Welcome to the New Uncanny Valley
The uncanny valley—a concept first introduced by Masahiro Mori (1970)—offers a compelling lens through which to examine the psychological effects of near-human digital agents. Originally applied to robotics, the uncanny valley describes the discomfort people feel when encountering artificial entities that appear almost—but not quite—human. As avatars, gamified learning systems, and virtual worlds become increasingly sophisticated, this model finds new relevance in learning – especially regarding older learners who may have later exposure to games and gaming environments. By relating the uncanny valley framework onto these learning environments, we begin to see a new threshold emerge—one where avatar design, realism, and relational resonance directly impact learner motivation, creativity, and neuroplasticity.
<!-- Since the birth of the Virtual Worlds Education Consortium in January of 2021, educators have been joining forces to share their work, their passion for immersive learning, and goals to best utilize the metaverse for teaching and learning. This growth is documented through a growing body of research, programs like the VWEC Student Challenge, machinima videos of expert speakers and a directory of simulations, avatars and communities. Across the globe, educators are hearing about the potential for providing virtual learning experiences for students but without the rich resources we can provide by banning together, it is simply too difficult to navigate the vast worlds that are emerging. Come hear about a variety of ways to explore these worlds for best practices. This session will share a panel of Metaverse Experts who have utilized immersive learning successfully and will include both the documented outcomes and the challenges we face as the metaverse evolves. -->
Speaker
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Virginia Dickenson / Xenon Darrow (Poster Booth #15)Virginia Dickenson / Xenon Darrow specializes in developing cutting edge digital technology for learning. Xenon has over 35 years of design and development experience from working with major oil and chemical companies, universities, healthcare, and the hospitality industry as a consultant and instructional designer. Her expertise includes working with Universities and Colleges as a consultant, professor, and instructional designer for more than 17 years. Her work has extended to the hospitality industry for the over 22 years. She currently works as an instructional designer for a prominent school of nursing at a major medical school. She is considered one of the resident experts in gamification and AI applications in learning.
https://opensimworld.com/user/xenondarrow
https://hypemetaverse.com/u/Xenon281
