[Studies of Human Communication in Real and Virtual Environments Planning]

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Acknowledgement

I would first like to express my gratitude for my research supervisor, colleagues, peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names & surname here], declare that the following dissertation/thesis and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and has not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgementii

DECLARATIONiii

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

Background1

Rationale1

Aims and Objectives2

Research Question2

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW3

Virtual Worlds Defined3

Communications in Second Life4

Education and Science in Second Life5

Science Communication Projects in Second Life6

CHAPTER 03: METHODOLOGY8

Research Design8

Literature Search8

Keywords9

References10

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

Background

Long before the Internet existed, computer scientists working at Stanford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Essex University in the United Kingdom used virtual worlds to communicate with each other over the Internet's predecessor, ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). During the late 1970s, these early virtual worlds were completely text-based, functionally primitive, and only accessible to a handful of privileged individuals. Today, virtual worlds are accessible to anyone with a computer and a standard Internet connection, and they possess the graphical and functional capabilities to facilitate worldwide scientific communication, collaboration, and instruction.

Rationale

In fact, a multitude of high school teachers, university professors, scientists, and public intellectuals now use three-dimensional (3-D) virtual worlds to communicate the principles of their disciplines. When asked to describe their experience with virtual worlds, many of these professionals say that virtual world environments such as Second Life are nothing short of amazing, that virtual worlds are the wave of the future. To put it simply, many in the scientific community now believe that virtual worlds will become one of the major tools for global scientific communication and instruction in the 21st century. Today's science communicators will need to understand what exactly a modern virtual world is, how individuals enter into and communicate in virtual worlds, and finally, the role that the arts and sciences have come to play in the development of these fascinating and ever-changing online worlds.

Aims and Objectives

The aim of the research is to find the variation in the communication modes of human beings in the real and the virtual environments.

Research Question

The research will attempt to answer the following questions:

What are the major difference in the studies of human communication in the real world settings and environments in comparison to the virtual environment planning?

What are the beneficial implications of the virtual communication of humans in comparison the real world communication?

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW

Virtual Worlds Defined

Modern virtual worlds are massive, simulated environments that can be accessed via the World Wide Web. Generally speaking, virtual worlds can be categorized into two distinct groups: “gaming” virtual worlds and “social” virtual worlds. As their names imply, these two categories of virtual worlds are distinguished by their overall purposes. The first type is designed primarily for game play, and the second type almost exclusively for ...