Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

By definition, a "Virtual World" is a computer-based simulated environment that can be populated by people throughout the world at any given time. People are allowed to personalize their avatar to represent themselves in these worlds that allow them to participate in activities in these worlds and to communicate with other people. Diane Mehta names a primary example of a "Virtual World", which is Minecraft. Minecraft is a "Virtual World" game that has been out for several years that allow users who purchase the game, to explore a world that is independent of reality and to live in that world as if it were their own. Primarily, it is a "space for kids to exercise their imagination and to connect with others to create build things together".
What makes Minecraft and it being a Virtual World special is that it allows children, primarily those of ages 5 - 15, to use this Virtual World as a medium for communication, social entertainment, social connections, and most importantly, learn in an isolated environment. It provides the sense of being away from reality and being away from what they have to worry about.

Because Virtual Worlds have been relatively new up until the last 10 years or so, it has now been ingrained into almost everyone's everyday lives. Previously, people have refused to adapt to new technology such as this. "The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Virtual Classroom and the Role of the Teacher" write that nearly 80% of teachers in the year 2000 have been reluctant to learn and adapt to this new concept of a "Virtual World" or even a "Virtual Classroom". Several of these reasons include the feeling that the Virtual Classroom method is inefficient, that new technology can be confusing to many people, and that students may not remain responsible enough to stay focused on the class.
The advantages of introducing a Virtual Classroom include easier organization of classroom documents, the creation of a "Virtual Notebook" that allows students and teacher to locate notes easier, and the ease of accessibility to lessons if they are not present.

The future looks very promising at the rate that we are progressing at as a society. Because the Internet has become a necessity in our lives rather than a luxury, many of us are shifting towards a technologically based environment rather than the "old fashioned" in-person and physical environments. Virtual Worlds have their pros; they allow an individual to be isolated and to be themselves through an avatar in which a community can be fostered and relationships can be created. The cons however, are that people would lose themselves in reality as they invest more in their virtual life than their physical life.

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