Researchers at the University of Westminster studied the impact virtual worlds have on children, using BBC's own virtual world as the context. Children playing Adventure Rock, a world aimed at kids aged 6-12, were interviewed and the results were barely surprising. As the researchers found, virtual worlds provide a good way of 'rehearsing' for the real world.
The study identifies a number of roles the children took during their online adventure, roles such as explorers, life-system builders, fighters and social climbers. To each their own, as they say. Also, it turns out, kids make great judges (doh) of what works and what don't, within a virtual world. As Professor David Gauntlett puts it, "they really do have good ideas to contribute and they are very good critical friends". They come up with lots of ideas about improving the content and are being rather direct about what they like or dislike. Mouth of babes and all that, you know.
So, in conclusion, I guess a kids' virtual world might just have some of the utility of a real playground, for good or bad. See: Golding's Lord of the Flies. Har.
Via BBC News
BBC // customer insights // research // virtual worlds
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