VCARA Blog

Overview

VCARA Blog

This is an archive of older VCARA posts. The current website and blog location is https://ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu/vcara/, but the best way to connect is by joining the SJSU iSchool VCARA Discord channel.

The iSchool has hosted educational and social virtual world events as part of our Virtual Center for Archives and Records Administration (VCARA) since 2009. VCARA began in our MARA Program, but is open to any interested iSchool students, faculty, or staff. Managed by Bethany Winslow (Director of Online Learning) with participation by current students, alumni, and other virtual world colleagues, the VCARA website, blog, and Discord channel highlights the activities on our region in Second Life and other locations. We also collaborate with other educators and information professionals in-world, and we explore different social virtual reality platforms with our VR Exploders Club monthly outings. Join us!

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VCARA Blog

VCARA New Website & Blog Location

Published: October 31, 2023 by Bethany Winslow

VCARA collage of images

From being part of Second Life’s 20th birthday celebration, to exploring new virtual worlds with the VR Exploders, keep up with all the latest happenings with the Virtual Center for Archives & Records Administration (VCARA).  

Learn more about what we do, how to get started, and follow our social media by visiting our new website and blog - https://ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu/vcara/blog/

VCARA Blog

VR Exploders Visit EngageVR

Published: June 18, 2021 by Bethany Winslow

The Exploders gang met June 18, 2021, for another adventure! This time we went back to EngageVR. (The last time we had been there was March of 2020.)

VCARA Blog

Join us April 25 at the Fantasy Faire in Second Life
Literary Festival with Storytelling and Dramatic Performances, Discussions, and more

Published: April 23, 2021 by Dr. Pat Franks

Join the members of the Community Virtual Library (CVL) and SJSU iSchool’s Virtual Center for Archives and Records Administration (VCARA) on Sunday, April 25, for a reading of two of our favorite fairy tales:

  • The Ugly Duckling, a literary fairy tale written by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Anderson;
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses, a German fairy tale collected and published by the Brothers Grimm.
VCARA Blog

iLRN Virtual Campus Celebrates XR Women
Virtual Worlds Women--don't be left out of the Virtual Reality Conversation!

Published: March 10, 2021 by Dr. Pat Franks

XR Women is a global collective of women and allies in XR. XR Women is committed to educating, connecting, uplifting, and inspiring women working in XR and those who have yet to join the industry. XR Women connects women with each other, shares opportunities, provides resources, and guides with  insight.

VCARA Blog

XR: Bridging the Gap Research Symposium Recap

Published: October 25, 2020 by Dr. Pat Franks

The first annual research symposium was held October 24, 2020, in the XR Research Center, a part of the Virtual Center for Archives and Records Administration on SJSU’s iSchool island in Second Life.

Keynote presenter, Dr. Donna Z. Davis, shared her thoughts on the promise and challenges ahead for those seeking to use virtual reality in a way that promotes equity and inclusion (figure 1).  

Figure 1. Keynote presentation: The Canyon Crossing: XR and inaccessibility.

VCARA Blog

XR Bridging the Gap Research Symposium 10/24/20
Meet the Keynotes

Published: October 17, 2020 by Dr. Pat Franks

Symposium 9 a.m. – 12 noon SLT (Pacific) | Keynotes 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Donna Z. Davis, PhD 
Donna Z. Davis, PhD, APR / Tredi Felisimo in SL
Associate Professor and Director
Strategic Communication Master’s Program
Oregon Reality (OR) Lab
University of Oregon
School of Journalism * Communication | Portland

VCARA Blog

Recap of VR Exploders Meeting in VRChat

Published: September 22, 2020 by Dr. Pat Franks

On the third Friday of each month, members of the VR Exploders Group (no, that’s not a typo) explore a different virtual reality platform. Last week, on September 18, 2020, they met up in VRChat to compare notes on the experience.

Since a 2019 survey of users of both Virtual Reality and Virtual Worlds revealed that 64% of respondents want a platform to encourage educational purposes (not predominantly social/gaming), the group keep the education use of the platform foremost in their minds.

VCARA Blog

XR: Bridging the Gap Research Symposium
Hosted by the VCARA, iSchool Island, Second Life

Published: September 9, 2020 by Dr. Pat Franks

Plan now to attend the XR: Bridging the Gap Research Symposium on October 24, 2020, from 9 a.m. to noon SLT (Pacific Time).

Venue: VCARA’s XR Research Center in SL
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SJSU%20SLIS/216/96/37 

The goal of this symposium is to provide a venue for members of Virtual Worlds, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality communities to share accomplishments and challenges and to learn from one another.