drama/theater

The Metaverse Is Not a Place: It’s a communications medium. [O’Reilly]

On 08/10/2022, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, bots, cryptocurrencies, distance education, drama/theater, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, future, global / globalization, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, immersion, innovation, IT in HE, K-12 related, law schools, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning spaces, Metaverse, multimedia, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, participation, platforms, remote teaching and learning, social learning / networks, social media, society, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telelegal, telemedicine / telehealth / virtual health, telepresence, tools, training / L&D, trends, United States, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, Virtual courts and law firms, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision/possibilities, wearables, web-based collaboration, Web3, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

The Metaverse Is Not a Place — from oreilly.com by Tim O’Reilly
It’s a communications medium.

Excerpt:

Foundations of the metaverse
You can continue this exercise by thinking about the metaverse as the combination of multiple technology trend vectors progressing at different speeds and coming from different directions, and pushing the overall vector forward (or backward) accordingly. No new technology is the product of a single vector.

So rather than settling on just “the metaverse is a communications medium,” think about the various technology vectors besides real-time communications that are coming together in the current moment. What news from the future might we be looking for?

Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality…
Social media…
Gaming…
AI…
Cryptocurrencies and “Web3”…
Identity…

#metaverse #AI #communications #gaming #socialmedia #cryptocurrencies #Web3 #identity #bots #XR #VR #emergingtechnologies

Matthew Ball on the metaverse: We’ve never seen a shift this enormous [Roettgers]

On 07/20/2022, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, career development, change, communications, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, IT in HE, marketplaces, media/film, Metaverse, story, storytelling, technologies for your home, tools, Uncategorized, United States, vendors, videoconferencing, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision/possibilities, wearables, web-based collaboration, Web3, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

Matthew Ball on the metaverse: We’ve never seen a shift this enormous — protocol.com by Janko Roettgers
The leading metaverse theorist shares his thoughts on the sudden rise of the concept, its utility for the enterprise and what we still get wrong about the metaverse.

Excerpts:

What are the biggest misconceptions about the metaverse?
First, the idea that the metaverse is immersive virtual reality, such as an Oculus or Meta Quest. That’s an access device. It would be akin to saying the mobile internet is a smartphone.

We should think of the metaverse as perhaps changing the devices we use, the experiences, business models, protocols and behaviors that we enjoy online. But we’ll keep using smartphones, keyboards. We don’t need to do all video conferences or all calls in 3D. It’s supplements and complements, doesn’t replace everything.

Also relevant/see:

A former Amazon exec thinks Disney will win the metaverse — from protocol.com by

Excerpt:

This month, Ball is publishing his book, “The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything.” The work explains in detail what the metaverse is all about and which shifts in tech, business and culture need to fall into place for it to come into existence.

How will the metaverse change Hollywood? In his book, Ball argues that people tend to underestimate the changes new technologies will have on media and entertainment.

Instead of just seeing a movie play out in 360 degrees around us, we’ll want to be part of the movie and play a more active role.
One way to achieve that is through games, which have long blurred the lines between storytelling and interactivity. But Ball also predicts there will be a wide range of adjacent content experiences, from virtual Tinder dates in the “Star Wars” universe to Peloton rides through your favorite movie sets.

Addendum on 7/24/22:

Neurodiversity, Inclusion And The Metaverse — from workdesign.com by Derek McCallum

Excerpt:

Innovation in virtual and augmented reality platforms and the vast opportunities connected to the metaverse are driving innovation in nearly every industry. In the workplace, future-focused companies are increasingly exploring ways to use this nascent technology to offer workers more choices and better support for neurodiverse employees.

It would be nearly impossible to list all the challenges and opportunities associated with this technology in a single article, so I’ll keep things focused on an area that is top-of-mind right now as many of us start to make our way back into the office—the workplace. The truth is, while we can use our expertise and experience to anticipate outcomes, no one truly knows what the metaverse will become and what the wide-ranging effects will be. At the moment, the possibilities are exciting and bring to mind more questions than answers. As a principal and hands-on designer in a large, diverse practice, my hope is that we will be able to collectively harness the inherent opportunities of the metaverse to support richer, more accessible human experiences across all aspects of the built environment, and that includes the workplace.

From DSC:
The following two items make me wonder how Extended Reality (XR)-related techs will impact theatre, gaming, opera, & other forms of entertainment.

AR Opera Glasses Could Change Broadway Forever — from vrscout.com by Kyle Melnick

Excerpt:

Immersive technology brings the stage to life like never before.

Students from the South Korean Hongik University have developed a pair of reimagined 19th-century opera glasses that utilize AR technology to immerse spectators in Broadway shows in a variety of unique and imaginative ways. The device is compatible with popular shows such as Wicked, Aladdin, Cats, Mamma Mia, and Frozen.

Reddot_Rene from ???/??????? on Vimeo.

What ‘Shakespeare Karaoke’ Teaches About the Virtual Reality Future — from edsurge.com by Rebecca Koenig
Does technology work better as a solo encounter or a group experience?

Excerpt:

To immerse, or not to immerse?

For professors designing virtual reality versions of Shakespeare’s plays, that is the question. The answer(s) may have implications for designing new edtech tools—and VR technology intended to be used beyond the classroom, too.

The Bard’s masterpieces, plays written in the late 1500s and early 1600s, have received all kinds of digital makeovers in the 21st century. Two current efforts designed by academics for use in teaching draw on extended reality tools that invite users to actively participate in scenes from works like “Romeo and Juliet.”

Play the Knave is a video game that helps users design actor-avatars they can direct with their bodies around virtual theater spaces. Shakespeare-VR is a project-in-development that will enable users to don a VR headset, step on to a virtual Elizabethan stage and perform alongside avatars voiced by professional actors.

The future of video entertainment: Immersive, gamified, and diverse — from mckinsey.com
“There’ll be a blurring of the lines between things we watch and things we play”

For current college students interested in film, TV, and/or gaming

On 06/29/2022, in 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, architecture, art, career development, communities of practice, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, digital audio, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, educational games / serious games, media/film, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
For those of you college students who are trying to determine what you enjoy doing, I wanted to pass some items along that may be helpful if you are interested in game development, film, and/or TV-related production.

Some friends recommended knowing how to use the following tools, but I realize one could dive very deep with these tools:

Unreal Engine
Unity (games, automotive, architecture, film)
DaVinci Resolve

Excerpt from Unity.com
.

Additional tip:

Stay within what your budget can provide. Making a film about five students on campus is doable. Making a Star Wars-type movie isn’t — unless you are making a spoof or presenting a knowingly-bad movie.

I just wanted to pass these items along.

Also relevant/see:

Video streaming in the era of framerate wars — from provideocoalition.com by Allan Tépper

Addendums on 7/3/22:

Dissecting MetaHuman – A Realistic Avatar Framework — from xrtoday.com
Epic Games democratises avatar creation with integrated Unreal Engine tools

Supporting Young Students as Writers, Before They Can Write [Rogin]

On 04/29/2022, in art, creativity, drama/theater, education, ideas, instructional design, Learning Experience Design, story, storytelling, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, writing, youth, by Daniel Christian

Supporting Young Students as Writers, Before They Can Write — from edutopia.org by Madeleine Rogin
This activity allows young students to see themselves as storytellers and experience the magic when their classmates act out their stories.

…as the goal of these lessons is not to churn out fluent writers in kindergarten but to allow my students to become playwrights, to see themselves as storytellers, and to experience the magical feeling when their ideas come to life.

Clockwise from top left (KU Leuven, Imperial College London, University of Amsterdam,
Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland

.

A virtual tour of four advanced hybrid learning spaces — from zacwoolfitt.blogspot.com by Zac Woolfitt

Excerpt:

What are the next developments in the Hybrid Virtual Classroom? What kind of spaces might we be teaching in soon?

On March 16^th we glimpsed the future. Colleagues from 4 higher education institutes gave virtual tours of their technology rich learning spaces in Belgium, England, Finland and the Netherlands. Media and Learning arranged the session [i]. (Disclosure: Zac is on their advisory panel of Media and Learning).

From DSC:
Here in the U.S., some would promote the use of the word “Hyflex” here instead of hybrid or blended learning — as it sounds like they are simultaneously teaching students in a physical classroom along with online-based learners.

Nurturing Non-STEM Gifted Kids and Meeting Their Needs — from raisinglifelonglearners.com by Colleen Kessler

Excerpt:

But what about that kid who doesn’t want a new chemistry set or microscope for Christmas? What about the gifted kid who doesn’t really get your science puns? What about the brilliant child who isn’t into STEM at all?

They’re rare, but they’re out there. Artists, chefs, readers, writers, dancers, musicians, linguists, all of the above. Kids who like space just fine, but like nature even more. Gifted kids who can crush their math work but would rather crush pigments. Gifted kids who can learn to code, but whose heart swells when guitar strings strum. Brilliant babes who appreciate the arts, the stories, or are just filled with curiosity that isn’t subject-specific. You see, intelligence isn’t a stereotype. An IQ score isn’t like a horoscope. Scoring a few standard deviations above the norm doesn’t dictate your personality, your likes, dislikes, talents, passions, or hobbies. It means your brain processes information differently than the majority of the population. That’s really it. Intelligence and brilliance are as likely to be found on a stage as they are in a lab. For every Einstein there is a Beethoven, for every Musk there’s a Spielberg.

What Can You Recommend For Students Who Finish Their Work Early? — from teachthought.com

Excerpt:

How to respond when students finish their work early is a classic teacher challenge.

Most of it boils down to lesson design–creating learning opportunities where students are naturally funneled toward extending, improving, and sharing their work so that ‘stopping points’ are more of a matter of scheduling than learning itself.

Motivating your child with ADHD: 7 tips for your homeschool — from raisinglifelonglearners.com by Colleen Kessler

Excerpt:

This series is all about homeschooling a child with ADHD. Today, we are discussing 7 of our best tips for motivating a child with ADHD.

Preparing Kids With Real-World Skills via Ed-Tech — from emergingedtech.com by Kelly Walsh

Excerpt:

Educational technologies enable children to learn things on a whole new level, broadening their minds and their capabilities. The practical applications alone make ed-tech a highly valuable tool in the classroom setting, but these technologies also can enhance kids’ skills as well as their emotional and cultural awareness and intelligence, which can better prepare them for real-world situations and scenarios.

Edumilestones Has Launched Career Lab™ For Progressive Schools — from edtechreview.in

Excerpt:

Edumilestones, a pioneer in career guidance platform has now launched a next-generation Career Lab™ for schools. Based on 11 years of experience in career counselling industry, this technology is set to help students to identify and execute their career goals with clarity and confidence.

You Sleuth is a family-friendly outdoor game that requires a moderate amount of walking. You can play by yourself or with a group of friends or family. If you are looking for something new that will stimulate your mind while sneaking in a little exercise and fresh air then register today. Read the rest of the FAQ for more details about how You Sleuth works.

From DSC:
What might this look/work like for learning-related applications? Also, if you are studying to be an actor or actress, might there be some new opportunities for you here!? If you are a writer, might there be some new sorts of collaborations opening up here? As the next version of the internet is developed, what new affordances/opportunities might exist in this area?

Storytelling for impact — from nationalgeographic.org; a collaboration between National Geographic and Adobe
Visualize and communicate powerful stories that inspire change

Excerpt:

Stories can change the world.
Learn from world-class National Geographic photographers, videographers, and visual designers in a series of Storytelling for Impact online courses. Created in partnership with Adobe, this series will teach you how to use compelling photography, video, graphics, and audio to tell stories in the most impactful ways to inspire change.

Offered for both educators and youth ages 16–25, these short, free, self-paced online courses are designed to guide learners to visualize and communicate powerful stories that inspire action.

Ready to harness the power of storytelling?

Exploring Virtual Reality [VR] learning experiences in the classroom [Dene Poth]

On 02/14/2022, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, adjunct faculty, attention, Augmented Reality (AR), colleges, community colleges, corporate universities / corporate training, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, drama/theater, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, Emotion, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, faculty, higher education, Holographic comms, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, interactivity, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, media/film, Metaverse, Mixed Reality (MR), more voice more choice more control, multimedia, smart/connected TV, storytelling, streams of content, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, telecommunications, telepresence, television, tools, training / L&D, transmedia, ubiquitous learning, United States, universities, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, vocational / trades, wearables, web-based collaboration, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

Exploring Virtual Reality [VR] learning experiences in the classroom — from blog.neolms.com by Rachelle Dene Poth

Excerpt:

With the start of a new year, it is always a great time to explore new ideas or try some new methods that may be a bit different from what we have traditionally done. I always think it is a great opportunity to stretch ourselves professionally, especially after a break or during the spring months.

Finding ways to boost student engagement is important, and what I have found is that by using tools like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), we can immerse students in unique and personalized learning experiences. The use of augmented and virtual reality has increased in K-12 and Higher Ed, especially during the past two years, as educators have sought new ways to facilitate learning and give students the chance to connect more with the content. The use of these technologies is increasing in the workplace, as well.

With all of these technologies, we now have endless opportunities to take learning beyond what has been a confined classroom “space” and access the entire world with the right devices.

DC: Will we be checking out more of the arts via VR headsets? Something else for the radar.

On 01/27/2022, in art, change, changing business models, drama/theater, ideas, immersion, innovation, interactivity, UK, vendors, virtual field trips, Web3, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

DC: This will be very interesting to see if this will turn out to be the case.

“The pandemic revolutionized theater and the performing arts. Get used to seeing plays with a VR headset on.”https://t.co/vMYtFXQhiM #XR #VR #Theatre #acting #drama #innovation #arts

— Daniel Christian (he/him/his) (@dchristian5) January 27, 2022

Theater companies in the U.K., home to one of the world’s oldest and grandest performing traditions, are increasingly integrating digital technology into interactive theater performances. They’re even getting help from the government to do it, The New York Times reported.

Along these lines, also see:

At Leonardo da Vinci’s Live Metaverse In Berlin, Mona Lisa And The Last Supper Brought To Life — from news.abplive.com by Radifah Kabir
Two of the world’s most famous paintings, both by At Leonardo da Vinci, have been brought to life using high technology, & will be exhibited at art show to premiere on January 28 in Berlin, Germany.

Two of the art world's most famous paintings have been brought to life thanks to high technology at a Berlin show which delves into the mind of iconic painter, Leonardo da Vinci pic.twitter.com/JxEOq4iLFR

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 24, 2022

Reflections on “The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom” [Koenig]

On 12/13/2021, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, art, colleges, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, culture, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, drama/theater, education technology, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, higher education, history, ideas, instructional design, languages and translation, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, learning spaces, liberal arts, library / librarians, lifelong learning, love of learning, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, music, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, online learning, participation, platforms, religion, society, United States, universities, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, webinars, writing, by Daniel Christian

The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom — from edsurge.com by Rebecca Koenig

Excerpt:

Throughout the pandemic, versions of this close-reading conversation have taken place week after week. Organized through new nonprofits and small startups including the Catherine Project, Night School Bar and Premise, they bring together adults who want to spend their free time talking to strangers about literature and philosophy.

It sounds at first like an ambitious book club—except for the fact that many of these seminars are organized and led by college professors, some so eager to participate that they do it for free.

“Mostly it’s a way for them to do a kind of teaching they can’t do at their regular jobs,” explains Zena Hitz, founder of the Catherine Project and a tutor (faculty member) at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland.

From DSC:
I’ve often thought that online-based learning may be the thing that saves the liberal arts (i.e., available throughout one’s lifetime and would be far less expensive). It would be ironic though, as many liberal arts institutions have not been proponents of online-based learning.

DC: What would it look like if the VRJAM metaverse platform were available for teaching and learning-based applications/offerings?

On 12/02/2021, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, Blockchain, business, career development, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, communications, communities of practice, content development, aggregation, repositories, creativity, cryptocurrencies, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, drama/theater, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, experimentation, future, global / globalization, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, immersion, innovation, internet, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning preferences, learning spaces, liberal arts, media/film, Metaverse, more voice more choice more control, multimedia, music, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, online learning, online media, participation, platforms, play, society, streams of content, technologies for your home, tools, UK, user experience (UX), vendors, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision/possibilities, vocational / trades, web-based collaboration, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

The VRJAM metaverse platform is coming to transform the world of live entertainment

VRJAM, the UK’s leading creator of live music experiences in virtual reality, today teased the launch of the VRJAM platform, a revolutionary new metaverse events platform and NFT creation solution.

To bring the VRJAM metaverse platform to life, VRJAM has partnered with market leading NFT software developer Enjin.io to launch a rich virtual reality world that offers a host of new solutions for artists to render and monetize their music and live shows in amazing new ways using NFT’s, blockchain and immersive technology.

The VRJAM platform promises to open up completely new ways for both fans and artist to experience live music events and represents the next step in the evolution of live music.

Ownership of this virtual world will be shared by a guild of globally recognised artists and record labels who will cooperate to create value and define new possibilities for music inside the metaverse.

VRJAM’s metaverse platform offers solutions for true live performance using technology that is years ahead of other similar platforms. It provides unsurpassed user experience and offers fans, artists and labels an array of unique features:

At the heart of the VRJAM metaverse platform is a blockchain based trading and finance system, VRJAM Coin. This revolutionary new cryptocurrency will create ways for both artists and fans to earn money inside the metaverse and promises to create entirely new business models for artists, venues and labels at a time when their traditional ways of making money have been turned upside down by the Covid 19 pandemic.

The VRJAM cryptocurrency is backed by investment from 5 of the world’s leading blockchain specialist investment and venture capital firms, demonstrating the exciting potential of VRJAM’s tech.

The VRJAM platform is scheduled to go live in early 2022, follow on social media to stay up to date.

From DSC:
Hmmmmm….might this type of thing spill over into the worlds of teaching and learning? More direct-to-consumer (learner) types of offerings? Will this open up the doors for new methods of earning a living or for those interested in building a teaching & learning-based brand?

Alternatively, will this impact what actors, actresses, and comedians will be able to do?

Addendum on 12/2/21:

Got Teacher Burnout? Launch A Microschool — from forbes.com by Kerry McDonald

Make Room for Creativity in Learning from Early Design Stage [Brandon]

On 11/17/2021, in adult learning, art, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, creativity, drama/theater, learning, Learning Experience Design, participation, play, training / L&D, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Make Room for Creativity in Learning from Early Design Stage — from learningsolutionsmag.com by Bill Brandon

Excerpt:

Change the paradigm: Invite learners to create
Learning leaders can change this by encouraging their teams to add creative activities for the learners to participate in. Here are some examples of what participants in a learning program can create:

Stories from their own workplace or from the work they aspire to do
Presentations with diagrams showing new processes that can be put in place based on what was learned
Vision boards made from collages showing their hopes for an improved environment
Zoom improvs portraying interpersonal relationships in a playful way
Answers to a question from the facilitator in a chatroom

Learning Ecosystems

Matthew Ball on the metaverse: We’ve never seen a shift this enormous [Roettgers]

These two items make me wonder how XR-related techs will impact the theatre, gaming, opera, & other forms of entertainment [Christian]

For current college students interested in film, TV, and/or gaming

Excerpt from Unity.com
.

A virtual tour of four advanced hybrid learning spaces [Woolfitt]

Clockwise from top left (KU Leuven, Imperial College London, University of Amsterdam,
Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland

You Sleuth = The game of Clue + Augmented Reality (AR). DC: What might this look/work like for learning-related applications?

DC: Will we be checking out more of the arts via VR headsets? Something else for the radar.

Reflections on “The Humanities May Be Declining at Universities — But They’re Thriving on Zoom” [Koenig]

DC: What would it look like if the VRJAM metaverse platform were available for teaching and learning-based applications/offerings?

Make Room for Creativity in Learning from Early Design Stage [Brandon]

Categories

Tags

Excerpt from Unity.com .

Clockwise from top left (KU Leuven, Imperial College London, University of Amsterdam, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Categories

Tags

Excerpt from Unity.com
.

Clockwise from top left (KU Leuven, Imperial College London, University of Amsterdam,
Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland