Night Nests with Pests: A Case Study of Creative Placemaking and Exploring Sonoran Desert Ecology on the OpenSim with Middle School Students

Authors

  • Mary Stokrocki Arizona State University, Tempe AZ

Keywords:

Participatory Research, Creative, Placemaking, Build Tools, Community, Ecology, Virtual World, Pests.

Abstract

Using participatory action research methods, namely questionnaires, daily note taking, and interviewing, this case study reveals problems and solutions, simulated at my ASU Hive on the OpenSim site, sponsored by the University of British Columbia. Problems included short time, Internet problems, and losing their creations. Volunteer students built three-dimensional desert creatures and dome structured nests, changed light effects, chose the ecological theme “Night Nests With Pests,” and included ecological responses. This theme led to correspondence with the ASU website “Ask the Biologist.” What began as a joke about pests and annoying behavior in the classroom, ended in community learning about the importance of pests in an ecosystem as a complex web of interconnected and dependent ingredients. Pests serve as a “warning” sign and need to be accommodated. Artists and community participants, as well as students, can construct a virtual world, build architectural forms, link avatar people and ideas to explore life problems. 

Author Biography

Mary Stokrocki, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ

Dr. Mary Stokrocki is Professor of Art and Art Education Area Coordinator, Arizona State University, Fulbright Scholar to Taiwan (2012), and Work Bank Consultant to Turkey (1995-1997). She was former Vice-President and World Counselor of the International Society for Education Through Art [8 years] and former President of the United States Society for Education through Art and its Webmaster [10 years]. She received: 2007 College of Arts & Architecture Outstanding Alumni Award, Pennsylvania State University. She won the following National Art Education Association Awards: 2007 Women’s Caucus June King McFee Award; 2005 Lowenfeld Award, and 1995 Manual Barkan for outstanding research article. She is both a USSEA Marantz Fellow and an NAEA Fellow. She has taught in 14 countries and conducted qualitative research for over 30 years, notably with the Navajo and Apache, The NAEA also re-published her edited book, entitled Interdisciplinary Art Education: Builds Bridges to Connect Disciplines and Cultures (2009). Now she teaches and does research on Second Life using Digital Ethnography. New book: Stokrocki, M. (Editor). (2014). Exploration in Virtual Worlds: New Digital Multi-Media Literacy Investigations for Art Education. Reston, VA: National Art Education Association. In 2914, she gave the 36 Autobiography Lecture at Oxford, OH celebrating 36 years of the History of Art Education Archives there.

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Published

2017-01-20

Issue

Vol. 8 (2016): Creative Placemaking

Section

Special Call - Creative Placemaking - 2017

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