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Youth leadership development in virtual worlds: A case study

2010; Elsevier BV; Volume: 2; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.485

1877-0428

Selen Türkay, Devayani Tirthali,

Youth Education and Societal Dynamics

This paper discusses the impact of ‘The Dream It. Do It Initiative’ (D.I.D.I.), an informal learning program implemented in Teen Second Life (TSL), on leadership development. We found support for using TSL as a venue for leadership exploration. Specifically, we found that venturers became aware of the community issues in these worlds; they gained leadership skills such as teamwork, determination, and responsibility; and they learned how to use their mistakes to improve their projects. We conclude that virtual worlds, as “places for engagement”, can indeed be used to help youth explore their leadership potential with support from parents and educators.