This series of reports explores new forms of teaching, learning and assessment for an interactive world, to guide teachers and policy makers in productive innovation.
In recent years there has been an explosion of virtual worlds intended for early childhood populations;
however, because the majority of research on games and such worlds has focused on adults and
adolescents, we know very little about these spaces. This article attempts to address this gap by providing
a qualitative content analysis of the affordances that Webkinz World an online environment that as of
March 2010 had over 3 million unique site visitors per month, offers for children's literacy and
language development. Analyses suggest that the site provides unique opportunities for immersion in
literacy-rich contexts and academically-oriented practices that may enhance those that are readily
available in many children's daily lives. However, looking beyond the discrete linguistic and technical aspects of learning in Webkinz World reveals a designed culture with limitations on learning and a
constrained set of literacies and social messages that warrant further critical exploration.
In recent years there has been an explosion of virtual worlds intended for early childhood populations;
however, because the majority of research on games and such worlds has focused on adults and
adolescents, we know very little about these spaces. This article attempts to address this gap by providing
a qualitative content analysis of the affordances that Webkinz World an online environment that as of
March 2010 had over 3 million unique site visitors per month, offers for children's literacy and
language development. Analyses suggest that the site provides unique opportunities for immersion in
literacy-rich contexts and academically-oriented practices that may enhance those that are readily
available in many children's daily lives. However, looking beyond the discrete linguistic and technical
aspects of learning in Webkinz World reveals a designed culture with limitations on learning and a constrained set of literacies and social messages that warrant further critical exploration.
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