Virtual Worlds, games and simulations can be powerful learning environments. They are engaging and designed so that there are incremental challenges and rewards. A well designed game has the ability to take a novice user and move them through the game environment toward some objective. It is possible to leverage game play to create compelling learning environments.

Often, commercial games often have huge development budgets while educational games are developed on a shoestring. Yet, some have found ways to utilize existing games and game design concepts to enhance classroom experiences or to even deliver rich learning environments to their students.

These adventures will introduce you to several ways that virtual worlds, games and simulations can be used in today’s classrooms. You will have a chance to learn how one history teacher used Civilization III to help teach World History. In another adventure, you can experience alternate reality gaming (ARG’s) while you learning about this emerging and engaging learning environment. Take time to explore the Forbidden City in a virtual world or go “in world” in Second Life.

• Adventures in Second Life

• Tour the Forbidden City

• Adventures in Games for Learning

• Adventures in Alternate and Augmented Reality Games (ARG's)