slactions 2009 - Education in virtual/real worlds

SLACTIONS 2009
Research conference in the Second Life® world - Life, imagination, and
work using metaverse platforms
September 24-26, 2009
http://www.slactions.org/
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DEADLINE EXTENDED – PAPER SUBMISSION STILL OPEN
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The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that
act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of
human cooperation, interaction, and creativity. The conference focus is scientific research
on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Second Life, OpenSim,
Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Open Source Metaverse, Project Wonderland, and others,
providing a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative
approaches, techniques, processes, and research results.
SLACTIONS 09 is the first international conference held simultaneously in several
countries on the topic of metaverse platforms. SLACTIONS 09 aims at covering most
areas currently enabled by metaverse platforms, from educational research to content
production, from gender studies to media distribution, and from metaverse-based
branding, advertising, and fundraising to emerging mash-ups and technology
applications. SLACTIONS 09 is unique in its format too, as a one-of-a kind event
conducted both in a metaverse platform (Second Life) and on-site in multiple countries
throughout the world. SLACTIONS will thus contribute to the current redefinition of the
way we think about hybrid online and on-site scholarly collaborations.
Whereas metaverse platforms are no longer a novel topic, they still pose challenges for
the adaption of conventional instructional and business practices, research
methodologies, and communication practices. We are looking forward to presenting a
program of research results, case studies, panel discussions, and demonstrations that
scholars, educators, and businesses can port to their own environments and apply in
their research, teaching, and business strategy. We will accept papers from the full
spectrum of intellectual disciplines and technological endeavors in which metaverse
platforms are currently being used: from Education to Business, Sociology to Social
Sciences, Media Production to Technology Development, Architecture and Urban Planning
to the Arts.
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Publication venues
All accepted papers will be published on-line and in an ISBN-registered CD-ROM/DVDROM of proceedings.
The Scientific Committee will invite authors of selected full papers to provide revised and
expanded versions for publication in an ISBN-registered book.
The authors of the best papers will be invited to provide revised and expanded versions
for publications in special editions of journals or as single contributions to theme-specific
journals:
Computer & Graphics (ISSN 0097-8493, SCI)
* Best paper on computer graphics - invitation to submit expanded version.
International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning (ISSN 1753-5255)
* Special issue with expanded versions of selected papers on education.
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research (ISSN 0718–1876)
* Selected papers on e-commerce and e-business.
VIRTual (ISSN 0873-1837)
* Special issue with expanded versions of selected papers on visualization, interactive
systems and pattern recognition.
Check out www.slactions.org regularly for more information and developments on the
book publisher, book series, and journal venues for best papers.
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Topics covered may include but are not limited to:
* Accessibility in metaverse platforms
* Advanced scientific visualization in metaverse platforms
* Automatic content generation
* Behavioral studies in the metaverse
* Combination of metaverse platforms with external systems (e-learning, e-business,
etc.)
* Communicational paradigms in the metaverse
* Content management
* Creativity, design, and arts on the metaverse
* E-business and e-commerce applications
* Educational research, applications, and case studies
* Embodiment in metaverses and Gender Studies
* GIS/metaverse mash-ups
* Integration between metaverse platforms
* Nonprofit activities and fundraising
* Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
* Social Sciences studies in or through metaverse platforms
* Space representation, use, and management in metaverses
* Using metaverse platforms for cooperation
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Format
SLACTIONS 09 has the format of a hybrid online and physical conference. All paper
presentations and plenary sessions by guest speakers will be held on-line in the Second
Life virtual world, and projected locally for participants attending physically. Physical
participants can interact with the online participants via a "physical chapter avatar" and
microphone.
Participants will also be able to follow the proceedings broadcast on the Web and interact
via a text chat applet.
Workshops and other events are conducted locally – or in mixed format accross several
participating chapters – and chapters may held local topical round tables.
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Submissions
Authors are invited to submit:
* A full paper of eight to ten pages for oral presentation
* A "work in progress" paper of 4 pages for oral presentation
* A Flickr image or YouTube video, indexed with the tag “slactions 09” for poster
presentations ‘in-world’ or presentation in SL using a creative format
All submissions are subject to a double blind review process and should be professionally
proofread before submission. All manuscripts should be formatted according to the
ASIS&T proceedings template.
(Disclaimer: SLACTIONS 2009 is not associated with ASIS&T.)
No manuscripts will be accepted that do not meet the required format.
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Official language of the conference:
The official language for the on-line space and all submissions is English only. However,
at the physical site of local chapters you can also use the native language of that
location.
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Important dates
First call deadline: February 28th, 2009 -- CLOSED
Second call deadline: March 31st, 2009 -- OPEN
March 31st, 2009 - Submission results provided to authors of first call papers
April 30th, 2009 - Submission results provided to authors of second call papers
June 30th, 2009 - Deadline for early registration
July 31st, 2009 - Deadline for print-ready versions of accepted papers
September 24-26th, 2009 – Conference
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Local chapters
Belgium - Ghent University
Brazil/Rio Grande do Sul - Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos)
Brazil/São Paulo - Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo
Finland - Jyväskylän yliopisto
Hong Kong - Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Israel - HIT/Holon Institute of Technology
Portugal - Braga, joint organization of Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro,
Universidade do Minho, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidade do Porto
USA/Texas - University of Texas-Austin
USA/West Coast - University of California-Berkeley
Note: If you believe your institution can hold a physical chapter in an as-yet unsupported
region, please contact the organization at [email protected].
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Programme Committee
Aaron Walsh, GRID Institute / Boston College, USA
Adriana Bruno, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ahmer Iqbal, Jyväskylän yliopisto, Finland
Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin, USA
António Ramires Fernandes, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Augusto Abade, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Benjamim Fonseca, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Carlos Santos, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Daniel Gonçalves, Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
David Herold, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Daiana Trein, Unisinos - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil
Donizetti Louro, Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil
Dor Abrahamson, University of California-Berkeley, USA
Ederson Locatelli, Unisinos - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil
Eliane Schlemmer, Unisinos (Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos), Brazil
Hanan Gazit, HIT-Holon Institute of Technology & MetaverSense Ltd., Israel
Hilary Mason, Johnson & Wales University, USA
George Siemens, University of Manitoba, Canada
Graham Attwell, University of Warwick, UK
Hugo Paredes, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Jeremiah Spence, University of Texas-Austin, USA
João Barroso, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
João Varajão, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
John Jamison, imagiLEARNING, Inc., USA
Julian Lombardi, The Croquet Consortium, USA
Leonel Morgado, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Lucia Pesce, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil
Luís Pedro, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Lynn Alves, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Brazil
Margarita Pérez-García, MENON Network, Belgium
Maria da Graça Moreira, Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Brazil
Maria Toro-Troconis, Imperial College London, UK
Marja Kankaanranta, Jyväskylän yliopisto, Finland
Martin Leidl, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
Martin Valcke, Ghent University, Belgium
Miltiadis Lytras, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece
Moez Limayem, University of Arkansas, USA
Narciso Cerpa Torres, Universidad de Talca, Chile
Nelson Zagalo, Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Niall Winters, London Knowledge Lab, UK
Patricia Hannaway, Vivaty Inc., USA
Paulo Frias, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Paulo Martins, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Paul Penfold, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Pedro Almeida, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Pedro Sequeira, Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior, Portugal
Peter Duffy, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Pilar Lacasa, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain
Ramiro Gonçalves, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Shalini Chandra, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell,University of California-Berkeley, USA
Stefan Göbel, ZGDV, Germany
Steve Warburton, King's College London, UK
Suely Fragoso, Unisinos - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil
Teresa Bettencourt, Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Theng Yin Leng, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Tim Savage, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Vincent Ng, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Yesha Sivan, Shenkar College and Metaverse Labs Ltd., Israel
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Organization
Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin, USA
Leonel Morgado - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
Nelson Zagalo - Universidade do Minho, Portugal
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Contacts
Organization: [email protected]