Andábata: 2012

A team of myself plus Nelson Zagalo and Ana Boa-Ventura created the SLACTIONS conference concept and organized SLACTIONS 2009. After the 2010 and 2011 editions organized by the Manchester Business School and the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, we now return to the organization of SLACTIONS 2012.

We are preparing an exciting event. There will be a machinima contest, worldwide chapters (currently in preparation in Texas, Florida, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, and New Zealand, more upcoming).

Several journals are already supporting the subsequent publication of selected papers. Check out below.

SLACTIONS 2012

4th Research Conference on Virtual Worlds

Life, imagination, and work using metaverse platforms

November 15-17, 2012

http://bit.ly/Kg1cUw

The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human cooperation, interaction, and creativity.The conference focus is scientific research on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Habbo Hotel, IMVU, Second Life, OpenSimulator, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Open Wonderland, Minecraft, and others, including MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, and virtual worlds based on social networks, such as *-ville and others, providing a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative approaches, techniques, processes, and research results.

SLACTIONS 2012 is the fourth edition of SLACTIONS, which was the first international conference held simultaneously in several countries on the topic of metaverse platforms. SLACTIONS aims at covering most areas currently enabled by metaverse platforms, from educational research to content production, from gender studies to media distribution, and from metaverse-based branding, advertising, and fundraising to emerging mash-ups and technology applications.SLACTIONS is unique in its format too, as a one-of-a kind event conducted both in a metaverse platform (Second Life) and on-site in multiple countries throughout the world. SLACTIONS will thus contribute to the current redefinition of the way we think about hybrid online and on-site scholarly collaborations.

Whereas metaverse platforms are no longer a novel topic, they still pose challenges for the adaption of conventional instructional and business practices, research methodologies, and communication practices. We are looking forward to presenting a program of research results, case studies, panel discussions, and demonstrations that scholars, educators, and businesses can port to their own environments and apply in their research, teaching, and business strategy. We will accept papers from the full spectrum of intellectual disciplines and technological endeavors in which metaverse platforms are currently being used: from Education to Business, Sociology to Social Sciences, Media Production to Technology Development, Architecture and Urban Planning to the Arts.

1. Topics covered may include but are not limited to:

Accessibility in metaverse platforms
Advanced scientific visualization in metaverse platforms
Automatic content generation
Behavioral studies in the metaverse
Combination of metaverse platforms with external systems (e-learning, e-business, etc.)
Communicational paradigms in the metaverse
Content management and production
Creativity, design, and arts on the metaverse
E-business and e-commerce applications
Educational research, applications, and case studies
Embodiment in metaverses and Gender Studies
GIS/metaverse mash-ups
Integration between metaverse platforms
Nonprofit activities and fundraising
Adapting and developing research methodologies for metaverses
Social Sciences studies in or through metaverse platforms
Space representation, use, and management in metaverses
Using metaverse platforms for cooperation

2. Format

SLACTIONS has the format of a hybrid online and physical conference. All paper presentations and plenary sessions by guest speakers will be held on-line in the Second Life virtual world, and projected locally at local chapters, for participants attending physically. Physical participants can interact with the online participants via a "physical chapter avatar" and microphone.

Participants will also be able to follow the proceedings broadcast on the Web and interact via a text chat applet. Workshops and other events are conducted locally – or in mixed format across several participating chapters – and local chapters may held local topical round tables.

3. Publication venues

All accepted papers and posters will be published on-line and in ISBN-registered digital proceedings. Video posters and live presentations can submit an abstract for inclusion in the digital proceedings.

The authors of the best papers will be invited to provide revised and expanded versions for publications in special editions of journals or as single contributions to theme-specific journals.

Journal of Virtual Worlds Research: Selected papers will be fast-tracked for publication in early 2013 issues of JVWR. (ISSN 1941-8477)
Computer & Graphics - International Journal of Systems & Applications in Computer Graphics: Authors of the Best Paper in computer graphics themes will be invited to submit an extended version to be considered for journal publication. (ISSN: 0097-8493 / Imprint: ELSEVIER / impact factor 2010: 0.720)
VIRtual - Electronic Journal of Visualization, Interactive Systems and Pattern Recognition: Authors of selected papers on visualization and graphics will be invited to submit extended versions to a special Issue of the journal. (ISSN 0873-1837
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research: Authors of selected papers on e-business/e-commerce/m-commerce/e-learning/e-government will be invited to submit extended versions the journal. (ISSN 0718-1876)

Check out http://www.slactions.org regularly for more information and developments on the proceedings publisher and journal venues for best papers.

4. Official language of the conference

The official language for the on-line space and all submissions is English only. However, at the physical site of local chapters you can also use the native language of that location.

5. Submissions

Authors are invited to submit:

A full paper of eight to ten pages for oral presentation
A "work in progress" paper of 4 pages for oral presentation
A Flickr image or YouTube video, indexed with the tag “slactions2012” for poster presentations ‘in-world’
A live presentation in Second Life.

All submissions are subject to a double blind review process and should be professionally proofread before submission. All manuscripts should be formatted according to the ASIS&T proceedings template. (Disclaimer: SLACTIONS is not associated with ASIS&T.)

6. Important dates

Submissions deadline: June 30th, 2012
July 15th, 2012 - Submission results provided to authors
September 15th, 2012 - Deadline for early registration
October 15th, 2012 - Deadline for print-ready versions of accepted papers
November 15-17th, 2012 - Conference (tentative dates)

7. Local chapters

In preparation. Check out http://www.slactions.org for updated lists and contacts.

Note: If you believe your institution can hold a physical chapter in an as-yet unsupported region, please contact the organization at info AT slactions.org.

8. Steering Committee

Leonel Morgado - University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Nelson Zagalo - University of Minho, Portugal

Ana Boa-Ventura, University of Texas-Austin, USA

9. Programme Committee

Ahmer Iqbal – University of Jyvaskyla, Finland

Ana Amélia Carvalho – University of Coimbra, Portugal

Ana Boa-Ventura – University of Texas, Austin, USA

Ângela Pereira – Leiria Polytechnic Institute, Portugal

António Lopes – Lusófona University, Portugal

Benjamim Fonseca – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Clare Atkins – Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Daiana Trein – University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil

Daniel Gonçalves – Higher Technical Institute, Portugal

David Deeds – Changchun American International School, China

David Herold – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Donizetti Louro – Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Emanuel Peres – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Filipe Santos – Leiria Polytechnic Institute, Portugal

Greg Lastowka - Rutgers School of Law /Camden, USA

Hugo Paredes – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Isabel Valverde - Lisbon Technical University, Portugal

James Corbett - CEO at MissionV Education/ Business Development Manager at Daynuv Owner at GlobalGreyhounds Ltd., Ireland

João Varajão – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

José Luís Ramos - Évora University, Portugal

Leonel Morgado – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Lina Morgado - Open University, Portugal

Luís Magalhães – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Luís Pedro – University of Aveiro, Portugal

Marco António Chávez-Aguayo – University of Barcelona, Spain

Margarita Pérez-García - Catholic University College Limburg & Provincial University College Limburg, Belgium

Micaela Esteves – Leiria Polytechnic Institute, Portugal

Narciso Cerpa – University of Talca, Chile

Nelson Zagalo – University of Minho, Portugal

Nuno Silva – Higher Institute of Engineering of Porto, Portugal

Paulo Frias – University of Porto, Portugal

Paulo Martins – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Pilar Lacasa – University of Alcalá, Spain

Ramiro Gonçalves – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Steven Warburton – King’s College London, United Kingdom

Teresa Bettencourt – University of Aveiro, Portugal

Vincent Ng – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Yesha Sivan – The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, and Metaverse Labs Ltd., Israel / Managing Editor of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research

10. Organization

Ana Margarida Maia – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Daniela Pedrosa – University of Coimbra / University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Gonçalo Cruz Matos – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Maria da Glória Fraga - University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Leonel Morgado – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Ricardo Rodrigues Nunes – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Vinicius Loureiro – University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

Yesha Sivan – The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel, and Metaverse Labs Ltd., Israel/Managing Editor of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research

For any other info, please contact or follow us.

Thank you very much for your collaboration :)

Best regards,

SLACTIONS Organizing Committee

E-mail: info AT slactions.org

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Kg0lDr

Twitter: http://bit.ly/ICFs8T

Website: http://bit.ly/Kg1cUw