In Convergence Culture, Henry Jenkins defines convergence culture as:

the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want. (2)

As we have seen, Jenkins emphasizes participation, community, and entertainment as key components of the age of new-media-influenced cultural artifacts.

Keeping Jenkins’ emphasis in mind for this assignment, pick one of the two options below as the focus for the project. We must have a consensus as a class as to which option we will all undertake, but you may work on your own or as a group in completing it.

Goals for this SL Assignment

1. To apply what you have learned this semester about convergence culture, interactive storytelling, narrativism, and ludology to your work in SL
2. To illustrate how digital technology is becoming an integral component of creative expression
3. To examine the convergence of narrative and agency in an evolving immersive environment
4. To demonstrate that Second Life is a viable platform for teaching and learning
5. To invent creative ways of telling stories using Second Life as the central medium
6. To use current theories of ludology and narrativism in imagining a viable platform for interactive storytelling

Option 1

Create an interactive story that incorporates Second Life as the major component of the story using several of the tools and resources that are available to you, like web sites, software, and equipment. You should have at least two parts of this exercise: a theoretical component and a illustrative one.

The former should be a blog entry that illustrates the theory behind your interactive story; be sure you use at least three of the major theorists (more is better) we read this semester, including Jenkins. The latter component should be your actual working narrative.

This option will require you to do some research about your second component: what options for creative narrative expression are available to you using SL, for example machinima? This option can cover any aspect of the theory we have read this semester.

Option 2

Explore Second Life and report on how professional entertainers (artists, storytellers, filmmakers, designers, etc.) are bringing their work into SL and how participating in SL is influencing their work. In a series of wiki entries that examine at least five different cases, you should discuss what you have learned, apply it to the theory we have been studying, and illustrate your points with photos and links for user exploration.

You may examine any aspect of convergence culture within SL that you’d like. For example, explore how narratives of politics, business, education, religion, art, design, journalism, science, etc. being brought into Second Life. What does their presence in the virtual world signify for real life? How are these efforts expanding human creativity and interaction? How is SL influencing culture?

Consider this option as more of a traditional research project with an aim toward promoting convergence culture. Your final project should be presented on a wiki. I’d recommend Wikispaces.

Calendar

11/13: Proposal due: outline what you aim to do for this project, including a list of references
11/15: In-class time to work (meet on SL for the whole class)
11/22: Off for Turkey Day, so no class time this week for your project
11/29: In-class time to work (meet on SL for the whole class)
12/4: Some class time for project
12/6: Project Due