This collection acts as the supporting evidence of the hypothesis that, while acting as Graduate Director of SIU’s Digital Xpressions Lab, Matthew Gordon was able to successfully provide effective support for the digital expression of collaborator’s and client's domains of knowledge while forming innovative research partnerships with academics within the SIU system and beyond. A unique form for a MFA in Creative Writing’s thesis, this collection represents the multimodal creative work a contemporary narrative designer can undertake in a single academic year when given the ability to lead a facility like Southern Illinois University’s Digital Xpressions Lab. Qualitative evidence in the form of Digital Xpressions Lab Collaborator Statements and quantitative evidence in the form of media exemplifying multimodal creative work are collected herein. Sections begin with brief descriptions of their topics as they pertain to Matthew Gordon’s thesis objectives while acting as the Graduate Director of SIU’s Digital Xpressions Lab from fall 2022 - spring 2023. A selection of supporting media from Matthew’s full portfolio has been included in sections where relevant.

Describing planned acoustic design by single number ratings yields a weak link to the subjective event, especially when the single number ratings are interpreted by others than experienced acousticians. When developing infrastructure, tools for decision making needs to address visual and aural perception. Visual perception can be addressed using game engines and this has enabled the establishment of tools for visualizations of planned constructions in virtual reality. Audio engines accounting for sound propagation in the game engine environment are steadily developing and have recently been made available. The aim of this project is to simulate airborne sound insulation by extending the support of recently developed audio engines directed towards virtual reality applications. The case studied was airborne sound insulation between two adjacent rooms in a building, the sound transmitted to the receiving room through the building structure resulting from sound pressure exciting the structural elements in the adjacent source room into vibration. The receiving room composed modelled space in the game engine Unreal Engine and Steam Audio was the considered audio engine. Sound transmission was modelled by filtering based on calculations of transmission loss via direct and flanking paths using the model included in the standard EN 12354-1. It was verified that the filtering technique for modelling sound transmission reproduced attenuations in correspondence with the predicted transmission loss. Methodology was established to quantify the quality of the audio engine room acoustics simulations. A room acoustics simulation was evaluated by comparing the reverberation time derived from simulation with theoretical predictions and the simulated reverberation time showed fair agreement with Eyring’s formula above its frequency threshold. The quality of the simulation of airborne sound insulation was evaluated relating the sound field in simulation to insulation classification by the standardized level difference. The spectrum of the simulated standardized level difference was compared with the corresponding sound transmission calculation for a modelled scenario. The simulated data displayed noticeable deviations from the transmission calculation, caused by the audio engine room acoustics simulation. However, the simulated data exhibited cancellation of favourable and unfavourable deviations from the transmission calculation resulting in a mean difference across the spectrum below the just noticeable difference of about 1 dB. Single number ratings was compared and the simulated single number rating was within the standard deviation of how the transmission model calculates predictions for a corresponding practical scenario measured in situ. Thus, the simulated data shows potential and comparisons between simulated data, established room acoustics simulation software and in situ measurements should further be made to deduce whether the deviations entails defects in the airborne sound insulation prediction or is an error imposed by the audio engine room acoustics simulation.

This research investigate the use of Moodle in the degree in Physics on-line at UAB/UFAL understanding that this space offers the construction of ideas, through interaction between professors, tutors on-line and students, using the tools offered in the ambient. There was in investigation on how the interfaces offered in the Moodle to the specific classes of the degree in Physics on-line at UAB/UFAL were utilized by professors, tutors on-line and students helping the process of teaching and learning. The objectives of the research were to analyze the specificity of each class in the utilization of different tools, investigating the domain of the tools available in Moodle through professors, to increase the dynamics of the course, to analyze the dynamic of the use of the tools by students and tutor on-line in the utilization of the built acknowledge, both individual and in group. Also, to describe different ways that offer efficient planning, and changing in posture and attitude to the postage of tools and activities on AVA. It was utilized the fundaments in theory about the utilization of AVA from studies from Silva (2003), Santos (2003), Almeida (2003), Schlemmer (2002), Pereira (2007), Kenski (2003) and Okada (2003). The research was characterized by a study in the case of a qualitative approach. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, essays to professors, to tutors on-line and to students and to participative observation in the Moodle. To the universe of the research, I selected 54 people as a study group during the two semesters of the course in the year of 2008.1 in classes offered, but 38 of them were students who were present during the research in Maceio, Santana do Ipanema and Olho DÁgua das Flores, 8 professors and 8 tutors on-line. As a result, it was discovered that they had few gaps: difficult in access the platform, professors with difficulties to form the class in the environment, offer class material to the students, the use of the tools, a lack of interaction and intervention of professors and tutors on-line before the questions imposed by students and a limited autonomy in the search of their own acknowledge. But, I could see an eager and constant search to improve acknowledge in the practice to utilize Moodle in their classes. This happened because professors, tutors on-line and students were available to a systematic monitoring and an adequate instruction based on support, dialogue and collaboration. / Esta pesquisa investiga a utilização do Moodle no curso de Licenciatura em Física a distância da UAB/UFAL como espaço que propicia a construção de conceitos, por meio da interação entre professores, tutores online e alunos, a partir das interfaces disponibilizadas no ambiente. Investigou-se como as interfaces disponibilizadas no Moodle para as disciplinas específicas do curso de Licenciatura em Física a distância da UAB/UFAL foram utilizadas pelos professores, tutores online e alunos no auxílio ao processo de ensino e de aprendizagem. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram analisar a especificidade de cada disciplina do curso na utilização de interfaces diferentes, investigar o domínio das interfaces disponibilizadas no Moodle pelos professores, para potencializar a dinâmica do curso, analisar a dinâmica de utilização das interfaces pelo aluno e tutor online na elaboração e construção do conhecimento, tanto individual como em grupo, e descrever alternativas que possibilitem um planejamento eficaz e uma mudança de postura e atitude quanto à postagem de interfaces e atividades no AVA. Utilizou-se a fundamentação teórica sobre AVA a partir dos estudos de Silva (2003), Santos (2003), Almeida (2003), Schlemmer (2002), Pereira (2007), Kenski (2003) e Okada (2003). A pesquisa caracterizou-se como um estudo de caso numa abordagem qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados através das entrevistas semiestruturadas, questionários para professores, para tutores online e para os alunos e da observação no Moodle. Para o universo da pesquisa foram selecionados 54 sujeitos como grupo para estudo dos dois primeiros semestres do curso no ano letivo de 2007.2 e 2008.1 nas disciplinas ofertadas, dos quais 38 foram alunos que estavam presentes para realização da pesquisa nos polos de Maceió, Santana do Ipanema e Olho d‟Água das Flores, 8 professores de disciplinas e 8 tutores online. Como resultado, foi constatado que os sujeitos apresentaram algumas lacunas: dificuldade de acesso à plataforma, professores com dificuldades em montar a disciplina no ambiente, disponibilizar o material didático para os alunos, o manuseio nas interfaces, as poucas interações e intervenções dos professores e tutores online mediante os questionamentos e dúvidas dos alunos e uma autonomia ainda limitada na busca constante do seu próprio conhecimento. O desejo por uma melhor prática na utilização do Moodle no curso pôde ser constatado, pelo fato de professores, tutores online e alunos estarem à disposição para um acompanhamento sistemático e uma formação adequada, baseada no apoio, no diálogo e na colaboração.

This Master Thesis concerns a telepresence implementation which utilizes state-of-the-art virtual reality combined with live 360 degree video. Navigation interfaces for telepresence with virtual reality headsets were developed and evaluated through a user study. An evaluation of telepresence as a communication media was performed, comparing it to video communication. The result showed that telepresence was a better communication media than video communication.

Denna studie är ämnad att undersöka hur framställningen av VR-teknologi påverkar lärande och leder till nya möjligheter för att motivera lärande genom frågeställningen: Vilka karaktärsdrag i virtuella lärmiljöer kan stödja individer att uppnå ett tillstånd av flow? Tidigare forskning har undersökt hur ett tillstånd av flow kan stödja individers lärande och hur utformningen av virtuella miljöer kan stödja lärande. I studien användes en kvalitativ forskningsansats med hjälp av observationer och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studiens deltagare fick uppgifter att genomföra i VR-spelet Blocks by Google. Studien resulterade i tretton identifierade aspekter kopplade till karaktärsdrag i virtuella lärmiljöer, vilka kan stödja ett tillstånd av flow. / This study aims to explore how the making of VR technology affects learning and leads to new opportunities to motivate learning through the question: What characteristics in virtual learning environments can support individuals to achieve a state of flow? Previous research has investigated how a state of flow can support individuals' learning and how the design of virtual environments can support learning. The study used a qualitative research approach with the help of observations and semi-structured interviews. The study participants were given tasks to complete in the VR game Blocks by Google. The study resulted in thirteen identified aspects linked to characteristics in virtual learning environments, which can support a state of flow.

Most of already described theoretical principles related to creation of organizational structure were defined and used in mass (industrial) production environment which was quite stabile. As a consequence of all changes driven by globalization and spread of using information technologies, new, dynamic form of organizational structure is needed - virtual organizational structure. The basic concept of the virtual organization structure was introduced during late 80's, however clear definition of the virtual management has not been presented yet. This fact can be termed as the main trigger and reason for composing the Thesis. At first, literature sources were reviewed in order to determine trends of the organizational structure’s development. Based on the information extracted from secondary review, objectives of the Thesis were set and three hypotheses were modeled to be confirmed or disconfirmed. Consequently, primary research was carried out to gain principal data concerning to the focus of the research. Theoretical contribution of the Thesis can be found in the complex summary of various aspects related to the virtual organizational structure. Moreover, the Thesis includes definition of the virtual organizational structure term, names its key characteristics, advantages and disadvantages and thereto presents the typology of the virtual organizational structure. Upon to the primary data obtained from the research it was confirmed that no best practices are available although it would be welcomed. With this in mind, the main purpose of the Thesis was met by defining steps to be taken in order to use the virtual organizational structure in practice. The outcomes of the primary research and the best practices composed might be used within lectures held at Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, however they eliminate theoretical non-clarities. Finally, there is number of relevant aspects for further research.