Read the text. For 1-8 write T if the statement is true according to the text, and F if it is false.
New research carried out by the BBC suggests that children aged 6–12 can learn important social
skills in virtual worlds. The BBC website says: «Virtual worlds can be valuable places where children
prepare for what they will do in real life». The lead researcher, Professor David Gauntlet, stated that
interacting with others online and exploring web worlds was better for kids than passive pastimes
like watching TV. He said the children adopted different roles when they ventured through the
virtual world. Some were explorers, others were social climbers, while others were fighters or
collectors. Professor Gauntlet indicated that the virtual world was a safe place for children to
rehearse real-life situations without the negative or painful consequences of the real world.
The BBC's research was carried out using children's BBC online world called Adventure Rock. In
it, children have to explore, create things and ask questions as they go deeper into the game. It
is a closed world where children's avatars cannot meet or communicate. Kids can share tips and
hints for other users on a message board, which is controlled and edited by BBC staff. There are
no chat rooms or discussion boards normally found in virtual worlds like Second Life. The emphasis
is on safety for kids in an online environment without advertising and sales tricks. Researchers also
asked parents about their feelings towards their children spending time in Adventure Rock. The
findings were presented at the Conference on Virtual Worlds for Children on 23 May 2008.
