Virtual Worlds - the future of education?

While most people think of Second Life when you mention virtual worlds to them, there are many different virtual worlds out there including Massively Multi-Player Online Games (MMPOG), 3D Virtual Worlds, such as Second Life, and even Education-focused Virtual Worlds.

The first educational focused virtual world was Whyville and was launched in April 1999 and currently has a player base of over 3 million users. In addition to colleges and universities using Second Life as a platform another project is AWEDU, started by Active Worlds, Inc.

While some may feel that virtual worlds are just another passing fad, I think they have real potential for enriching education. Virtual worlds allow a level of interaction not possible from reading a book, or listening to a lecture. What if instead of reading about the Sistine Chapel, you could travel to it and view the awe-inspiring masterpiece. I think the next step is to educate teachers on how to incorporate virtual worlds into their classroom as well as ensuring that schools technology infrastructure can support the interaction.