This week it was all about gaming. There were a lot of choices but in the interest of time, I decided to try a few arcade and puzzle games. I have seen second life and the World of Warcraft in action and of course who hasn’t heard of Dungeons & Dragons! Recently the CBC had a great documentary exploring the world of gaming showcasing everything from universities’ presence in Second Life including offering credit courses to explaining the inner and outer workings of some of the most popular MUSH and MMPROG games. They even interviewed a man who mortgaged his house to purchase virtual property which he hopes to resell within the game. We all know avatars need a place to live and he’s betting you will like his complex. Now that’s gaming! My more “tame” adventures included the puzzling bookworm, the “dazzling” jewels of bejeweled, and the ever moving balls in Zuma. I think I see colours flashing before my eyes. I also took a quick look at IMVU and decided to build an avatar. By the time I was ready to see her I had to register for an account and must admit I was getting tired. So, virtual living will have to wait for another day. To round off my exploration, I took a quick look at FLYFF and played a game of Mystery solitaire.
Does gaming have a role in education? Let’s see over the next year or so if the evidence pans out and supports all the theories. Outcome assessment can be very challenging but the benefits are out of this world. 
I see from the Daily News that the library is about to begin offering virtual reference in Second Life. I’m looking forward to hearing updates during the pilot.
