1 - Remediating technology, translating experience, immersing in spaces

Abstract

This first chapter examines the ways in which we use virtual worlds for communication, learning and creative practices, applying two different theoretical approaches to describe the process of adapting spaces from one medium to another. It looks into the history of virtual spaces and the evolution of new media technologies, providing definitions of terms used frequently to describe the digitality of our everyday experiences. Some of these terms have a multitude of definitions or became interchangeable in the literature, leading to some confusion among researchers. Here, we attempt to clarify, explain and, in places, even redefine some of these terms, aiming at establishing a more coherent approach to researching technological evolution and the emergence of virtual spaces.