Tip of the Iceberg: Meaning, Identity, and Literacy in Preteen Virtual Worlds

Abstract

Every day millions of children ages four to 12 login to shared environments (SVEs) where they play, socialize, create, and explore a digital landscape as avatars, or virtual characters. While much of the research and media attention has been focused on adult environments such as Second Life, or massive multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, children's worlds comprise the largest and fastest growing segments of this online genre. Virtual environments are quickly becoming an important aspect of children's out-of-school lives. The challenge for educators is to see how spaces may be leveraged for learning and literacy. This article provides an overview of children's environments and presents a four-part framework for further analyzing these spaces. The author posits that SVEs may be viewed as (1) an identity space; (2) a new literacy; (3) a problem-solving context; and (4) an online community. The article concludes by suggesting a research program for the continued exploration of SVEs and the rich array of information practices that surround their use by young people.

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