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5^th Annual Colloquium on Online Simulations, Role-playing, and Virtual Worlds

October 13-17, 2008

Hong Kong University

Hong Kong

LoW5 Conference Theme:

Future worlds: Virtual worlds today and tomorrow

Hundreds of virtual worlds exist to serve youth, educational, and corporate markets, yet few offer anything more than a glimpse of how technological innovations such as virtual worlds may lead to new forms, methods, and modes of communication, collaboration, and creation. We are experiencing unprecedented growth in the funding and development of virtual worlds, but toward what purpose?

This year, we will consider the opportunities and challenges the proliferation of virtual worlds offer today, and contemplate what they hold for tomorrow. In many ways, the future of virtual worlds depends on how early adopters decide to use them to advance and to extend their organizational mission. But what factors will influence which platforms and worlds survive and which ones do not?

Proposal categories

The League of Worlds colloquium is designed to support sharing and meaningful reflection. Participants should allow one another the opportunity to share experiences, to demonstrate technologies, and to think critically. To facilitate these activities, the colloquium review committee is interested in submissions on the following topics:

· Technologies used to create and manage virtual environments (tools, hardware, software)

· Vision for what virtual environments could be (architecture, metaphors)

· Teaching and Learning in virtual environments

o Role playing and simulations

o Social constructivism

o Communication and collaboration

o Serendipitous interactions and learning

· Community formation in virtual environments (interaction, presentation of self, presence)

· Culture (development of, artefacts)

· Administrative/technical support issues in virtual environments

· Change (Advocacy for, dissemination and sharing of research, how change takes place)

· Resources (to create and/or support any of the above themes)

· Research (on virtual environments in general or in support of any of the above themes)

Paper submissions

The colloquium review committee requests that paper submissions address the following:

· Summary of what you are doing with virtual environments and how it relates to one of the above themes (including description of practice and relevant research)

· Explanation of how this summary can contribute to the dialogue planned for the colloquium.

Paper submissions are double blind peer-reviewed. All accepted papers, the colloquium program, and a list of attendees will be published on the colloquium website. Papers should be between 2500-5000 words (4-8 pages).

Important Dates

Paper submission – summary and explanation	July 20, 2008
Notification of Acceptance	July 29, 2008
1st Draft Due	August 20, 2008
Registration Deadline	September 5, 2008
Final Draft Due	September 5, 2008
Colloquium	October 13-17, 2008

Accepted presentations will be required to submit the following by September 5, 2008:

1. Registration for the colloquium Click here to Register
2. An indication of any special requirements related to diets, equipment, or other pertinent needs
3. Participant information, including:
   • Names of submission author and co-authors, if applicable
   • Contact information for each
   • Affiliated institution(s)
   • Job title(s)
   • Brief description of experience with virtual worlds, simulations, and/or role playing technology

Submit all proposals in Word, RTF, PDF or HTML format to:

Dr. Stephen Bronack at bronacksc@appstate.edu