| Rational Draft #2
INTRODUCTION
The primary purpose of this study is to establish an academic
investigation into the virtual community by examining the
various types of online communities, as well as the attitudes
of artists and art educators towards these communities. How
are artists and art educators using virtual communities? How
do virtual communities assist and inhibit the process of art
making and art teaching? How does the virtual community impact
and alter relationships, space, rituals, identity, artistic
practice, ideas about public and private, fiction and fact?
In my research, I intend to examine how several virtual communities
are currently using web space, and how these virtual experiences
affect the work of art educators and art makers.
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DEFINING VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES
DICTIONARY
vir·tu·al (vûrch-l)
adj.
1. Existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in
actual fact, form, or name: the virtual extinction of the
buffalo.
2. Existing in the mind, especially as a product of the imagination.
Used in literary criticism of a text.
3. Computer Science. Created, simulated, or carried on by
means of a computer or computer network: virtual conversations
in a chatroom.
com·mu·ni·ty (ke-myooni-te)
n. pl. com·mu·ni·ties
1. a. A group of people living in the same locality and under
the same government.
b. The district or locality in which such a group lives.
2. a. A group of people having common interests: the scientific
community; the international business community.
b. A group viewed as forming a distinct segment of society:
the gay community; the community of color.
3. a. Similarity or identity: a community of interests.
b. Sharing, participation, and fellowship.
4. Society as a whole; the public.
5. Ecology.
a. A group of plants and animals living and interacting with
one another in a specific region under relatively similar
environmental conditions.
b. The region occupied by a group of interacting organisms.
virtual community – a community of people sharing common
interests, ideas, and feelings over the internet or other
collaborative networks. – whatis.com
THESAURUS
virtual -
basic, constructive, essential, fundamental, implicit, implied,
in conduct, in effect, in practice, indirect, potential, practical,
pragmatic, tacit, unacknowledged
community -
association, body politic, brotherhood, center, colony, commonality,
commonwealth, company, district, general public, hamlet, jungle,
locality, nation, neighborhood, people, populace, public,
residents, society, state, territory, turf, affinity, identity,
kinship, likeness, sameness, semblance, similarity, alliance,
association, clan, clique, club, comradeship, coterie, fellowship,
fraternity, guild, league, order, secret society, society,
sodality, union
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Virtual communities are popping up all over the World Wide
Web, offering friendly environments and information tailored
to their members. More and more people are turning to web
communities to get their personal, professional, and social
needs met.
There are a number of ways in which virtual communities are
defined on the web. I will touch on each of the following
five categories in my research:
1. Email Discussion Lists – (assychronous communication)
Discussion Lists are the most basic and easiest form of online
gathering places to participate in assuming that each group
member has access to email. Users do not have to “check
in” somewhere to take part in the conversation, they
simply read and reply to group emails.
2. Message Board - (assychronous communication) Message Boards
offer additional features over a mailing list that give you
more community building power including a sense of place,
the context of each message, images, and the community’s
evolving history.
3. Text chat – (sychronous communication) Text Chat
allows the user to communicate in real time - anyone who is
connected to the system has the ability to correspond instantly
with any other participant.
4. Multi-User Domains or Dungeons (MUDS) – (sychronous
communication) MUDS are an interactive environment using graphics,
sound, and animation and include customizable characters that
represent the members.
5. World Wide Web - (assychronous and sychronous communication)
The World Wide Web can host asynchronous message boards and
discussion lists as well as real time chat.
I will continue to look at these five categories throughout
my research to further discuss how artists and art educators
are presently using virtual communities, how they may use
them in the future, whether or not online curriculum can be
clearly translated through the web, and how virtual galleries
are being used as communication tools to expand community.
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THESIS PROJECT – CASE STUDY
The secondary purpose of my thesis proposes a virtual community
designed specifically for art educators. It’s focus
will be on art teachers’ interests and abilities relating
to making art. The community will exist to encourage educators
to pursue their own work by sharing their creative needs,
concerns, and inspirations with their peers. Through interviews,
galleries, an email discussion list, and excellent creative
resources, I'm hoping to admonish the statement – THOSE
WHO CAN’T…TEACH.
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METHODOLOGY
I intend to use a combination of methodologies to conduct
my research. My case study, Cut + Paste, will foster a substantial
amount of information as to how art educators are using virtual
communities. In addition, I will use historical information,
addressing briefly the evolution of the virtual community.
A large aspect of my research will involve interviewing, emailing,
and viewing both art makers and art educators within the context
of a virtual community.
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CONCLUSION
My intention for this thesis is to present a view of what
is currently happening within virtual communities to affect
the artist community. My study will evaluate how artists and
art educators are presently using virtual communities, how
they may use them in the future, whether or not curriculum
can be clearly translated through the web, and how virtual
galleries are being used as communication tools to expand
community. It is hoped that the findings of this thesis will
make a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge
concerning artists and virtual communities.
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SOURCES
BOOKS –
Research Methods and Methodologies for Art Education
Edited by Sharon D. La Pierre and Enid Zimmerman
Communities in Cyberspace
Edited by Marc A. Smith and Peter Kollock
Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace
Rna M. Palloff and Keith Pratt
Connnexity
Geoff Mulgan
The Virtual Community
Howard Rheingold
Snow Crash
Neal Stephenson
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