Becoming Someone Else – Part 2

Second Life can be like MMORPG games in many regards, there are “players” who role play exclusively. There are regions that have training and rules for role play, even combat, but many SL players don’t see themselves as players at all. In fact, this is a dividing line for some, they refuse to be anyone other than the […]

Gamification 6 – Psychology & Motivation II

PHILADELPHIA, 16 September –- Gamification with Kevin Werbach of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School, Week 3! The previous unit explains the benefits of a behavioral approach to gamification; this one identifies the risks and alternatives. Class Notes – Part 6 – Psychology and Motivation II 6.1 Limits of Behaviorism Speed Camera Lottery – […]

Gamification 5 – Psychology & Motivation I

PHILADELPHIA, 14 September –- Gamification with Kevin Werbach of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School, Week 3! Gamification is a technique for motivation, so it ties very directly into psychology. This unit introduces the behavioral psychology concepts relevant to gamification. Class Notes — Part 5 — Psychology & Motivation I 5.1 Gamification as motivational […]

Becoming Someone Else – Part 1

This salon has professional authors with qualifications in education, psychology and other professions who explore identity and virtual identify. I read their posts with great interest.  There’s little question in my mind that most people who enter virtual worlds end up making choices that lead them into their identities. Ravanel started a series called, “Avatar & Identify – Introduction”.  […]

On dogs and gardeners

We’ve all heard the Serenity Prayer at one time or another: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. The serenity to accept the things I cannot change… I suppose what made me think of this […]

Gamification – Homework #1

DEAR COURSERA PEEPS: I’m tweeting Prof. Werbach about the appropriateness of this post, but as he has 50,000 students! 😛 and might not be able to reply, I’m also inquiring in the course forums. I have been blogging my lecture notes, which I imagine shouldn’t be disruptive or inappropriate in any way, and would fit […]

Gamification 4 – Game Elements

PHILADELPHIA, 9 September –- Gamification with Kevin Werbach of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School, Week 2! The raw materials of games and gamification are called game elements. We’ll earn how to break down a game into its constituent parts and apply them to create gamified systems. Class Notes — Part 4 — Game […]

Gamification 3 – Game Thinking

PHILADELPHIA, 9 September — Gamification with Kevin Werbach of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School, Week 2! The ways game designers approach their craft is also the way to tackle a gamification project. Seeing situations through the lens of game design is an essential skill in this area. Class Notes — Part 3 — […]

Ephemera

I apologize for these sporadic postings… my dissertation has been keeping me busy, although I have to say that I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m about half way done combing through my hefty stash of data (over 1,000 pages of transcripts collected over a year and a […]

On being delightful…

“Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are.” ~Lady Gaga In a month, I will be 6 years old in Second Life. It just floors me how fast time has flown. As I get older (in both RL and SL) I keep thinking about […]

The Artistry of Youtube: Artist who use the internet to make work.

There are many contemporary artists currently using the internet as a tool to make work. This type of  art typically explores the identity of a public that has now grown accustomed to being connected to a virtual reality and brings up questions of ownership, accessibility and control. Today I am going to share two artists […]

If Sims Were States

In the bad, old sooty days before methane or carbon monoxide detectors, miners would carry down caged canaries into the dark tunnels with them. If dangerous gases leaked into the mine-shaft, the gases would kill the canary before killing the miners. I’m beginning to believe that Hosoi Ichiba might just be our canary in a coalmine. […]