Does my bum look big in this?

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Does my bum look big in this? Super
Diversity, Representations and Realities using

• Caroline Ukoumunne
• Mark Webb
• University of Greenwich

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Project Aims

• 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.

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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.

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Project Themes
Representations
Reality
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Mykeida Andretti
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Zelia Blackheart
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Programme of Work

• 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?

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A Few Avatars
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Evaluation

• Overview 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.

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