Incommensurate Wor(l)ds:

Epistemic Rhetoric
and Faceted Classification
of Communication
Mechanics in
Virtual Worlds
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Ball State University
Rhetoric and Composition
Dissertation Defense
March 28, 2011
 cknowledgements
ð Dr. Rai Peterson, advisor
ð Dr. Brian McNely, committee member
ð Dr. Webster Newbold, committee
member
ð Dr. James Chesebro, committee member
ð Dr. John Dailey, committee member
ð Dr. Carole Papper, committee member
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  genda

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2006

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  Purpose of study
Create a simple, sustainable,


 
discipline-agnostic method
 
 to understand how a new
technology can be
matched with an
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  educational need.

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Research Question


 
 

How are the communication
mechanics of multi-user
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technologies related to the
educational potential and
effectiveness of those
m technologies?
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How are the communication
mechanics of 

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   related to the
educational potential and
effectiveness of those
m technologies?
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  _perationalizing
Multi-User Tech


  Tools should contain as many
 

communication methods as
possible
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Virtual Worlds (VW) are:
ð Convergent, contain mechanics
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found separately in other tools
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ð Constructed from rhetoric
(Brummett·s ontological view of
epistemic rhetoric)

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  Virtual Worlds defined«
1. Persistent
2. Multi-user (massive)


 
 

3. vatars
4. Wide rea Network (WN)

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 Reviews of research illustrated

  even more incommensurate
terms resulting in
incommensurate research
m conversations
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James: Realities have their own
truths. 7 realities (ex. science,


  religion)
 

Chesebro: Media Reality
Virtual Worlds are a 9th Reality
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 Parasocial avatar relationships

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  Paradigm shift, crisis in
 

discipline
Commensurate terms
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needed

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 How are the    
  of multi-user
m 
 technologies related to the
 
educational potential and
effectiveness of those
m
   mm technologies?


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?
 

 establish commensurate
terms and operationalize


 
 

communication mechanics for
further research

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ðRanganathan (1967)
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ðMethod to classify objects by
defining and functional traits
ðFacets have no hierarchal order

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   : Method
1. List all common characteristics


 
(mechanics)
 

2. Conduct large scale analysis to
find most common facets,
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eliminate uncommon, group like
 
facets (150 VWs)
3. Define operational facets
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4. Classify objects (75 VWs)
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1. Dominant content form


  2. Dominant user-to-user
 

communication form
3. Level of stigmergy
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 4. _bject ownership
 
5. Identity formation
6. Environment access
m 7. User-to-user relationship
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8. User-to-environment relationship
9. ccess to groups
 10.Number of groups
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Review of literature and existing
worlds using facets reveals:


  ð_pportunities for new/improved
 

research
ðTrends in coexisting facets
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How are the communication
mechanics of multi-user
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technologies related to the
      
of those
m technologies?
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Examine how facets
 
 combine to create
activities and genres
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which are
  designer-provided
or user-created
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Engeström
Framework to describe the cyclical and
reciprocal interactions among:


  ðm
actors/individuals
 


ð
purpose/objective
ð  ideas, artifacts, or systems used
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  to facilitate activity
T__L
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SUBJECT _BJECT

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 system of growth and change within


  the scope and   of an activity.
 


 Goal direction hierarchy of actions

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 Conscious chains of operations

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 utonomic performance of tasks


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ctivity analysis of VW tutorials
 

demonstrated that tutorials include
facets in context of
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common/dominant designer-
 
provided activities

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Not as useful to analyze user-created activities


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ðSpinuzzi, Hart-Davidson, Zachary
ðIllustrate ways in which users deviate from


 
designer-provided activities to create their
 
 own

: Typified communication responses to
recurrent/recognizable social situations
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  Both designer-provided and user-created
genres are made possible through facet
combinations
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Example of user-created genre:

Corpse spamming in WoW


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  Facets 


  Commensurate Terms 

 


Lower threshold for genre and

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activity literacy in a VW 

Increased ability to
m
   mm manipulate genres to
construct meaningful user-
 created activities
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GEM levels of activity:


 
 

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Leadership
(designer) defined
   used to accomplish
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  specific tasks in support of
strategic goals
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! 
  Executed
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actions that comprise
tactical activities

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m
 Entertainment,
achievement

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  Coordination
   Level character
through quests creates a
satisfying
m
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   Click buttons
experience


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 m
 Learning Course
objectives completion,
grade,
employment
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    ssignments Connection of
  and course
assessments objectives to
personal goals
and grades
m 
   Information, ttendance,
   mm experiences time
management,
understanding
requirements

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 m
 Entertainment, Learning Course
achievement objectives completion,
grade,
employment
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    Level ssignments Connection of
  character and course
through quests assessments objectives to
personal goals
and grades
m 
   Click buttons Information, ttendance,
   mm experiences time
management,
understanding
requirements
 Facet understanding required
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Four types of dis/coordinations


 
 
 among activities:
ðConflicting
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ð_vershadowing
 
ðComplimentary
ðdditional
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 Entertainment, Learning Course
achievement objectives completion,
grade,


 employment
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    Level ssignments Connection of
  character and course
through quests assessments objectives to
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 and grades
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 m
 Entertainment, Learning Course
achievement objectives completion,
grade,

  & employment
m 
    Level ssignments Connection of
  character and course
through quests assessments objectives to
personal goals

 and grades
m 
   Click buttons Information, ttendance,
   mm experiences time
management,
understanding
requirements

m
?
  How are the communication
mechanics of multi-user
technologies related to the


 
 

educational potential and
effectiveness of those
technologies?
m 

FCETS
 

GENRES
CTIVITIES
DESIGNER-
m
PR_VIDED
   mm
USER-
CRETED C__RDINTI_NS

P_TENTIL &

EFFECTIVENESS
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?
  ð Faceted Classification
pply as an
ð ctivity Theory apparatus to other
groups of tools
ð Genre Ecology Modeling


 
 

ð pply facets in new theory systems: Media
richness, Media synchronicity
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  ð Improve understanding of tool development
and adoption patterns

m ð Explore balance between facet combinations

   mm
that allow for more/less robust user-created
genres and activities


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 sbrobbins@bsu.edu
sabsmith@indiana.edu
Twitter: intellagirl
intellagirl.com

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Ball State University,
Rhetoric and Composition
Dissertation Defense
March 28, 2011