Learning Social Skills in Virtual Worlds

Paper Summary:

This paper addresses the effects that virtual worlds and, more specifically, massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) have on the individual's social skills. The paper asserts that it is crucial that we gain a better understanding of how such media can be embraced and or rejected by the broader community, or even tailored to better meet the needs of the learner, be it a learner in literacy or any other educational goal, including but not limited to social skills.

From the Paper:

"The exponential growth of the Internet has created an astronomical number of options for entertainment and knowledge attainment, right at the fingertips of any connected individual. One of the most important functions of the internet is that it creates a virtual world where interaction is possible, be it to seek obscure messages or not so obscure pastime opportunities within the confines of ones own home. The stress of this function is that without leaving home an individual, theoretically could live nearly their entire life. This as a theory has both positive and negative outcomes, many of which are yet to be realized and or studied from a sociological and or psychological perspective. (Williams, Ducheneaut, Li, Zhang,Yee, & Nickell, 2006. pp. 338-339)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bataineh, A. A., Brooks, S. L., & Bassoppo-Moyo, T. C. (2005). Implications of Online Teaching and Learning. International Journal of Instructional Media, 32(3), 285.
• Elder, L. M., Caterino, L. C., Chao, J., Shacknai, D., & De Simone, G. (2006). The Efficacy of Social Skills Treatment for Children with Asperger Syndrome. Education & Treatment of Children, 29(4), 635.
• Gee, P. J. (2004) What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Jakobsson M. & Taylor, T.L. (2003) The Sopranos meet EverQuest: Social networking in massively multiplayer online game http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/dac/papers/Jakobsson.pdf
• Moore, R. J. & Ducheneaut, N. (2005) More than just 'XP': learning social skills in massively multiplayer online games Interactive Technology & Smart Education 2: 89-100

More papers on Learning Social Skills in Virtual Worlds:

• Essay # 22787 : "Social Interactions and Virtual Worlds"
• Term Paper # 107711 : "Teaching Social Skills in the Classroom"
• Research Proposal # 107971 : "Social Skills in Alternative Education"

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