Virtual Playground Research Articles

Second Life as a Virtual Playground for Language Education: A Practical Guide for Teaching and Research (Review)

With the growth of digital technology, human interaction has grown beyond traditional faceto-face settings and now includes contexts as diverse as 3D multi–user virtual environments (MUVEs). Interestingly, MUVEs can even be the site of language learning and development, allowing students to freely interact with each other and create their own content. Since the launch of one particular MUVE—Second Life—in 2003, a body of literature (e.g., Wang et al., 2020) has shown that effective use of MUVEs for foreign/second language (L2) education can lead to a range of linguistic and affective gains (e.g., heightened motivation). Second Life as a Virtual Playground for Language Education: A Practical Guide for Teaching and Research, written by Julian Chen, addresses the need for practical resources for language educators to meaningfully engage L2 learners in online environments. Based on relevant theory, empirically supported evidence, and practical experience, Chen details how to design tasks, run classes, and conduct research in Second Life. [First Paragraph]

Design-based research for the development of augmented reality applications: the case of virtual playground

Augmented Reality applications for education change the classroom experience for both teachers and students. However, the use of these tools is not widespread yet. Current applications still have some limitations, such as: hard to use interfaces, lack of freedom to create content, lack of support for a shared experience among others. This work presents the update of Virtual Playground, an application collaboratively created with language teachers, designers and engineers; and Virtual Playground Creator, an authorship tool for this application. This process was developed following Design-based research methodology in two cycles of ideation, implementation and testing. We present the updates and results regarding the second round of six tests of Virtual Playground with teachers. The main goals were to evaluate if Virtual Playground Creator allows teachers to create AR experiences to use in classrooms; and (2) investigate if there were missing or unnecessary features in Virtual Playground Creator. Results have shown that the tool allowed teachers to work with diverse skills and competences. The Virtual Playground Creator prototype allowed the teacher to create their AR experiences proposed, although, in some cases modifications were needed. The main issues were related to the limited 3D library in the prototype evaluated and lack of creation possibilities.

Reasons Why the Ageing Population Stands Out on TikTok and the Analysis of Its Commercial Potential

Even in an era of information explosion, many older people still miss out on important information due to technical limitations. But TikTok, a global short video platform, has attracted more and more senior users in recent years through its creative and entertaining content, diverse community interactions, and easyto- use methods. It is even creating senior netizens with millions of followers. These older consumers and content contributors are showing their energy and vitality through TikTok to rewrite the way people expect older people to behave on social media. This paper investigates the accounts of older celebrities on Chinese TikTok platform to understand how older people are expanding their reach by making TikTok videos and how they can engage with the rapidly developing society through this online platform, which is regarded as a virtual playground for teenagers. In addition, this paper also discusses the undervalued commercial potential of an aging society. The data analysis reveals that older people may challenge stereotypes brought about by ageism and conclusions can be drawn that the aging group on TikTok is standing out on the platform because of its positive image and optimistic attitude towards life. Moreover, because of the increased digitalisation and the changing attitudes of older adults, their purchasing power is continuing to grow, and the aging industry is booming.

Guessing the face of evil: some characteristic traits to Stephen King’s demonology

Evil and the fear coming along with it — either the fear to become its victim or its agent — is haunting mankind’s consciousness since the dawn of time. The powerful instinctive rejection that evil causes is only natural, and yet it prevents us from cognizing it and, thus, from building more effective defenses against it. Art sublimes the direct blow of our anxiety by transforming evil into symbolic and metaphorical figures which we can imaginably deal with and even accept them, making them specifically interesting and even attractive. Along with artistic indulgence we strengthen the sense of metaphysical control over evil: Eventually shaping evil as a notion and an aggregative image we confirm to ourselves that we do have the ability to rise to the transcendent height of considering the Being as a Whole (or to the phenomenological essential insight), by doing so putting aside the limitations that conditio humana with its partiality and practical trivia lays upon us. Then again, presenting evil as an aesthetic phenomenon we design the kind of a virtual playground where we model it, counteract it and through this, finally establish our moral intuition on a new proven basis. Why is it so needed and reviving for us to create and use these psychological machines, not to mention the catharsis element they bring us, show some works of a prominent modern author Stephen King, the explorer of the theme of evil in the field of pop-culture.

Not Too Old for TikTok: How Older Adults Are Reframing Aging.

Background and ObjectivesAlthough reputed for being the virtual playground of teenagers, TikTok has since made its way to older adults, some of whom have become content creators with millions of followers. Despite their immense sway over audiences, as well as their potential to reconfigure socially constructed notions of aging, these older TikTok personalities have been given scant attention in gerontological literature. We fill this gap by exploring how older adults use TikTok to engage in discourses on old age.Research Design and MethodsWe compiled the most viewed videos of users aged 60 and older with at least 100,000 followers, generating 1,382 videos with over 3.5 billion views. Videos that did not feature older adults engaging in discourses on aging were excluded, resulting in 348 videos for content analysis. Both inductive and deductive approaches guided the qualitative analysis.ResultsThree themes emerged: Nearly 3 in 4 videos featured older adults “Defying Age Stereotypes” (71%; Theme 1), 18% featured them “Making Light of Age-Related Vulnerabilities” (Theme 2), and 11% involved older adults “Calling out Ageism” (Theme 3).Discussion and ImplicationsThis is the first known study exploring how older adults consciously engage in discourses of aging through their participation on TikTok. Our findings highlight the potential for older adults to be put at the vanguard of a movement aimed at challenging socially constructed notions of old age.

Can Playfulness Be Designed? Understanding Playful Design through Agency in Astroneer (2019)

The cultural phenomenon that Minecraft (Mojang 2009) has become over the past decade demonstrates, amongst many other things, a powerful appetite for games where the player is thrown in a virtual playground to do as they please. Aerospace-themed survival-crafting game Astroneer (2019) by System Era Softworks is one of many such video games released since that capitalizes on this trend. The appeal of such games lies in that they can be enjoyed by players with various interests, abilities and backgrounds: the average player can mine, build, and fight whatever and whomever they please, or even create entire games within the game. The design of such games is, in many ways, less constricted than that of other avatar-based genres, such as action-adventures or first-person shooters. Freedom, playfulness, and creative play are often associated with such design, which evoke questions about agency. This article connects these notions and asks: can agency help us better understand how playfulness can be designed? By interrogating the paratexts surrounding the game’s development to see how developers discussed design decisions that facilitate playfulness, this article illustrates how thinking of agency as something afforded by game design can be a productive analytical tool to identify design decisions that facilitate player freedom and creative thinking. This, in turn, sheds light on whether, and if so how, playfulness can be designed.

Multimodal cyberbullying detection using capsule network with dynamic routing and deep convolutional neural network

Cyberbullying is the use of information technology networks by individuals’ to humiliate, tease, embarrass, taunt, defame and disparage a target without any face-to-face contact. Social media is the 'virtual playground' used by bullies with the upsurge of social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. It is critical to implement models and systems for automatic detection and resolution of bullying content available online as the ramifications can lead to a societal epidemic. This paper presents a deep neural model for cyberbullying detection in three different modalities of social data, namely textual, visual and info-graphic (text embedded along with an image). The all-in-one architecture, CapsNet–ConvNet, consists of a capsule network (CapsNet) deep neural network with dynamic routing for predicting the textual bullying content and a convolution neural network (ConvNet) for predicting the visual bullying content. The info-graphic content is discretized by separating text from the image using Google Lens of Google Photos app. The perceptron-based decision-level late fusion strategy for multimodal learning is used to dynamically combine the predictions of discrete modalities and output the final category as bullying or non-bullying type. Experimental evaluation is done on a mix-modal dataset which contains 10,000 comments and posts scrapped from YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. The proposed model achieves a superlative performance with the AUC–ROC of 0.98.

Playing and virtual reality: Teleanalysis with children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT What has come into question in our analytic practice with children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic? Do the new practices related to the virtual allow the creation of a therapeutic playground and the continuity of an analytic process? In the literature, the effectiveness and the perplexities raised in teleanalysis with adults are described. Conversely, no research on the use of the virtual in child analysis is available. Given the specificity of the developmental age, the three authors present their clinical experience and theoretical and technical reflections on the remote setting with children and adolescents. Particular emphasis is given to the technical changes and to the deep meaning that these changes have had in reference to the analytic relationship. Using the Winnicottian theoretical vertex, the opposition between fetishistic and transitional use, the denial of separation and recognition of otherness in the analytic virtual space will be discussed using clinical examples. The video tool may generate in children a great excitement and unleash the infantile sexual perversions. The co-creation of an intermediate virtual playground allows sufficient psychic continuity to work on the unconscious material, and even to make emerge previous traumas that then find a chance to be worked-through.

From ignorance to familiarity: Contextual knowledge and the field researcher

From ignorance to familiarity: Contextual knowledge and the field researcher

Understanding massively multiplayer online role‐playing game addiction: A hedonic management perspective

AbstractMassively multiplayer online role‐playing game (MMORPG) addiction presents a serious issue worldwide and has attracted increasing attention from academic and other public communities. This article addresses this critical issue and fills research gaps by proposing and testing a research model of MMORPG addiction. Building on the conceptual foundation of the hedonic management model of addiction and the technology affordance perspective, we develop a research model explaining how MMORPG affordances (ie, achievement, social and immersion affordances) are associated with the duality of hedonic effects (ie, perceived positive mood enhancement and perceived negative mood reduction) and the extent of MMORPG addiction. Using structural equation modelling, we empirically test our research model with 406 MMORPG players. The results show that both perceived positive mood enhancement and perceived negative mood reduction positively correlate with the extent of MMORPG addiction. Furthermore, achievement and immersion affordances are positively associated with the duality of hedonic effects, whereas social affordance is not. Our study contributes to the growing body of technology addiction literature by revealing the relationships between the two hedonic effects and the extent of MMORPG addiction, and by offering a contextualised explanation of the role of MMORPG affordances in these relationships. We offer an alternative perspective on the far‐reaching, unintended relationships between technological affordances and addictive technology use. Our study provides game developers and policymakers with insights into preventing MMORPG addiction to create an entertaining, healthy virtual playground.

Exploring the Playground: Blockchain Prototype Use Cases with Hyperledger Composer

While the accounting profession determines the possible future impacts of Blockchain, universities will need to prepare students for a career using the disruptive technology. This necessitates hands-on training to teach the basics of modeling a Blockchain network. Hyperledger is an open source Blockchain advancement initiative hosted by The Linux Foundation (IBM n.d). Hyperledger Composer is a specific Hyperledger project that provides a framework and necessary tools to facilitate new Blockchain development. This proposal walks students through three use cases with the outcome of 1) familiarizing them with IBM's Hyperledger Composer (a virtual playground in which they can experiment with numerous Blockchains), 2) orienting them to the underlying code that drives Blockchains, and 3) improving their technological agility by directing them to manipulate the code and observe the functional effects.

Exploring the Playground: Blockchain Prototype Use Cases with Hyperledger Composer

ABSTRACT While the accounting profession determines the possible future impacts of blockchain, universities will need to prepare students for a career using the disruptive technology. This necessitates hands-on training to teach the basics of modeling a blockchain network. Hyperledger is an open source blockchain advancement initiative hosted by The Linux Foundation (IBM n.d.). Hyperledger Composer is a specific Hyperledger project that provides a framework and necessary tools to facilitate new blockchain development. This proposal walks students through three use cases with the outcome of (1) familiarizing them with IBM's Hyperledger Composer (a virtual playground in which they can experiment with numerous blockchains), (2) orienting them to the underlying code that drives blockchains, and (3) improving their technological agility by directing them to manipulate the code and observe the functional effects.

Current playground surface test standards underestimate brain injury risk for children

Playgrounds surface test standards have been introduced to reduce the number of fatal and severe injuries. However, these test standards have several simplifications to make it practical, robust and cost-effective, such as the head is represented with a hemisphere, only the linear kinematics is evaluated and the body is excluded. Little is known about how these simplifications may influence the test results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of these simplifications on global head kinematics and head injury prediction for different age groups. The finite element human body model PIPER was used and scaled to seven different age groups from 1.5 up to 18 years old, and each model was impacted at three different playground surface stiffness and three head impact locations. All simulations were performed in pairs, including and excluding the body. Linear kinematics and skull bone stress showed small influence if excluding the body while head angular kinematics and brain tissue strain were underestimated by the same simplification. The predicted performance of the three different playground surface materials, in terms of head angular kinematics and brain tissue strain, was also altered when including the body. A body and biofidelic neck need to be included, together with suitable head angular kinematics based injury thresholds, in future physical or virtual playground surface test standards to better prevent brain injuries.

Children’s clapping games on the virtual playground

This study considers children’s informal musicking and online music teaching, learning, playing, and invention through an analysis of children’s clapping games on YouTube. We examined a body of 184 games from 103 separate YouTube postings drawn from North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Selected videos were analyzed according to video characteristics, participant attributes, purpose, and teaching and learning aspects. The results of this investigation indicated that pairs of little girls aged 3 to 12 constituted a majority of the participants in these videos, with other participant subcategories including mixed gender, teen, adult, and intergenerational examples. Seventy-one percent of the videos depicted playing episodes, and 40% were intended for pedagogical purposes; however, several categories overlapped. As of June 1, 2016, nearly 50 million individuals had viewed these YouTube postings.

Virtual collaborative gaming as social skills training for high‐functioning autistic children

AbstractUsing OpenSimulator, we constructed a 3D virtual playground that affords competition‐themed social gaming, role‐play gaming and design‐themed architectural gaming among high‐functioning autistic (HFA) children. A mixed‐method, multi‐case study was conducted to examine the association between the game task and setting features, learners' participation patterns, and their game‐based social interaction performance. Eight 10–14‐year‐old HFA children participated in the study. Data were collected via screen recording and observation of participants' gaming actions and reactions. We conducted a behavioral analysis with the recorded social interaction performance of participants in the virtual gaming sessions. The study found that virtual reality‐based gameplay promoted the social interaction performance of HFA children. The study findings also suggested that gameplay should be adapted based on the competencies and in‐situ reactions of learners.

Cyber-Extremism: Isis and the Power of Social Media

The current crises in Syria has led to a number of Britons travelling abroad to fight with groups such as Isis. Capitalising on this growth, Isis are now increasingly fighting an online cyber war, with the use of slick videos, online messages of hate and even an app that all aim to radicalise and create a new generation of cyber jihadists. These modern day tools are helping Isis spread their propaganda and ideology to thousands of online sympathisers across the world. Indeed, the group has actively been using social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to recruit new would be members. This is being done through images and the streaming of violent online viral videos filmed and professionally edited that are targeting young and impressionable people. Portraying a glamorised and ‘cool’ image, Isis fighters are beginning to act as the new rock stars of global cyber jihad. The Internet therefore is becoming the virtual playground for extremist views to be reinforced and act as an echo chamber. This study analysed 100 different Facebook pages and 50 Twitter user accounts which generated over 2050 results and helped the author create a typology of seven key behaviour characteristics and motivations. The findings in this study confirmed the author’s original hypothesis, i.e. online hate is being used by groups such as Isis for a variety of reasons such as recruitment and propaganda. Moreover, this material is coordinated and controlled by Isis as a means for publishing and sending out key messages.

OF@TEIN: A Community Effort towards Open/Shared SDN-Cloud Virtual Playground

After its launch in 2012, OF@TEIN project has faced several changes in both resource configuration and usage procedure for OF@TEIN infrastructure. In order to maintain and verify the functionality of this open/shared virtual playground, there were many difficulties for managing multi-national distributed infrastructure as a collaborative community effort. In this paper, we discuss the past and on-going experience on OF@TEIN collaborative operation and enhancements. Based on this collaborative experience on OF@TEIN virtual playground, we could build our understanding on the emerging SDN-Cloud paradigm.

A Systematic Review of Recent Research on Adolescent Social Connectedness and Mental Health with Internet Technology Use

An increase in the use of online technology among adolescents has influenced their sense of connectedness in various ways. Some studies suggest that there are positive aspects of online technology, especially in providing opportunities for youth to develop and maintain a sense of connectedness in an online environment, while other studies suggest that young people’s use of online technology creates the opposite and leads to feelings of loneliness, depression and social anxiety, and creates mental health challenges among adolescents. Although a substantial number of studies suggests that young people stay in the digital landscape for social activities, there have been few studies that have addressed its effects on feelings of connectedness and mental health. This study reports the findings of a systematic review of recent research addressing the associations between adolescents’ sense of social connectedness and Internet technology use. Adolescents are becoming accustomed to technology and remaining in the virtual playground in part to experience the positive reinforcement of social connections. Although Internet technology might provide additional opportunities for adolescents to seek emotional connection with friends and school, this study suggests that real-life social skills are still a necessary foundation for them to use technology in a beneficial way. Taken collectively, the articles reviewed suggest that adults who interact with youth should incorporate Internet technology into their work, and consider the development of a digital landscape to promote adolescents’ social connectedness.

Competition in human groups—Impact on group cohesion, perceived stress and outcome satisfaction

This study on competition in human groups was performed within the context of the competitive outcome interdependence concept: the degree to which personal outcomes among group members are affected by the consequences of task performance of others, e.g. when one group member gains a high reward for a task, this lowers the available reward for other group members. Our computer-based multi-participant game empirically assessed how competitive versus neutral conditions influenced the reward-maximising behaviour of 200 undergraduate students functioning in ten-person groups – each playing two games (1 neutral and 1 competitive), their perceived pay satisfaction as well as perceived stress levels and sense of calmness within the games’ task to search for coins. Participants were represented by black dots moving on a virtual playground. Results showed that competition led to reward-maximising but fellow group member disadvantaging behaviour, and all participants experienced lower pay satisfaction, higher stress levels and less calmness. We conclude that short-term behavioural consequences of positive individual competitive behaviour were gained at the above-mentioned potential long-term negative costs for all group members. This implies group paradigms aimed at sustainability should avoid introducing competitive factors that at best result in short-lived gains and at worst cause widespread dissatisfaction, stress and a pervasive lack of calmness.

Video gaming in adolescence: factors associated with leisure time use

The geographies of the current generation of young people are markedly distinct from previous generations by virtue of their access to a virtual playground. The vast majority of young people now engage in video gaming as a leisure activity. Drawing on findings from the 2009/2010 WHO Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study this paper set out to investigate the factors that might be associated with higher levels of video gaming. Information was collected from 4404 school students aged 11, 13 and 15 years, using anonymised self-completed questionnaires. Higher usage was defined as game play exceeding two hours a day. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls. For both genders higher levels of game playing was associated with early adolescence, opposite sex friends and minimal parental mediation. Bullying and going to bed hungry were associated with higher usage for boys only, while life satisfaction and family activities were linked to girls’ game playing only. Parents were identified as effective mediators of young people’s video game usage. The study identified gendered motivations for higher levels of game play, suggesting different interventions for boys and girls may be required in order for young people to create a balanced approach to video gaming.