EUROCALL/CALICO Joint Virtual Worlds and Serious Games SIG

EUROCALL and CALICO SIGs Ning site

It is clear that there is still keen interest in virtual worlds, both from relatively novice Second Life users and experienced practitioners. Indeed, since the establishment of this joint SIG with CALICO back in 2009, substantial research is still being conducted into identity development within virtual worlds and how learners interact with these alternate discourse communities.

The recent spark of interest in ambient learning, MMORPGs and language in the wild have also made Serious Games a trending theme once more, with the SIG, in many ways, becoming more relevant than ever. As more of our language learners engage with this technology on a regular basis, there is scope to argue that pedagogues must too, if they are to drive the learning forward.

To that end, a new Chair, Dr Susanna Nocchi from Dublin Institute of Technology, and Co-Chair, Chris McGuirk from the University of Central Lancashire, are working to explore new angles, and breathe new life into this ever-growing area of research. With the combined enthusiasm of Susanna for Virtual Worlds and Chris for all things gamification, the hope is that the SIG will continue to grow, along with the potential for fascinating, collaborative research with a real-world impact.
For more information, feel free to contact us: vwgames.eurocallsig@gmail.com.