How Immersion in Virtual Worlds Helps Students in the Real World
Abstract: Many people of different ages now participate in immersive virtual environments, from Club Penguin and Webkins through World of Warcraft, America's Army, and Second Life. The 2010 National Educational Technology Plan identifies immersive media as among the most powerful emerging technologies for learning. This session describes our research in designing and studying immersive virtual worlds as curriculum (digital ecosystems) and summative assessments (science inquiry).