
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
VW/ Designer-provided
Instructional/User-created
Student/User-created
Strategic Entertainment, achievement
Learning objectives
Course completion, grade, employment
Tactical Level character through quests
Assignments and assessments
Connection of course objectives to personal goals and grades
Operational
Click buttons Information, experiences
Attendance, time management, understanding requirements
Waters “On a Quest for English”
Complimentary
Complimentary
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
VW/ Designer-provided
Instructional/User-created
Student/User-created
Strategic Entertainment, achievement
Learning objectives
Course completion, grade, employment
Tactical Level character through quests
Assignments and assessments
Connection of course objectives to personal goals and grades
Operational
Click buttons Information, experiences
Attendance, time management, understanding requirements
Shultz Colby & Colby “A Pedagogy of Play: Integrating Computer Games into the Writing Classroom”
Overshadow
Conflict
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
How are the communication mechanics of multi-user
technologies related to the educational potential and
effectiveness of those technologies?
FACETS
GENRESACTIVITIESDESIGNER-PROVIDED
USER-CREATED COORDINATIONS
POTENTIAL &EFFECTIVENES
S
• Faceted Classification• Activity Theory• Genre Ecology Modeling
BACKGROUND
CONCEPTUALFRAMEWORK
RESEARCHMETHOD
FINDINGS &ANALYSIS
FURTHERSTUDY
Apply as an apparatus to other groups of tools
• Apply facets in new theory systems: Media richness, Media synchronicity
• Improve understanding of tool development and adoption patterns
• Explore balance between facet combinations that allow for more/less robust user-created genres and activities
[email protected]@indiana.edu
Twitter: intellagirlintellagirl.com
Sarah Smith-RobbinsBall State University,
Rhetoric and CompositionDissertation Defense
March 28, 2011
