I'm published in the latest issue of "Journal of Interactive Learning Research":
The article I co-authored is titled, Civic Participation Among Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students in Multi-User Virtual Environments. Here's our abstract:
Technological
advances on the Internet now enable students to develop participation
skills in virtual worlds. Similar to controlling a character in a video
game, multi-user virtual environments, or MUVEs, allow participants to
interact with others in synchronous, online settings. The authors of
this study created a link between MUVEs and participation in civic
activities by seventh grade students. This purpose of this case study
was to evaluate how face-to-face cooperative structures would translate
to an online setting. The study also assessed whether working
cooperatively in a MUVE would have an effect on student civic
participation. The virtual environment did provide an authentic setting
for students to practice the civic lessons they learned in class.
Student involvement in a participatory culture generally translated to
an increased tendency to be civic-minded.
Here's the to the article link: http://www.editlib.org/j/JILR/
Finally, here's the official citation:
Zieger, L. & Farber, M. (2012). Civic Participation Among Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students in Multi-User Virtual Environments. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 23(4), 393-410. Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
