Young people can benefit from experiences in virtual worlds, as they help them develop key learning skills.
Young people can benefit from experiences in virtual worlds, as they help them develop key learning skills.
Academics at Brunel University undertook a three-year study into RuneScape, a popular online game with people aged between 11 and 18, and concluded that online gaming worlds develop the imagination of youngsters.
As in the real world, interaction between players of RuneScape is dictated by the environment, according to the researchers.
But aspects of the virtual world offer players opportunities they may not have in the material world.
"Young people whose parents could not afford a summer holiday enjoyed virtual holidays online," said Dr Simon Bradford of Brunel University.
Runescape is a game with over nine million members worldwide and offers players an opportunity to experiment with different aspects of identity such as gender, race and ability.
The research was conducted by Brunel's School of Sport and Education, one of eight schools in the west London University.
www.brunel.ac.uk
www.runescape.com
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