Search

There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider in scope; it considers the range of collaborative gaming worlds that exist and discusses their potential for learning, with particular reference to higher education. The paper discusses virtual gaming worlds from a theoretical pedagogic perspective, exploring the educational benefits of gaming environments. Then practical considerations associated with the use of virtual gaming worlds in formal settings in higher education are considered. Finally, the paper considers development options that are open to educators, and discusses the potential of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) for learning in higher education. In all, this paper hopes to provide a balanced overview of the range of virtual gaming worlds that exist, to examine some of the practical considerations associated with their use, and to consider their benefits and challenges in learning and teaching in the higher education context.

Review of: Revolutionary Spirit: A Post-Punk Exorcism: The Teardrop Explodes, Care, The Wild Swans, and Beyond, Paul Simpson (2023) London: Jawbone, 296 pp., ISBN 978-1-91103-683-8, p/bk, £16.95 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on lessons learned from the development process of the entertainment games industry and discusses how they can be applied to the field of game-based learning. This paper examines policy makers and those wishing to commission or develop games for learning and highlights potential opportunities as well as pitfalls. The paper focuses on ten key points in which the authors feel from experience in both commercial game development and education that parallels are drawn between the entertainment and educational games development processes.

Review of: You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone: The Biography of Nico, Jennifer Otter Bickerdike (2022) London: Faber and Faber, 393 pp., ISBN 978-0-57135-001-8, h/bk, £20 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review of: Season of the Witch: The Book of Goth, Cathi Unsworth (2023) London: Nine Eight Books, 496 pp., ISBN 978-1-78870-624-7, h/bk, £22 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex Pistols: The End is Near, 25.12.77, Kevin Cummins (2020) New York: ACC Art Books, 176 pp., ISBN 978-1-78884-061-3, h/bk, £30 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciências da Computação is the property of Universidade Aberta and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the integration and interoperability of virtual worlds in various platforms including simulation, training, and education. It highlights that Aviation Industry CBT Committee (AICC) was one of the first bodies to produce the web-based educational content. It mentions that Virtual Reality Mark-up Language (VRML) permitted the definition of virtual environment in a mark-up language similar to hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editors discuss a paper on the challenges encountered in Learning Technology (LT) standard designs by Cooper, the skill and competence specifications for Information Technology for Learning, Education, and Training (ITLET) standardization by Wilson, and the additional standards for the virtual worlds technology by Livingstone and Hollins.