Porter College - Spring 1998

PRTR 87-Virtual Worlds and the Culture of Cyberspace

2-unit course

Restricted to 15 students

Wednesdays 9-11 a.m.
Porter D-134
(Porter Computer Lab)

Instructor: Shelly Errington, Professor of Anthropology
Bonnie DeVarco: Guest Lecturer

Special Event connected to this class:
Four-Hour Presentation by Bruce Damer, author of "Avatars! Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet."

(check it out at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ats-query/0592-9537671-088766)

This workshop will take place at the cusp of April and May on a Friday or Saturday. It will be open to all students, staff, and faculty at U.C.S.C.

The emergent culture of cyberspace is the focus of this hands-on course. A recently developed feature of the World Wide Web technology is the ability to create real-time accessible interactive virtual environments. The "culture" engendered by participation in 3-D virtual worlds influences the ways we understand embodiment, identity, and the notion of self and world. Students will survey a broad range of virtual worlds, participate in on-line discussions with others world wide, and will design their own "avatar," communicating with other avatars in a live, growing virtual world.

• Two Hours per week -- In-Class Lectures, Videos and Hands-On Web Workshop
• Homework includes World Wide Web Activities (participation on VRML newsgroup, virtual world activity and/or online readings).

(1) Course Reader - This "ephemeral reader" will include online readings by anthropologists, artists, and leaders in computer interface design and proceedings for VRML, Virtual Worlds and Avatars conferences Readings will include current articles, papers and abstracts by (or interviews with):

Sherry Turkle Donna Haraway

Steven Johnson Sandy Stone

Sven Birkerts Brenda Laurel

Bruce Damer Celia Pearce

Charles Ostman Karl Sims

Richard A. Lanham Howard Rheingold

Required:

• Damer, Bruce. AVATARS! - Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet. Berkeley: Peachpit Press.
• Pearce, Celia. The Interactive Book - A Guide to the Interactive Revolution. Indianapolis: Macmillan Technical Publishing.
• Turkle, Sherry. Life on the Screen - Identity in the Age of the Internet. New York: Simon & Schuster

Recommended :

• Johnson, Steven. Interface Culture - How New Technology Transforms the World We Create and Communicate. San Francisco: Harper Collins.
• Laurel, Brenda. Computers As Theatre New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
• Rheingold, Howard. Virtual Reality. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• Turkle, Sherry. The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

(brief ACI version, without assignments)

Week 1: Introduction: What in the World is on the World Wide Web?

Quick hands-on introduction to the World Wide Web - Its brief history and growth, communication dynamics and cultural relevance.

Week 2: MUDS and MOOs, Interactivity, Education and the World Wide Web

A broad range of interactive environments and applications on the WWW will be surveyed, including Chatgroups, Java applets, Shockwave, 3D Databases, mediator programs, and interface design. Interactive web-based projects by Museums and schools will also be featured.

Week 3: From 2D to 3D Worlds QTVR, VRML

The history of Virtual Reality will be looked at and discussed. QTVR (Quicktime Virtual Reality) and VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) will be demonstrated in a number of different contexts on the WWW. Brief Introduction to the growth of Virtual worlds.

Week4: Virtual Environments - Cultural Considerations

Discussion/Presentation of various topics related to readings, newsgroup participation and Web work. Students choose topic they take on for final project. Gender issues, politics, community building, intimacy, identity, shared narrative, art, computers and theatre.

Week 5: Behind the Scenes - The Worlds, the Tools and the Toolmakers/

Cautionary Tales - The Dark side of Virtual worlds

Video Presentation by Allan Lundell - highlights from AVATARS '97, the best of VRML SIG and VRML '98. The Bright and Dark side of virtual worlds will also be discussed using examples from various communities and excerpts from movies treating the topic of virtual reality.

Week 6 & 7: Virtual Environments, Virtual Identities

Survey of Virtual environments: virtual theatres, virtual gardens, virtual offices, and a range of ongoing virtual communities. CD ROM Tour

Weeks 8, 9 & 10: Workshop/Projects - Students Create and Colonize VirtualWorlds of their Choice.

End of Course: Students turn in short paper discussing their topic or discussing their experience in Virtual Worlds.

Revised 7/15/04.