Thing 15 - online games in libraries

I have been looking into Second Life and other possible gaming scenarios for ways of using them in education. I think that the format is a great way to engage students. I also listened to a speaker that pointed out how gamers use many important skills while playing such as writing, problem solving, collaboration, etc. One difficulty is finding a format that is safe and appropriate for a school setting. An issue that I came across with Second Life is that there is an age limit for use of the student site. Some of the students I work with are "super seniors" - older than 18 - so they would not be able to use the student version of Second Life.

I still believe that MMOPRGs have a place in education. I also think that it will only be a matter of time before someone comes up with a format that is better geared toward educational settings. My other barrier has been time. But I am excited about the possibility of using gaming in the classroom, and I will continue my investigation.