Abstract: Throughout history, humans have embraced games and virtual worlds as a way to transcend the body, enact and reinforce social rituals, test social and cultural practices, and defy the boundaries of time and space. In contemporary society, these social artifacts of ritualized play, roleplay, portals, and simulations have been transformed by the computer era. In response, social institutions and businesses are seeking to accomplish their missions through innovative models that leverage the public’s renewed enthusiasm for games and virtual worlds. In particular, educational institutions have an opportunity to integrate the everyday uses of computational thinking found in recreational game play and simulations into new pathways for social interaction, civic participation and play.

Kathleen Tyner is Assistant Professor at The University of Texas, Department of Radio-Television-Film. She is a researcher with significant experience in the research, evaluation and development of new media, media arts, science and engineering programs. Professor Tyner’s recent projects in the US include federally funded media and science learning and policy initiatives with the Miami Museum of Science (FL); Bay Area Video Coalition (San Francisco), ListenUp! (New York), LinkTV (San Francisco), the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture (CA); and the City of Portland Telecommunications Policy Board (OR). Her international work includes collaborative projects and speaking engagements with media scholars from Universidad Nacionales Educaciones Distancia (Madrid), The United Nation's Alliance of Civilizations-Media Literacy Clearinghouse, Universidade do Lisboa (Portugal), Universidade do Sao Paolo (Brazil). British Film Institute (London), the Economic and Social Research Council (Bristol, England), and the Australian Teachers of Media (Brisbane, Australia). Professor Tyner is author, co-author and editor of numerous books, articles and curricular materials related to new media, including Media Literacy (Routledge, 2009) and Literacy in a Digital World: Teaching and Learning in the Age of Information (Erlbaum, 1998). She is a member of the editorial boards and scientific committees for publications such as Rizoma (Spain), Communicar (Spain), English Teaching and Practice (New Zealand), and the International Journal of Learning and Media (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).