Learning in virtual worlds: Using communities of practice to explain how people learn from play

Although there is interest in the educational potential of online multiplayer games and virtual worlds, there is still little evidence to explain specifically what and how people learn from these environments. This paper addresses this issue by exploring the experiences of couples that play World of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of educational technology 2009-05, Vol.40 (3), p.444-457
Main Authors: Oliver, Martin, Carr, Diane
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Communities of Practice
Community Relations
Computer & video games
Computer Mediated Communication
Computer Simulation
Computer Uses in Education
Distance Education
Educational Technology
Electronic Learning
Games
Learning
Learning Processes
Nontraditional Education
Resource Materials
Social Environment
Virtual Classrooms
Virtual reality
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Summary:Although there is interest in the educational potential of online multiplayer games and virtual worlds, there is still little evidence to explain specifically what and how people learn from these environments. This paper addresses this issue by exploring the experiences of couples that play World of Warcraft together. Learning outcomes were identified (involving the management of ludic, social and material resources) along with learning processes, which followed Wenger's model of participation in Communities of Practice. Comparing this with existing literature suggests that productive comparisons can be drawn with the experiences of distance education students and the social pressures that affect their participation.
ISSN:0007-1013
1467-8535
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00948.x