Dimitri - Article Review Two

3D Virtual Worlds as Art Media and Exhibition Arenas: Students' Responses and Challenges in Contemporary Art Education

Lilly Lu

Aim

1. What are art students' responses to a 3D VW as an art medium and exhibit arena?
2. What is the students' perceived learning within 3D VW?
3. What level of willingness to adopt VWs in future art practice do the students show?

Method

The data was collected from four sections of two technology courses. One of these courses was for undergraduate and graduate students (one elective, one required). The other was a graduate seminar course (both elective).

The 8-10 week virtual word sessions were a mix of both face-to-face and virtual meetings, with at least two virtual meetings being done completely remotely. Sessions were held in the Art Cafe in Second Life, where they met as cohort groups to attend and host events, and work on in-world projects.

The participants were 25 art education students. 14 of these students were undergraduates, and 11 were graduates, with seven of these being in-service art teaches. None of the participants had any prior knowledge of Second Life. Over the course of this research, the participants transitioned from newbies, to residents, builders, creators and artists, and then to event hosts.

The data was collected through mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative schemes, using surveys, interviews, chatlogs, observations, in-world assignments and learning journals.


Results

All students found that there was a steep learning curve, especially where building within SL was concerned. By the end of the project, however, the majority of the students found that they had come to enjoy the building process. All students found that art within virtual worlds had many benefits, the primary being the ability to visualise and create concepts which can then be easily modified and adjusted as there is no need to wait for the rendering of classic 3D programs. They also found that in collaboration, they were able to work together on ideas more easily due to the shared building abilities.

As an exhibition platform, some students found that it was possible to allow a more in-depth experience, referring to an immersive roleplay-type experience of Nazi-occupied Poland that they had discovered.

As an exhibition for their own work, the students rated it as the best part of their experience. The ability to walk through, fly around and even directly interact with the art pieces, things that are not typically able to be done with real life pieces, allowed them to explore deeper concepts. They also found it to be a rewarding and tangible outcome for their struggles with building, on top of being able to easily interact with the community not only off-campus but also internationally.

As a teaching medium, there were mixed feelings. Some pre-service students believed that more energy should be spent on utilising platforms such as virtual worlds for art education in the 'digital age'. In-service teachers, and some other students, however, expressed concerns of how to balance digital art in virtual worlds as a medium alongside the other artistic mediums.

One student also addressed the concerns of the online space in general, with the lack of face-to-face interaction, the existence of cyberbullying, and inappropriate adult content that would be easily accessible by underage children when the platform is used in primary and secondary schooling.



Compared to the previous study I read regarding art education in virtual worlds, I feel this had a more efficient approach. The students involved were from varying levels of study and experience, the project had a longer time range than three sessions, and the ultimate end goal was larger, with the students aiming to produce and host an art show of their creations. It serves to both introduce and explore the idea of using virtual worlds as educational platforms for art, but it also introduces to students the capabilities of such platforms outside of education.

The introduction of virtual worlds where creators can showcase their creations makes the idea of artistic success much more tangible and within reach, because it takes away the monetary obstacle that often shuts out many aspiring artists who see the art world end goal as hosting exhibitions or existing in a gallery space.


Lu, L. (2013). 3D virtual worlds as art media and exhibition arenas: Students' responses and challenges in contemporary art education. Studies In Art Education, 54(3), 232-245.