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Multimodal Semiotics and Collaborative Design

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METROTOPIA<br />

COMMUNICATION &<br />

DESIGN WORKSHOP<br />

POP ART LAB (PAL)<br />

TYPE OF<br />

CASE STUDY<br />

intrinsic (exploring<br />

contexts, actors,<br />

affordances <strong>and</strong><br />

methods)<br />

intrinsic (teaching in SL) +<br />

instrumental (novice users<br />

in their learning<br />

environments)<br />

instrumental (naturally<br />

occurring inworld<br />

collaborations)<br />

ACTORS<br />

multidisciplinary team<br />

of researchers &<br />

designers<br />

communication students<br />

(little or no VW experience)<br />

inworld team of SL<br />

builders (professional &<br />

amateur)<br />

CONTEXT OF<br />

DESIGN<br />

a virtual laboratory in<br />

the form of a city<br />

(whole sim)<br />

fictional narratives,<br />

avatars/characters <strong>and</strong><br />

spatial objects<br />

abstract virtual place for<br />

social music-listening<br />

experience (whole sim)<br />

CONTEXT OF<br />

COLLABORATION<br />

collaborative design for<br />

research purposes,<br />

professional, long-term<br />

(3-4 months)<br />

pedagogical group study,<br />

teaching/learning<br />

environment, long-term (3<br />

weeks)<br />

inworld collaboration for<br />

personal/professional<br />

interest<br />

DESIGN<br />

METHODS<br />

inworld+RL<br />

collaboration,<br />

collaborative design<br />

inworld+RL collaboration,<br />

collaborative design<br />

mostly inworld<br />

collaboration,<br />

collaborative design<br />

RESEARCH<br />

participant observation,<br />

participant observation,<br />

interviews <strong>and</strong> field<br />

METHODS<br />

interviews<br />

focus group interviews<br />

observations<br />

Table 6.1. The three case studies in comparison<br />

I aim to triangulate findings from the exp<strong>and</strong>ing empirical knowledge by using various data<br />

resources, data types <strong>and</strong> points of view for interpreting the observed phenomenon. For Stake<br />

(2005), triangulating descriptions <strong>and</strong> interpretations ought to be a continuous (iterative) process,<br />

which is not applied only in a single step but all through the study. Triangulation enables<br />

researcher to use multiple resources to verify <strong>and</strong> clarify meanings by identifying different ways in<br />

which the case is experienced, <strong>and</strong> provides stronger substantiation of constructs <strong>and</strong> hypotheses<br />

(Eisenhardt 1989). Thomas (2011) uses the Foucaultian concept of ‘polyhedron of intelligibility’ to<br />

describe triangulation as a ‘3D view of the subject’. By following Wieviorka’s (1992) model, Thomas<br />

describes the two essential elements of a case: its ‘practical, historical unity’ (subject) <strong>and</strong> its<br />

‘theoretical, scientific basis’ (object, or analytical frame). For increasing the efficacy of<br />

triangulation, Baxter <strong>and</strong> Jack (2008) also mention prolonged <strong>and</strong> intense exposure to the<br />

phenomenon under study, member-checking, peer review of data <strong>and</strong> field notes <strong>and</strong> continuous<br />

self-reflexivity as other possible ways of grounding the analytical framework with empirical <strong>and</strong><br />

theoretical validity. Another method of triangulation is applied in terms of the sampling of cases<br />

132

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