SLACTIONS 2009 First Call : Life, Imagination, and work using metaverse platforms

SLACTIONS 2009 Research conference in the Second Life® world
Life, Imagination, and work using metaverse platforms

When: September 24-26, 2009

** Scope and call for papers **

The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human cooperation, interaction, and creativity. The conference focus is scientific research on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Second Life, OpenSim, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Open Source Metaverse, Project Wonderland, and others, providing a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative approaches, techniques, processes, and research results.

Whereas metaverses are no longer a novel topic, they still pose challenges for the adaption of conventional instructional and business practices, research methodologies, and communication practices. We are looking forward to presenting a program of research results, case studies, panel discussions, and demonstrations that scholars, educators, and businesses can port to their own environments and apply in their research, teaching, and business strategy. We will accept papers from the full spectrum of intellectual disciplines and technological endeavours in which metaverse platforms are currently being used: from Education to Business, Sociology to Social Sciences, Media Production to Technology Development, Architecture and Urban Planning to the Arts.

Topics covered may include but are not limited to:

• Accessibility in metaverse platforms
  
• Advanced scientific visualization in metaverse platforms
  
• Automatic content generation
  
• Behavioral studies in the metaverse
  
• Combination of metaverse platforms with external systems (e-learning, e-business, etc.)
  
• Communicational paradigms in the metaverse
  
• Content management
  
• Creativity, design, and arts on the metaverse
  
• E-business and e-commerce applications
  
• Educational research, applications, and case studies
  
• Embodiment in metaverses and Gender Studies
  
• GIS/metaverse mash-ups
  
• Integration between metaverse platforms
  
• Nonprofit activities and fundraising
  
• Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
  
• Social Sciences studies in or through metaverse platforms
  
• Space representation, use, and management in metaverses
  
• Using metaverse platforms for cooperation
  

Conference format

SLACTIONS 09 is the first international conference held simultaneously in several countries on the topic of metaverses. SLACTIONS 09 aims at covering most areas currently enabled by metaverse platforms, from educational research to content production, from gender studies to media distribution, and from metaverse-based branding, advertising, and fundraising to emerging mash-ups and technology applications. SLACTIONS 09 is unique in its format too, as a one-of-a kind event conducted both in a metaverse platform (Second Life) and on-site in multiple countries in Europe and in North and South America. SLACTIONS will thus contribute to the current redefinition of the way we think about hybrid online and on-site scholarly collaborations.

All paper presentations and talks will be performed via avatars, either using text-based or voice-based communications.

Submissions

Authors are invited to submit:
A full paper of eight to ten pages for oral presentation

• A Flickr image or
  
• YouTube video, tagged as “slactions 09” for poster presentations 'in-world’ or presentation in SL using a creative format

All submissions are subject to a double blind review process and should be professionally proofread before submission.

All manuscripts should be formatted according to the ASIS&T proceedings template.

No manuscripts will be accepted that do not meet the required format.

(Disclaimer: SLACTIONS 2009 is not associated with ASIS&T.)

All accepted papers will be published on-line and in an ISBN-registered
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM of proceedings.

The Scientific Committee will invite authors of selected full papers to provide revised and expanded versions for publication in an ISBN-registered book.

The authors of the best papers will be invited to provide revised and expanded versions for publications in special editions of journals or as single contributions to theme-specific journals.

Check out www.slactions.org regularly for more information and developments on the book publisher & series, and journal venues for best papers.

Technology setup

We want participants to fully follow the conference.
Each regional pole will meet in a room with a projector and at least one microphone so that participants can ask their questions online. However, each participant can also bring a laptop, equipped with WiFi connection and a microphone, and interact in-world via avatar, while still meeting locally.


What you will need to follow the conference at your local pole:

Option 1: Participating “in-world”

This means you have your own avatar in SL. At the time of the conference you login and teleport to the conference location. Here's your setup:

• Your Computer. See the detailed system requirements at the Second Life site. Second Life is very RAM demanding so make sure this is the only application you will have opened, besides an occasional browser window in the flat Web, if you are checking a URL suggested by speakers or participants.
  
• Your Internet connection. Wired connection is preferable to wireless connections, particularly if using it from crowded locations. The latter is possible but you may lose audio or video.
  
• Your Voice setup. In your client application (the software you install in your computer when installed Second Life), choose Edit -> Preferences, then the Voice Chat tab. Allow your voice to be heard only when you press the "talk" button (bottom right of your screen once you’re in SL). That way, background noises at your location will not be heard by others, something that can cause a confusing cacophony into the virtual setting.
  See the Voice FAQ for more information.
  
• Your Audio setup. If chatting with voice (prior item), use earphones, as sound from the speakers can enter your microphone, resulting in a bad echo heard by other participants.
  
• Turn multimedia full capabilities on. As stated previously we will encourage speakers to make full used of the wide range of capacities in SL so make sure that, under Edit > Preferences, you select the Audio/Video tab, and make the necessary selections to play streaming video and music.
  
• Ask for Help. Prior to the conference, test all these setting with colleagues or any residents in SL. If you run into problems e-mail the organization for help.
  

Option 2: Participating physically at a regional chapter

You'll travel to one of the regional nodes, where you'll have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with other participants at the same location. You will watch the conference on the big screen; and you may ask in-world speakers questions by transmitting them to your regional chair, who will enter them by textual chat or provide a microphone for you to ask questions directly.

In this case you do not need to bring your laptop, but you may do so to participate also as an avatar. If you do so, please turn off audio, voice, and multimedia, and rely instead on the audio provided by the organization. This will ensure all local participants have more bandwidth available and a better experience.

Physical chapters

The following regional chapters will be held in physical locations. Participants participating via a physical chapter will be able to take part in social events taking place locally, enjoy broadband communications and physical networking opportunities. New physical chapters are being considered.

• Belgium - Ghent University
  
• Brazil/Rio Grande do Sul - Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos)
  
• Brazil/Minas Gerais - Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora
  
• Israel/ H.I.T-Holon Institute of Technology
• Portugal/North - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Universidade do Minho, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidade do Porto
  
• USA/Texas - University of Texas-Austin
  
• USA/West Coast - University of California-Berkeley
  

NOTE: if you believe your institution can hold a physical chapter in an as-yet unsupported region, please contact the organization (see "Contacts", below).

Important dates

February 28th, 2009 - Deadline for paper submissions

March 31st, 2009 - Submission results provided to authors

June 30th, 2009 - Deadline for early registration

July 31st, 2009 - Deadline for print-ready versions of accepted papers

September 24-26th, 2009 - Conference

Contacts

Organization: infoslactions.org

Programme committee

Adriana Bruno, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin, USA
António Ramires Fernandes, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Augusto Abade, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Carlos Santos, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Daniel Gonçalves, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
Dor Abrahamson, University of California-Berkeley, USA
Ederson Locatelli, Unisinos - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil
Eliane Schlemmer, Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos), Brazil
Hanan Gazit, H.I.T-Holon Institute of Technology, Israel
João Barroso, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Leonel Morgado, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Lucia Pesce, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil
Luís Pedro, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Lynn Alves, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Brazil
Martin Leidl, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
Martin Valcke, Ghent University, Belgium
Miltiadis Lytras, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece
Nelson Zagalo, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Niall Winters, London Knowledge Lab, UK
Paulo Frias, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Pedro Almeida, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Pedro Sequeira, Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior, Portugal
Pilar Lacasa, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain
Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell,University of California-Berkeley, USA
Stefan Göbel, ZGDV, Germany
Teresa Bettencourt, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Tim Savage, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Organization

Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin, USA

Leonel Morgado, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Nelson Zagalo, Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Association of Virtual Worlds’ First "totally Virtual" Conference CoNeE announced | הכנס הראשון של איגוד העולמות הוירטואליים העולמי

Serving on the Association of Virtual Worlds (AVW) Advisory Board, I’m trilled to share with you the latest news: The Association of Virtual Worlds announces its first “totally virtual” conference to be held February 20 through 26, 2009. The Conference, Networking and Expo, affectionately dubbed “CoNeE” will offer a full seven days of events, exhibits and networking without the cost of travel or hotels and with less wear and tear on both the stress levels of attendees and the environment. The conference will take place in the Association’s newly created closed beta 3D virtual environment.

“It is the natural progression for this vibrant organization that is a magnet for the best and the brightest in the virtual worlds and web 3D industry,” says Founder, Edita Kaye.

David Elchoness, Executive Director, explains the enormous value of a virtual conference. “We have put together this list of the benefits of our approach, but of all the things we do, we are the most proud of breaking the classic conference time barrier, of being able to save our members and exhibitors those two precious commodities–money and time–while helping to save the planet.”

10 Benefits of AVW’s CoNeE:

1. Open 24/7 around the clock and around the world–forget 9 to 5
2. Multilingual meetings with international industry representatives
3. Global attendance, sponsors, speakers, networking
4. Unlimited passes for clients, prospects, staff teams
5. Unrestricted networking opportunities
6. Dedicated showcase and product demonstrations gallery
7. All attendees, speakers, media, enter through exhibit halls
8. Offers significant savings by eliminating all travel and travel-related expenses
9. Rested and energized avatars, rather than stressed and exhausted delegates
10. “Green” conference–reduce the carbon footprint–and do something good for the world

In just six months the AVW attracted over 2,370 members, established a publishing division, launched the closed beta for its virtual headquarters using cutting edge, and highly accessible, web3D technology,was first to create Virtual Worlds Day (August 20), the Virtual Person of the Year Award, a powerful network of Global Ambassadors and attracted some of the industry’s most respected and influential leaders to its Advisory Board.

To learn about sponsorship and marketing opportunities at CoNeE, or to learn more out the Association of Virtual Worlds please visit: www.AssociationofVirtualWorlds.com

AVW’s CoNeE 2009 Call for Speakers

As a community organization, AVW invite members to submit a panel, lecture, or presentation proposal for consideration. Although the AWV cannot accept all submissions, it will strive to review them all thoroughly and choose those that the AVW believe best reflect the memberships' interests as a global organization seeking to advance virtual worlds.

Please send in your submission in the following subject areas by October 1, 2008.

• Business & Marketing of Virtual Worlds
• Security, Property & Standards
• Virtual Worlds Around the Real World
• Technology of the Virtual World
• Learning and Working in Virtual Worlds
• What the Future Holds for Virtual Worlds

As part of your submission, kindly include the following:

• A brief description of your proposed presentation;
• Whether the presentation will run 60 or 90 minutes;
• Whether the proposal is for a panel, lecture, or some other form of presentation;
• A listing of any proposed panelists or participants (no more than four in total); and
• Complete details concerning your qualifications (and those of all other panelists) to present on the subject including name(s), company(ies) or other affiliation(s), email address(es), and physical address(es), and curriculum vitae, resume, or other background information.

AVW Mission Statement

The Association of Virtual Worlds believes that virtual worlds represent a major information and technological revolution in how we work, play and live. The Association mission is to serve those companies and individuals who are dedicated to the advancement of this multi-billion dollar global industry and reach out to those who have not yet found virtual worlds.

AVW Goals

1. To create a forum for the discussion of issues affecting the industry
2. To assist in the development of industry procedures and standards
3. To promote the virtual worlds industry, its interest and developments
4. To educate on the benefits of virtual worlds to enhance work and play
5. To offer business and social networking opportunities

Virtual Worlds in Education Conference @ ECU's Second Life Virtual Campus

Real Education in a Virtual World:
Using Online Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning

The Virtual Worlds in Education Conference is focused on the uses of virtual worlds for instructional purposes. Examples of instructional activities including novel methods of presentation, simulation, and collaboration will be showcased. Research on using virtual worlds for instruction will be presented.

Hosted and sponsored by: East Carolina University.

East Carolina University (ECU) is a public, coeducational, research intensive university located in Greenville, North Carolina, USA. ECU is the third largest university in North Carolina with an enrollment of over 23,000 students and the fastest-growing campus in the University of North Carolina system.

When: November 10 and 11, 2008

Were: in Second Life on the East Carolina University virtual campus (http://slurl.com/secondlife/ECU%20II/112/107/26)

The conference will be over a 48-hour period. The schedule is designed to accommodate participants in different time zones.

Fee: Registration is free but participation is limited to registered attendees. There is a maximum avatar capacity on the East Carolina University islands; registration will be first-come, first-served.

Call for Proposals
The Virtual Worlds in Education Conference welcomes presentation proposals from individuals, groups and institutions currently making use of virtual worlds for instructional purposes. Examples of established instructional activities and research on virtual worlds for education will be given highest consideration.

Examples of presentation topics include, but are not limited to:
· Reports of research conducted on the use of virtual worlds for instructional purposes
· Educational simulations conducted in-world
· Building and design projects conducted in-world
· Social functions held in-world to promote or support educational activity
· Contests or competitions promoting problem-based learning held in-world

Dead-line: All proposals must be submitted on or before September 11, 2008 using the conference’s online submission system (http://vwec.ecu.edu).

Blind-peer review will be used to evaluate the first 300 proposals received.

A maximum of 80 poster sessions and 32 interactive presentation sessions will be accepted.
Proposal authors will be notified around September 30, 2008. Please note that although there is no registration or participation fee, presenters will be responsible for paying their own file upload fees within the Second Life environment.

I wish to thank Dr. Abbie Brown @ ECU for the invite.

One of the big Q's worth addressing is:
Web3D for Higher Education: Real potential or just an illusion?

Web3D for Higher Education: Real potential or just an illusion? | Dr. Hanan Gazit Lecture at The 6th Annual MEITAL National Conference 6th August 2008

I will present Web3D for Higher Education: Real potential or just an illusion?
at the coming Inter-University Center for e-Learning (IUCEL), 6th Annual MEITAL National Conference, on 6th of August 2008, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

By: Dr. Hanan Gazit

Persentation Introduction

Massively Multiplayer On-line Games (MMOGs), social networked, and three-dimensional virtual worlds (3D), are merging to form the Web3D. The Association of Virtual Worlds recently published a guide which contains over 250 3D virtual worlds operating or currently under development (AVW, 2008), and Forrester Research recent forecast stated that "Web3D will evolve during the next five to seven years from an immature emerging market to a standards-based, interoperable global environment", urging its clients to start experimenting with Web3D despite the infancy of the medium (Driver et al., 2008). My presentation will focus on the Web3D potential for higher education.

The Academia is catching up with the current trend of the industry, as major high tech companies such as IBM, Intel and Sun Micro Systems, to name a few, are developing programs in SL (Gronstedt, 2007). Over 200 colleges and universities around the world are exploring the educational potential of SL (Kelton, 2007). For example, Harvard Law School's CyberOne uses SL for collaborative public law learning (Nesson & Nesson, to appear), while Dubai's Women College uses SL for teaching healthcare and virtual commerce, as well as for cultural exchanges with other academic institutes. Moreover, digital games and virtual worlds can serve as a cognitive bridge between concrete experiences and scientific concepts, enabling students to cope with complex problem solving and high level thinking skills (Dede et al., 2005; Gazit, 2008). Likewise, de Freitas (2006) argued that game-based learning may provide new opportunities for reassessing how people learn and for supporting the development of new immersive spaces, where learners may produce their own materials, share learning experiences and practice skills of the real-world. However, at the same time de Freitas (2006) pointed out the need for conducting empirical studies on game based learning and their potential use in education.

Is it just an illusion?

A careful examination of the Web3D's is needed when considering its use for higher education. First, only a small number of administrators and instructors are experienced in virtual worlds and many others might doubt their academic relevance (Graetz, 2006). Second, setting up a Web3D entity, such as a SL Island, is very time-consuming. Hence, the possibility should be examined to see if the learning outcome can be achieved by using 2D regular websites or alternative 2.O platforms. Third, manipulating 3D objects and orienting in a 3D world can be difficult and frustrating (Gazit et al., 2006; Burigat^{, a,} and & Chittaro, 2007). Moreover, current technical problems and rendering issues, system sluggishness, and crashes that should be taken into account. Berge (2008) argues that "until educators figure out what to do in 3D virtual environments that cannot be more easily done in real life…educators in these virtual metaverses are relying on novelty and social presence to carry the day" (ibid, p. 30-31).

The question of whether the Web3D has a real educational value or is it just an illusion is waiting to unfold, but there is no doubt about the need for a coherent conceptual framework for studying its advantages and limitations.

References

Association of Virtual Worlds. (2008). The Blue Book A Consumer Guide to Virtual Worlds. 2d Edition. Available On line:http://www.associationofvirtualworlds.com/publishing_blue_book.htm
(Retrieved May 14, 2008)

Berge, Z. L. (2008). Multi-User Virtual Environments for Education and Training? A Critical Review of Second Life, Educational Technology, 27-31. Available On line: http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/ETSecLife.pdf
(Retrieved May 14, 2008)

Burigat, S., & Chittaro, L. (2007). Navigation in 3D virtual environments: Effects of user experience and location-pointing navigation aids, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 65 (11), 945-958.

De Freitas , S. (2006). Learning in Immersive Worlds: a review of game based Learning. JISC Review report. Available On line: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/eli_outcomes.html (Retrieved May 10, 2008)

Dede, C., Clarke, J., Ketelhut, D. J., Nelson, B., & Bowman, C. (2005). Students’ motivation and learning of Science in a Multi-User Virtual Environment. Presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting (AERA), (April 2005), (pp.11-15), Montreal, Canada.

Driver, E., Moore, C., Jackson, P., Keitt, T.J., & Schooley, C. (2008). Web3D: The Next Major Internet Wave. Available On line: http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,45257,00.html (Retrieved April 15, 2008)

Gazit, E. (2008). A window on digital games interactions in home settings. In: Ferdig, R. E (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Effective Electronic Gaming in Education, (Vol 1, pp.127-145). IGI Global Press.

Gazit, E., Yair, Y., & Chen, D. (2006). The gain and pain in taking the pilot seat: Learning dynamics in a non immersive virtual solar system, Virtual Reality, 10 (3-4), 271-282.

Graetz, K. A. (2006).The psychology of learning environments. EDUCAUSE Review, 41 (6), 60–75. Available On line: http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0663.pdf
(Retrieved May 12, 2008)

Gronstedt, A. (2007). Second Life produces real training results. T & D Magazine, 44–49. Available On line: http://www.learningcircuits.org/2007/0807gronstedt.html
(Retrieved May 10, 2008)

Kelton, A. J.(2007).Second Life: Reaching into the virtual world for real-world learning. ECAR Research Bulletin, 17. Available On line:http://www.educause.edu/ir/librar y/pdf/ecarso/erb/ERB0717.pdf
(Retrieved April 12, 2008)

Nesson, R., & Nesson, C. (to appear). In the Virtual Classroom: An Ethnographic Argument for Education in Virtual Worlds. Space and Culture. Sage Publications. 2008. Available On line: http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~shieber/Biblio/Papers/Nesson-2006-IPS.pdf (Retrieved May 10, 2008)

About The 6th Annual MEITAL National Conference

The MEITAL 2008 conference, in memory of the late Prof. Nechemia Levzion, will take place this year at the University of Haifa on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008. The conference will focus on the achievements and challenges in e-learning in higher education and on future development avenues.

The conference is a multi-participant, national gathering that is held once a year at one of the academic institutions that are members of MEITAL. The conference comprises a unique experience for a formal and informal professional meeting of all those involved in e-learning and e-teaching in higher education. It will include lectures dealing with the integration of e-learning in academic teaching in Israel, an exhibition of posters and presentations, round tables covering various areas of interest and specialization, workshops and more. The conference will provide diverse opportunities for social and professional encounters in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Members of the academic staff and others interested in e-learning in higher education institutions in Israel are invited to participate!

The conference's Program Committee is headed by Dr. Dani Ben-Zvi,

Head of the e-learning Center at the University of Haifa.

I MIND THE GAMES so Show me the MONEY! DiGRA ISRAEL Conference 2008 19thMarch @ AMDOCS

I MIND THE GAMES so Show me the MONEY! DiGRA ISRAEL Conference 2008 19thMarch @ AMDOCS, Raanana, IL.
"Average Digital games Developer salaries for job postings nationwide are 24% higher than average Instructional Sys Designer...

Click here to read more: http://www.digra-il.org/blog
Game-ON!

MIND THE GAMES כי Wii Fit מכניס אותך לכושר!

כנס די.ג.ר.ה ישראל 2008 MIND THE GAMES יום רביעי, 19 למרץ 2008 באמדוקס

כנס די.ג.ר.ה ישראל 2008 MIND THE GAMES יתקיים ביום רביעי, התשע-עשרה למרץ באמדוקס ישראל ברעננה. בכנס יוצגו היבטים שונים של מהפכת משחקי המחשב והעולמות הוירטואליים שבה אנו מצויים: מההשלכות האפשריות של ממשק מוח מחשב על הדורות הבאים, דרך האפשרות לטפל בתסמונת אספרגר ובעיות קשב והתנהגות אחרות באמצעות סביבות פלייסטשיין ועד פיתוח משחק מקוון חדש. פרטי המרצים ותקצירי ההרצאות מופיעים באתרה הכנס. למתן חסות והרשמה הקליקו
http://www.digra-il.org/event-mindthegames-heb

הכנס יתקיים בחסות חברת וי.אר.טק עולמות בע"מ המספקת שירותים לחברות וארגונים המעוניינים בשילוב משחקי מחשב ועולמות וירטואליים תלת ממדיים כדוגמת סקנד לייף, למטרות עסקיות, הדרכה והכשרה.

בקליפ: Wii fit תודות לדן כהן וקס על ההפניה

== אודות די.ג.ר.ה ישראל ==

די.ג.ר.ה ישראל הוא סניף הישראלי של הארגון הבינלאומי לחקר משחקי מחשב שמטרתו:

• הגברת ההכרה המקצועית בתחום חקר משחקי המחשב ועולמות וירטואליים.
• חקר יחסי הגומלין בין משחקי מחשב ועולמות וירטואליים לבין טכנולוגיות המידע.
• חקר תרבות הגייימינג וההיבטים התודעתיים והחברתיים של משחקי המחשב.
• חקר השימוש במשחקי מחשב ועולמות וירטואליים להדרכה ,למידה והערכה בכל המגזרים.
• יצירת פלטפורמה לרשת קשר בין אנשי המחקר והפיתוח ופיתוח מקור ידע ישראלי.
• יצירת שיתופי פעולה עם מוסדות מחקר ,מפתחי משחקי מחשב עצמאיים ,ארגונים וחברות עסקיות ,איגודים מסחריים ,וקובעי מדיניות.

קהל היעד המרכזי של הארגון הוא חוקרים ואנשי מקצוע העוסקים בחקר משחקי המחשב ועולמות וירטואליים.במקביל, הוא פונה גם למפתחי הדרכה ,מפתחי משחקי מחשב עצמאים ולכלל המתעניינים בתחום באשר הם. הארגון נמצא בהקמה וגיוס משאבים ותרומות להתנעת פעילותו,בצד יצירת שיתופי פעולה עם מוסדות וחברות בארץ ובחו"ל.