Analytic Post

Hi,
Today I would like to comment on MSNBC article "Virtual world teaches real-world skills. Game helps people with Asperger's practice socializing" posted by columnist Tom Loftus on 25 Feb 2005(URL : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7012645// ). Although it is commendable that virtual world such as "Second life" creates an evironment that allows the teaching of social skill, it however does not teach real-world skills. Tom Loftus apparently subscribes to dualism perspective of constructivism(Packer and Goicoechea, 2000) where learning soicial skills among avatars in a virtual world is equated with learning in real-world. I do agree that learning can take place but the learning is only applicable when in virtual world. My stand as expounded by Packer and Goicoechea(2000) belongs to the nondualist social-cultural perspective of learning where the learning of social skills is constructed within the Asperger person through practical multiple social transactions(ontology of relativism) with real people in the real environment of rich context. Many social skills taught to autistic people in ideal conditions of therapy using Applied Behavioral Analysis techniques were found not to be transferable in other context of the real world and needs to be taught again in the actual real rich context. I have also personal real experience of this observation with my autistic children to substantiate this claim.
Moreover, Bennet(2004) in "Testing Theories and Explaining Cases" of National Science Foundation publication "Workshop on Scientific Foundations of Qualitative Research" has explained that a case study such as the one reported by Tom Loftus may be relevant only to an improved historial explanation of that case with particular configuration of variables, of which case is a member(Bennet, 2004, p.50). A case in point, is that the variables of the facial expressions, body languages, temperature, wind, humidity, subtle lighting as well vocal intonations during social transactions are not reproduced in the virtual world. The generalisation by Tom Loftus that "Virtual world teaches real-world skills" is thus without validity.
Thus for real-world skills to be taught it needs to be experienced and socially constructed by the Asperger in the real world with real people of which there are of various personalities from different cultures, different languages and different gender. In any case the claim stills needs to be qualified to certain constructed context only.

My Thoughts!
Norman