Can real-world lessons be taught in virtual environments? Yes, and perhaps more effectively, according to researchers with the Inter-Life project.
“Private islands,” or 3-D virtual worlds, allow young people to control their avatars in realistic, interactive settings to develop interpersonal, organizational, cognitive, and other skills. Given creative activities and tasks, they learn to cope with a variety of scenarios.
“It’s a highly engaging medium that could have a major impact in extending education and training beyond geographical locations,” says lead researcher Victor Lally of the University of Glasgow.
Source: Economic and Social Research Council, www.esrc.ac.uk.