does my bum look big in this? ‘super diversity’, representations and realities using caroline...
Post on 20-Dec-2015
215 views
TRANSCRIPT
Does my bum look big in this?
‘Super Diversity’, Representations and Realities using
Caroline Ukoumunne &Mark Webb
University of Greenwich
• To further develop the work that explored the relationship between gender, race and sexuality and other social divisions.
• For students and tutors to create, use Representations (Avatars) and experiences in Second Life to inform shared critical understandings of ‘Reality’ in first lives.
• For tasks to be geared to pedagogical intervention utilising a virtual environment.
• To explore how SL can be fun, challenging and educational linked to the training and practice.
Project Aims
Diversity
The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. • It means understanding that each individual is unique,
and recognizing our individual differences. • These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic
status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.
• It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. •
It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.
Project Themes
• SESSION: 1 Set up the project. Outline and discuss aims and objectives and how it fits in with Fieldwork Practice.
• SESSION: 2 Introduction to Second Life. Overview of creating avatar and showcase of popular activities. Technical requirements explained.
• SESSION: 3 Orientation and basic Second Life skills. Access and technical issues discussed. Creating an account and logging on.
• SESSION: 4 Basic demonstration of avatar creation. Create an avatar collectively for a member of the group. Discuss practice.
• SESSION: 5 Create avatars individually/in small groups. Take photographs of individuals with their avatars.
• SESSION: 6 Look at photographs of members and their avatars and discuss image. Introduction to an activity: dance. Group demonstration of how to make an avatar dance in different ways. Demonstration of how to travel to dance venues and animate the avatar. Individual practice.
• SESSION: 7 Discuss experiences of dancing and socializing in Second Life. Three group members show the group what they did. Benefits and approach to undertaking this activity with a young person.
• SESSION: 8 Select another common Second Life activity and discuss why and how it might be developed for future use in practice.
• SESSIONS: 9 Evaluation /Presentations: Group members showcase their activities, from initial avatar creation to activities. Summary and feedback. Discuss: is Second Life a viable and useful medium for exploring issues of representation and reality?
• SESSION 10 Evaluation /Presentations: Group members showcase their activities, from initial avatar creation to activities. Summary and feedback. Discuss: is Second Life a viable and useful medium for exploring issues of representation and reality?
Programme of Work
EvaluationOverview of Project
• The students ages range from 18- 50, and they are drawn from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds that reflects the diversity of the Youth and community student intake.
• The diversity of the student group is matched by the wide range of IT abilities.
• More group work was required than first expected about SL and individuals perceptions, ideas, fears and concerns were evident.
• A middle-aged black woman expressed enthusiasm about producing an avatar that was white and female. A young female student expressed an interest in creating an avatar with a disability.
• The project team also reflects the diversity of the students.
• Students were willing and open-minded in selecting their choice of avatars and this willingness to embrace a range of identities that reflect questions of gender, race, class, disability and sexuality.
Difficulties
• The project has taken longer to set up than anticipated mainly due getting to grips with the technical problems and possible difficulties participants might face when undertaking tasks.
• We have had to pace any development of integrating Second Life work to the existing Equality and Diversity course (Year 1) and the relevant online support /guidance in anticipation of the range of IT skills, abilities and confidence of all students.
• We have therefore allocated more time to test tasks (ie creating avatars, undertaking simple tasks.) The testing or undertaking has involved ensuring the challenges are fun, challenging educational and inclusive.
• Youth and Community students are on placements in addition to their degree work and online times have to be allocated according to these time constraints.
• We have discussed the ethics of participation in SL that are linked specifically to the project and students will be expected to sign a contract that lays out agreed ground rules and codes of conduct for the project.