Culturally Afforded Tensions in the Second Life Metaverse

Abstract

This study investigated the culturally contingent tensions afforded by the implementation of Second Life in transatlantic communications among 13 college-level students at a Southwestern academic institution in the United States and their instructor and an assistant professor and his graduate student at a Greek-speaking academic institution. The transatlantic transactions unfolded in IBM's virtual Green Data Center, where students and instructors engaged in critical discussions on their local community, IBM, the European Union, and the United States' sustainability practices. By analyzing students and instructors' virtual exchanges, chat medium, and reflective comments, three categories of culturally enacted tensions were identified. These contradictions pertained to (a) emerging intercultural communication, (b) assigned collaborative activities, and (c) the use of the Second Life Viewer as a communication tool. The study demonstrated that contradictions can be contingent on institutional, broader cultural and historical constructs, Internet-mediated tools, and the different linguistic and cultural values and expectations related to relationship building and interactional dynamics. The study highlighted the importance of acknowledging such structural tensions as affordances for teaching and learning. Further, the study emphasized the need to take into account the institutional, pedagogical, instructional, and broader cultural realisms that impose constraints on teaching practices and participation in social virtualities.