#9 Virtual Worlds

I have mixed feelings about Virtual Worlds.  I can see them as excellent teaching tools. Take for instance Van Gogh in second life.  One of the islands on Grid has a gallery with all Van Gogh's paintings.  In this gallery users are able to walk into the paintings. See the following two YouTube clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UQfm8f-BDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehSeGeBAbzQ&NR=1

I can see the value in a teacher taking their students to this gallery so that their students can develop a deeper understanding of Van Gogh and his artwork.  I also like the idea that the creators of second life will close off the island to other users while you take your students through (a great safety measure).  Where I struggle with virtual worlds is are we just feeding young adults with what is coined as hyper reality. Are we really teaching them that the virtual world is where all things are possible and that our real lives are just dull and boring in comparison.  I wonder, will we end up with a generation of people that spend more of their life in the virtual world rather than in the real world?  Something for us all to ponder!