Club Penguin
Ana Maria Sanchez
Rebecca Black
SURF-IT 2010
WOW
Research Question
What do children learn from online worlds?
Which technologies support or hinder this type of
learning?
•Part of a larger research project for Rebecca Black
focusing on virtual worlds and learning
Research Methods
• Qualitative Study
•Participant Observation
•20-30 hours a week, approx 25 weeks
•Screenshots, video and field notes
•Qualitative protocols
•Literacy
•Community
•Technology
•Identity
Virtual Worlds as Learning Environments
 Formal vs informal settings for learning
 Virtual worlds: Informal setting
 Learning Theory:
 Active constructors of knowledge
 Empowered learners
 Game design
 Allow players to contribute their knowledge
 Affect game play
What is Club Penguin?
Multiple Types of Learning
in Club Penguin
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Creativity
Critical thinking
Language development
Social, cognitive and emotional development
Peer to peer learning
Traditional Literacy Development
New Media Skill Development
Creating Identities
or even a robber
Club Penguin Related Sites
Traditional Literacy Skills
• Procedural genres of writing
• Help Sites
•Expository and persuasive genres
•Informational and opinion site
•Narrative and creative writing
•Fan fiction sites
• Developing a public voice/how to address audiences
•Blogs and YouTube
Club Penguin Related Sites
New Media Skills
•Peer to peer learning
• creating and viewing help or informational sites and
videos
•New Media Skills
•Access, evaluate and synthesize knowledge
•Judgment
•Networking
•Manipulating and creating technologies
Conclusion and Implications
• Virtual worlds are informal settings of learning that
provide multiple opportunities for learning
•Applications
•Design games that can facilitate certain types
of learning
•Incorporate the learning from games into
classrooms
•Future Research
•Case studies
Acknowledgements
 Rebecca Black
 SURF-IT and UROP
 Bill Tomlinson and the Social Code Group