Digital Storytelling for the Metaverse
A research project, funded by the Irish Research Council (IRC). The project’s focus was on bringing the capabilities of immersive technologies to the art and culture sector.
The funding was used to conduct a certificate course in ‘Storytelling for the Metaverse’ at IADT through the Creative Futures Academy (CFA). Places on the course were free for museum professionals who were interested in learning about a variety of emerging technologies, research and prototype their own projects and devise an appropriate strategy to bring those ideas to reality.
Project Background
This project was funded by the Irish Research Council (IRC), conducted by the Creative Futures Academy (CFA) at the Institute of Art, Design and Technology Dún Laoghaire (IADT)
Project Lead:
Dr. Elaine Sisson
Researcher:
Ella Fitzpatrick
This nine-month-long research study was an exploration of the effectiveness and potential for immersive technology use within the art and culture sector. Museum professionals took part in a certificate course to expand their understanding of immersive mediums, particularly virtual and augmented reality.
Research Activities
01 Literature Review
Over the summer months, I reviewed the relevant and extensive literature on the evolution of immersive media, the adoption of emerging technology by artists, and the application of immersion in art and culture pedagogy. I spoke with colleagues in IADT and my external professional network to debate the moral and social implications of extended reality and artificial intelligence (A.I) on the arts and culture sector.
Key Insights
Shift from Specific Technologies: In my review, I emphasise the need for teaching and learning courses to move away from a focus on specific emerging technologies due to their rapid evolution. Instead, the emphasis should be on concepts like storytelling and interaction design, which can be applied across various technologies.
Importance of Proficiency: The utilisation of virtual reality (VR) in higher education and cultural institutions is in its early stages. To harness its potential for educational purposes, further research and experimentation are needed to establish comprehensive frameworks that demonstrate effective learning outcomes.
Alignment with Learning Theories: Prioritising the exploration of virtual reality is advisable because it aligns with applicable learning theories, indicating that VR has the potential to enhance educational experiences.
02 Digital Storytelling Course Final Presentations
The Digital Storytelling for the Metaverse course took place in March and April 2023. Students comprised of museum professionals who were interested in expanding their understanding of immersive technologies and the potential application of these mediums within their respective institutions. At the end of the course, each student prepared a 5-10 minute video showcasing their immersive project progress.
Gathering and Analysing of Insights
Using the audio-generated transcript, I extracted insights from each presentation and recorded these on a Figma board
I grouped common themes and highlighted key words
A draft learner profile template was created which would categorise each student based on the experience level and prior knowledge of the subject, to compare with overall project and learning outcomes
Quotes were exported for reporting and design purposes
“Virtual reality is a perfect medium in which to interrogate reality. This technology allows viewers to safely occupy a first person perspective as they are inside the protagonist’s body.”
03 Expert Interviews
Key Insights
Considerations
In my review of the literature on immersive technology, I had frequently come across the term ‘human-computer interaction’ (HCI). I was interested in understanding more about this field and how it relates to the arts and culture sector. I organised interviews with two experts on the subject;
Dr. Luigina Ciolfi, Professor in the School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork (UCC)
Dr. Laura Maye, Lecturer and Postdoctoral Researcher in Human and People Centred Computing, University College Cork (UCC)
Adoption of new and emerging media goes back to psychology and the way in which people change and create new habits. We can only change incrementally, this is what is sustainable.
Before considering the inclusion of immersive technology, museums must take inventory of their available supports and resources to deliver an effective exhibit.
Cultural heritage professionals need a foundational understanding of interaction design, and learn the skill of learning new skills to be able to consistently engage with new technologies.
How do you craft a narrative in a museum that has hundreds of artefacts?
What if instead of focussing on specific artefacts, curators explored potential interactions between visitors and museum artefacts?
04 Open Panel Discussion
In the final month of the research project, a panel of key stakeholders took place to present the findings and receive feedback. The panel comprised of lecturers and researchers from IADT, students from the Digital Storytelling CFA course, cultural heritage professionals, an industry representative from Immersive Ireland, and a journalist from The Irish Times. This animated discussion about the future of storytelling within the Metaverse provided valuable and diverse perspectives about the exciting potential of A.I. and immersive media, as well as the potential harm for humanity if used irresponsibly.
Challenges
The session was recorded by the large monitor and microphone set up in the boardroom. However, as with the nature of discussions, the audio generated was illegible so I needed to transcribe the 2.5hr meeting the old fashioned way!
With a topic as interesting and expansive as A.I. and immersive tech, specific questions were needed to ensure high quality insights were gleaned from the discussion
Facilitation was required to ensure all participant perspectives were included