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A Developmental Lens for Designing Virtual Worlds for Children and Youth

January 1, 2009 | Media and Technology
Virtual communities have been extensively examined -- including their history, how to define them, how to design tools to support them, and how to analyze them. However, most of this research has focused on adult virtual communities, ignoring the unique considerations of virtual communities for children and youth. Young people have personal, social, and cognitive differences from adults. Thus, while some of the existing research into adult virtual communities may be applicable, it lacks a developmental lens. Based on our work of designing and researching virtual worlds for youth, we describe six important aspects of virtual worlds for children, with each aspect manifesting itself differently at each stage of human development: (1) purpose, (2) communication, (3) participation, (4) play, (5) artifacts, and (6) rules. By understanding how these six aspects impact youth virtual communities, researchers will be better able to evaluate and design them.

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Laura Beals
    Author
    Tufts University
  • Marina Umaschi Bers
    Author
    Tufts University
  • Citation

    Publication Name: International Journal of Learning and Media
    Volume: 1
    Number: 1
    Page Number: 51
    Resource Type: Peer-reviewed article
    Discipline: Education and learning science | Technology
    Audience: Pre-K Children (0-5) | Elementary School Children (6-10) | Middle School Children (11-13) | Youth/Teen (up to 17) | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media | Games, Simulations, and Interactives

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