© Pathfinder Linden

Educators from a recent webinar (online seminar) discussed the benefits of online gaming. eSchool News reports:

"Online gaming can help students develop many of the skills they'll be required to use upon leaving school, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity, agreed educators who spoke during an April 16 webinar on gaming in education.

Sharnell Jackson, the chief eLearning officer for chicago public schools and the webinar's moderator, noted that gaming and simulations are highly interactive, allow for instant feedback, immerse students in collaborative environments, and allow for rapid decision-making."

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of virtual simulations. Many educators believe that educational interaction via sites like Second Life (pictured above) make it easier for students to grasp material. But, I prefer to learn by actually doing something - or by reading about it independently. I seem to be a divergent view on this issue, however, and many online college students are more than happy to spend their school hours in an online game.