Developing a Second Life virtual field trip for university students: an action research approach

Background: Integrating 3D virtual world technologies into educational subjects continues to draw the attention of educators and researchers alike. The focus of this study is the use of a virtual world, Second Life, in higher education teaching. In particular, it explores the potential of using a virtual world experience as a learning component situated within a curriculum delivered predominantly through face-to-face teaching methods. Purpose: This paper reports on a research study into the development of a virtual world learning experience designed for marketing students taking a Digital Promotions course. The experience was a field trip into Second Life to allow students to investigate how business branding practices were used for product promotion in this virtual world environment. The paper discusses the issues involved in developing and refining the virtual course component over four semesters. Methods: The study used a pedagogical action research approach, with iterative cycles of development, intervention and evaluation over four semesters. The data analysed were quantitative and qualitative student feedback collected after each field trip as well as lecturer reflections on each cycle. Sample: Small-scale convenience samples of second- and third-year students studying in a Bachelor of Business degree, majoring in marketing, taking the Digital Promotions subject at a metropolitan university in Queensland, Australia participated in the study. The samples included students who had and had not experienced the field trip. The numbers of students taking part in the field trip ranged from 22 to 48 across the four semesters. Findings and Implications: The findings from the four iterations of the action research plan helped identify key considerations for incorporating technologies into learning environments. Feedback and reflections from the students and lecturer suggested that an innovative learning opportunity had been developed. However, pedagogical potential was limited, in part, by technological difficulties and by student perceptions of relevance

The effectiveness of product placement within the immersive environment

This research investigates the impact of participants’ involvement on evaluation of virtual product placement within immersive environments. An exploratory student was conducted and face-to-face, semi structured interviews were used in this research. That sample consisted of active and current Second Life users in the age group of 20-50 years old and from a range of different occupations. Results of the qualitative study indicate that high involvement with the product and deep immersion within Second Life both lead to higher perceptions of product placement effectiveness and enhanced virtual experience. A model developed from the qualitative study is presented and future research is discussed

How consumers search for information online: A focus group investigation

Research on Internet usage focuses on enjoyment, fun and service encounters provided most focus group participants with pleasurable experiences. However, in this exploratory research four focus groups were conducted to determine other factors. Recruits came from a mixture of undergraduate marketing students, as well as a broader cross section of the older population. It was expected that all participants had used the Internet to surf, but not necessarily used the Internet to purchase. The findings of these focus groups were that price important. Participants felt that prices should be lower on the Internet, and that E-tailers should be more price competitive. E-traders were more trustworthy if they carried a name and brands that consumers knew, and inconsistencies were found between the literature and focus group findings regarding branding. Branding allows benefits for both consumer and brand and is strong amongst online communities

Making Education Relevant. A 'SMART' Collaborative Project: School Marketing And Real-world Teaching

Queensland University of Technology and the Department of Education, Training and the Arts developed in 2005, the SMART Project: School Marketing And Real-world Teaching. The project involved over 100 Queensland State Schools and 400 undergraduates working together to produce Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plans for each school. The success of the project has been demonstrated through survey results showing both undergraduates and principals rated the project as highly beneficial. The project exceeded students' expectations as they saw their role as real and beneficial for gaining real world experience. They were more motivated to learn in a real-world setting

Green Marketing Communities and blogs: Mapping consumer's attitudes for future sustainable marketing

The last three decades have seen consumers’ environmental consciousness grow as the environment has moved to a mainstream issue. Results from our study of green marketing blog site comments in the first half of 2009 finds thirteen prominent concepts: carbon, consumers, global and energy were the largest themes, while crisis, power, people, water, fuel, product, work, time, water, organic, content and interest were the others. However sub issues were also identified, as the driving factor of this information is coming from consumer led social networks. While marketers hold some power, consumers are the real key factor to possess influence for change. They want to drive change and importantly, they have the power. Power to the people

Evolutions of an Online Generation: Education, Industry and IMC

This paper traces the evolutions of a new generation of students who are predominantly the ‘online generation’; explores the emerging impact of this generation on industry; identifies the changing role of education from traditional classroom to an online environment; and explores the contribution related to integrated marketing communications (IMC). Educational requirements from a business perspective must incorporate global business demands; virtual learning environments progress the online generation towards a post-modern learning state. The central proposition of this paper is that the emergence of IMC in evolving industry practices is influenced by student generations who are producing a new paradigm of alignment between education and industry. This is purely a conceptual exploration using limited examples to provide some context and illustrate the questions raised for consideration

Digital Clutter: Relevance Of New Media To Gen Y

One of the greatest challenges for marketers is to find out how to reach youths who are consuming three of four media at the same time. Today’s youth have been able to quickly and easily integrate new media technologies and multiple channels into their busy lifestyles. They possess far more freedom to multitask activities and have information on demand. Marketing communication does not work like it once did. Our study found that Australian youth consume around 32 hours of media per day, which brings enormous implications for marketers. We suggest that in order for marketing communication professionals to communicate with this market, that they know exactly how to use new media in their media mix

The Relevance of IMC to Professional Service Firms

No other sector in the economy influences business decisions like professional services, and while large commercial firms are major contributors to economies and employ highly educated people, they also engage teams of marketers who frequently work across national and international boundaries to deliver integrated marketing solutions connected to core business strategies. This paper finds that the integrated marketing communication (IMC) activities of major professional service firms (PSFs) often take on different priorities, to traditional product and consumer marketing, such as in-person marketing communication (MC) tactics are preferred. MC can vary between professions and tactics suited to one profession will not necessarily be appropriate for other professions. PSFs often find it challenging to embrace IMC because of organisational structures, position in the market and level of competitive turbulence

Get off our roads Magoo: Are elderly drivers entitled to drive on our roads?

What is the 'magic age' at which drivers transform into being hazardous drivers? It appears that many media commentators and Australian citizens believe it is when you become a 'senior citizen'. This paper presents a media analysis that explores the stereotyping of older drivers as 'bad', 'hazardous' and 'dangerous'. Framing the discussion using media effects theories the paper questions whether the portrayal of older road users by the media is ethical or sound. Specifically, the paper focuses on the perspective of heavy media coverage and influence of media on public perceptions and the reinforcement of aged stereotypes. Based on media analysis the discussion concludes that ethical guidelines are required which sensitise marketers and policymakers to flawed portrayals of the elderly as a strategy to eliminating negative stereotypes of older road users

From cyber to cyborg : The influence of motivation and personality traits on the merging of consumer and technology

As technology extends further into consumer daily lives, consumers develop significant relationships with their technology, particularly mobile devices. This conceptual paper aims to investigate the merging of consumers and their technology, termed the cyborg consumer, which has been previously overlooked in the marketing literature. More specifically, this investigation extends the marketing theories of consumer psychological motivation and ersonality traits in examining the influence of these elements on cyborg consumer behaviour, such as intensive consumption of technology and construction of an important part of the self on the Internet. A conceptual framework of the cyborg consumer is presented, which will help marketers to better understand how consumers’ relationships with technology are changing and how marketing practices can be better targeted to the cyborg consumers