Learning Reflection and Creativity in Online Game Communities

Abstract

It is increasingly being recognized that participation in role-playing gaming communities contributes to the learning of their members. Within the field of educational research, there is a wide spreading interest in online communities and virtual worlds: Online technologies provide new opportunities for “anytime/anywhere” social interaction and the number of innovative curricular designs that incorporate online collaborative environments has been steadily increasing since such technology first emerged. As Lave and Wenger (1991) argue, understanding the learning in naturally occurring contexts, and not just formal ones, is crucial if we are to forward learning and educational theory and practice beyond the contexts we ourselves contrive. “We ought to investigate more naturally occurring, self-sustaining indigenous virtual cultures so that our theory might be a more accurate reflection of them and our practice a better reflection on them in days to come.” (Galarneau, 2004; Steinkuehler, 2005 p. 80-81)