Navigating Massively Multiplayer Online Games: Evaluating 21st Century Skills for Learning within Virtual Environments

There is a substantial and growing interest in immersive virtual spaces as contexts for 21st century skills like problem solving, communication, and collaboration. However, little consideration has been given to the ways in which users become proficient in these environments or what types of target behaviors are associated with 21st century skills. As a result, this exploratory study (n = 16) applied systematic direct observations to examine differences in expert and novice behaviors as they interact within the World of Warcraft (WoW). Trend analyses showed clear differences associated with the user's level of expertise. In addition, significant differences were found in variables associated with social and spatial attunement to WoW across three points in time. Based on these findings, researchers discuss implications associated with 21st century skills, broader educational applications of these findings, and future avenues for research.