Agenda for Future Research
MMORPGs offer a “new model for learning through meaningful activity in virtual worlds as preparation for meaningful activity in our post-industrial, technology-rich, real world” (Shaffer, D. W., Squire, K. R., Halverson, R., & Gee, J. P., December 2004)
Research should be directed toward understanding:
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how commercial enterprises create compelling virtual worlds
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how spending 1000s of hours participating in the social, political, and economic systems of a virtual world develops powerful identities and shared values
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how game players develop effective social practices and skills in navigating complex systems, and how those skills can support learning in other complex domains.
(Shaffer, D. W., Squire, K. R., Halverson, R., & Gee, J. P., December 2004)
Additional research is also needed to provide case studies in different disciplines, which focus on learning outcomes in addition to affective domains of learners. (Tokel & Cevizci Karats, 2014)