Qualitative research in virtual worlds: some methodological considerations
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Aug 31, 2014
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Abstract
The international literature on three-dimensional (3D) multiuser virtual environments clearly highlights the educational potential of current systems.
A number of theoretical and applied studies underline the specific affordances of virtual worlds used as educational technologies.
This paper proposes some reflections on the methodological implications of managing qualitative research activities in the virtual world Second Life. The world was both the object of the study and the setting of the research, involving data gathering techniques such as participant observation, interviews and focus groups.
The experience is compared with three other international research studies run in different virtual worlds, showing how research run in such virtual environments can benefit from “augmented presence” in terms of enhanced power of action by both the researcher and participants.
These studies highlight methodological implications affecting the researcher’s approach, data gathering techniques, and ethical aspects related to identity and protection of privacy.
A number of theoretical and applied studies underline the specific affordances of virtual worlds used as educational technologies.
This paper proposes some reflections on the methodological implications of managing qualitative research activities in the virtual world Second Life. The world was both the object of the study and the setting of the research, involving data gathering techniques such as participant observation, interviews and focus groups.
The experience is compared with three other international research studies run in different virtual worlds, showing how research run in such virtual environments can benefit from “augmented presence” in terms of enhanced power of action by both the researcher and participants.
These studies highlight methodological implications affecting the researcher’s approach, data gathering techniques, and ethical aspects related to identity and protection of privacy.
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Articles - General topics
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References
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Bartle, R.A. (2004). Designing Virtual Worlds. Berkeley, CA: New Riders Publishing.
Bazeley, P. (2007). Qualitative data analysis with Nvivo. London, UK: Sage.
Berger, P.L., & Luckmann T. (1966). The social construction of reality, tr. it. La realtà come costruzione sociale. Bologna: Il Mulino, 2008.
Bodur, H.O., & Bélisle, J. (2010). Avatars as Information: Perception of Consumers Based on Their Avatars in Virtual Worlds. Psychology & Marketing, 27(8).
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Boellstorff, T., Nardi, B., Pearce, C., & Taylor, T.L. (2012). Ethnography and virtual worlds. A handbook of method. Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press.
Bronack, S., Sanders, R., Cheney, A., Riedl, R., Tashner, J., & Matzen, N. (2008). Presence Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning in a 3D Virtual Immersive World. International Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 20(1).
Burkle, M. Kinshuk (2009). Learning in Virtual Worlds: The Challenges and Opportunities. Proceedings of the International Conference on Cyber Worlds, CW’09, IEEE (pp.320-327).
Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research Design. Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, (CA): Sage publications.
Crichton, S., & Kinash, S. (2003). Virtual ethnography: interactive interviewing online as method. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 29(2). Retrieved from http://cjlt.csj.ualberta.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/40/37
de Freitas S., Rebolledo-Mendez G., Liarokapis F., Magoulas G., & Poulovassilis A. (2010), Learning as immersive experiences: Using the four-dimensional framework for designing and evaluating immersive learning experiences in a virtual world. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), 69-85.
De Laine, M. (2000). Fieldwork, participation and practice: ethics and dilemmas in qualitative research. London, UK: Sage.
DeWalt, K. & DeWalt, B. (2002). Participant Observation. A guide for Fieldworkers. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Fedeli, L. (2012). Social media e didattica. Opportunità, criticità e prospettive. Lecce, IT: Pensa Multimedia.
Fedeli, L. (2013). Embodiment e Mondi Virtuali. Implicazioni Didattiche. Milano, IT: FrancoAngeli.
Fedeli, L., & Rossi, P.G. (2011). Percorsi di apprendimento in Second Life: il valore del concetto di embodiment. In M.B. Ligorio, E. Mazzoni, A. Simone, M. Schaerf (eds), Didattica on-line nell’Università: teorie, esperienze e strumenti. Napoli, IT: Editore Scriptaweb, 204-226.
Greenbaum, T.L. (1998). The Handbook for Focus Group Research. Thousand Oak, CA: Sage Publications.
Guba, E.G. (Ed.) (2000), Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage.
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Jones, R.A. (1994). The ethics of research in cyberspace. Internet Research, 4(3) 30-35.
Krotoski, A. (2007). Virtual research ethics. Social Sim. Retrieved from http://socialsim.wordpress.com/2007 /01/31/virtual-research-ethics/
Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: SageLincoln.
McDaniel, C. & Gates, R. (2002). Marketing Research: The Impact of the Internet. South-Western Publishing.
McKee, H. A., & Porter, J. E. (2009). Playing a good game: Ethical issues in researching MMOGs and virtual worlds. International Journal of Internet Research Ethics, 2(1), 5-37.
Meadows, M.S. (2008). I, avatar : The culture and Consequences of Having a Second Life. Berkeley, CA: New Riders.
Nardi, B. A. (2009). My Life as a Night Elf Priest: An Anthropological Account of World of Warcraft. Ann Arbo, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Park, S., Jeon, S., Nah, F.D., & DeWester, D. (2008). Virtual World Affordances: Enhancing Brand Value. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 1(2).
Pearce C., (2009). Communities of play. Emergent cultures, in multiplayer games and virtual worlds. Cambridge, UK: MIT Press.
Perera, I., Allison, C., Ajinomoh, O., & Miller, A. (2012). Managing 3D Multi User Learning Environments-A Case Study on Training Disaster Management. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 7(3), 25-34.
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Salmons, J. (Ed.) (2012). Cases in Online Interview Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Salmon, J. (2010). Online Interviews in Real Time. Thousand Oaks (CA): SAGE Publications.
Schroeder, R. (ed.) (2002). The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments. London, UK: Springer-Verlag.
Weinstone, A. (2004). Avatar bodies: a tantra for Posthumanism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Yee, N., & Bailenson, J.N. (2007). The Proteus Effect: The Effect of Transformed Self-Representation on Behavior. Human Communication Research, 33(3), 271-290. Retrieved from http://www.nickyee.com/index-vrlab.html
Zammuner, V.L. (2003). I focus group. Bologna, IT: Il Mulino.
Bartle, R.A. (2004). Designing Virtual Worlds. Berkeley, CA: New Riders Publishing.
Bazeley, P. (2007). Qualitative data analysis with Nvivo. London, UK: Sage.
Berger, P.L., & Luckmann T. (1966). The social construction of reality, tr. it. La realtà come costruzione sociale. Bologna: Il Mulino, 2008.
Bodur, H.O., & Bélisle, J. (2010). Avatars as Information: Perception of Consumers Based on Their Avatars in Virtual Worlds. Psychology & Marketing, 27(8).
Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of age in Second Life. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Boellstorff, T., Nardi, B., Pearce, C., & Taylor, T.L. (2012). Ethnography and virtual worlds. A handbook of method. Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press.
Bronack, S., Sanders, R., Cheney, A., Riedl, R., Tashner, J., & Matzen, N. (2008). Presence Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning in a 3D Virtual Immersive World. International Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 20(1).
Burkle, M. Kinshuk (2009). Learning in Virtual Worlds: The Challenges and Opportunities. Proceedings of the International Conference on Cyber Worlds, CW’09, IEEE (pp.320-327).
Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research Design. Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, (CA): Sage publications.
Crichton, S., & Kinash, S. (2003). Virtual ethnography: interactive interviewing online as method. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 29(2). Retrieved from http://cjlt.csj.ualberta.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/40/37
de Freitas S., Rebolledo-Mendez G., Liarokapis F., Magoulas G., & Poulovassilis A. (2010), Learning as immersive experiences: Using the four-dimensional framework for designing and evaluating immersive learning experiences in a virtual world. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), 69-85.
De Laine, M. (2000). Fieldwork, participation and practice: ethics and dilemmas in qualitative research. London, UK: Sage.
DeWalt, K. & DeWalt, B. (2002). Participant Observation. A guide for Fieldworkers. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
Fedeli, L. (2012). Social media e didattica. Opportunità, criticità e prospettive. Lecce, IT: Pensa Multimedia.
Fedeli, L. (2013). Embodiment e Mondi Virtuali. Implicazioni Didattiche. Milano, IT: FrancoAngeli.
Fedeli, L., & Rossi, P.G. (2011). Percorsi di apprendimento in Second Life: il valore del concetto di embodiment. In M.B. Ligorio, E. Mazzoni, A. Simone, M. Schaerf (eds), Didattica on-line nell’Università: teorie, esperienze e strumenti. Napoli, IT: Editore Scriptaweb, 204-226.
Greenbaum, T.L. (1998). The Handbook for Focus Group Research. Thousand Oak, CA: Sage Publications.
Guba, E.G. (Ed.) (2000), Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage.
Holloway, I. (1997). Basic concepts for qualitative research. Oxford: Blackwell Science.
Jones, R.A. (1994). The ethics of research in cyberspace. Internet Research, 4(3) 30-35.
Krotoski, A. (2007). Virtual research ethics. Social Sim. Retrieved from http://socialsim.wordpress.com/2007 /01/31/virtual-research-ethics/
Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: SageLincoln.
McDaniel, C. & Gates, R. (2002). Marketing Research: The Impact of the Internet. South-Western Publishing.
McKee, H. A., & Porter, J. E. (2009). Playing a good game: Ethical issues in researching MMOGs and virtual worlds. International Journal of Internet Research Ethics, 2(1), 5-37.
Meadows, M.S. (2008). I, avatar : The culture and Consequences of Having a Second Life. Berkeley, CA: New Riders.
Nardi, B. A. (2009). My Life as a Night Elf Priest: An Anthropological Account of World of Warcraft. Ann Arbo, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Park, S., Jeon, S., Nah, F.D., & DeWester, D. (2008). Virtual World Affordances: Enhancing Brand Value. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 1(2).
Pearce C., (2009). Communities of play. Emergent cultures, in multiplayer games and virtual worlds. Cambridge, UK: MIT Press.
Perera, I., Allison, C., Ajinomoh, O., & Miller, A. (2012). Managing 3D Multi User Learning Environments-A Case Study on Training Disaster Management. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 7(3), 25-34.
Rheingold, H. (1993). Virtual communities. Retrieved from http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/intro.html
Roberts, L., Smith, L., & Pollock, C. (2003) Conducting ethical research online: respect for individuals, identities and ownership of words. In E.A. Buchanan (Ed.) Readings in Virtual Research Ethics. Issues and Controversies. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing, 159-176.
Salmons, J. (Ed.) (2012). Cases in Online Interview Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Salmon, J. (2010). Online Interviews in Real Time. Thousand Oaks (CA): SAGE Publications.
Schroeder, R. (ed.) (2002). The Social Life of Avatars: Presence and Interaction in Shared Virtual Environments. London, UK: Springer-Verlag.
Weinstone, A. (2004). Avatar bodies: a tantra for Posthumanism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Yee, N., & Bailenson, J.N. (2007). The Proteus Effect: The Effect of Transformed Self-Representation on Behavior. Human Communication Research, 33(3), 271-290. Retrieved from http://www.nickyee.com/index-vrlab.html
Zammuner, V.L. (2003). I focus group. Bologna, IT: Il Mulino.