Liz in Wonderland

I thought that it would be a good idea to use this week’s assignment (download and evaluate some software) to help me with my research topic. I decided to download and use an avatar-creation program. However, as I started to look for such a program, I found the task not as easy as I had thought. I learned that most programs that allowed people to create avatars were geared to two audiences: people who want to make a cute little image to include on their Christmas letters or their emails to Aunt Bea or teens/children who want to create an avatar for a specific online game. So I chose to use opportunity to investigate Second Life (defined in my previous blog).

To join Second Life, a person must download the framework to a computer. The first thing one does, after joining, is to create an avatar. I spent an enormous amount of time creating my avatar since each feature (mouth, nose, eyes, ears, hair, etc. etc.) must be created separately and each feature has up to 20 possible choices. Then the avatar must be dressed, from underwear to outerwear. Next, this alter-me (or Other-Me) begins to wander around this virtual world. As a new Resident, I began in a Newbie Center where I initially met an apprentice named Reliar who was available to help find my way. I must admit that it was so enjoyable that I have had to exert extreme willpower to avoid spending all my free time in my new home.

My experiences in Second Life were… well, both interesting and exciting. I met some lovely people there. Several were there doing projects for college classes – so this project is not unusual in academia. The Newbie Center I found myself in was a German Newbie Center. I’m not sure if this was because I originally clicked on something that took me there or because America doesn’t have a Newbie Center. But all the Germans I met were friendly, pleasant, delightful and bi- or tri-lingual. I speak some Spanish and French (no German, but my son speaks German) so we conversed in several languages.

But the Americans I met were, unfortunately, the epitome of the Ugly American. One wanted virtual sex and would not stop talking about it. Others used vile language. All of them wanted “out” of the GNC (German Newbie Center) and demanded to know how to get out of the place. The apprentice-helper, Reliar, was consistently polite. I was embarrassed to be American.
Of course, this was one experience on one day and probably is not representative of how most Americans interact in this environment (I hope!). But it is a shame that I had to have one of my initial experiences be like this.

Another strange thing was my involvement with my own avatar. I had some insights into myself: most of the attributes I selected were similar to the “real” me but improved. For example, I chose long wild curly hair (which I have) but picked legs that were just a little longer (proportionately) than my own. It was very interesting to see which of my own physical characteristics I chose to keep and which I chose to change --- especially in light of the fact that I always thought I absolutely hated my own appearance!

Then I think of these experiences in light of all the research Hap has been doing on his blog about avatars and the ties people feel with their own avatars.

Another interesting thing: after my first trip to Second Life, I woke up the next morning thinking about this Other-Me. I actually felt it was me in another place. I haven’t thought of myself as an imaginary person since childhood, but the avatar had a strong sense of reality in my mind.

So many fascinating feelings – and I am sure there is research about all of these things. But this blog is a complete digression from my topic. On the other hand, I think I need some understanding of the way people interact with their own avatars before designing a classroom in Second Life – as a teacher, this would be an important part of how I interact with students. I’d need to keep in mind that I am interacting with avatars and some of that interaction is colored by the fact that the avatars are renditions of how the students wish to be seen.

That adds a new dimension to the idea that avatars may allow interaction without bias. But now I need to consider: what is bias? What does it mean?