Video Games and Social Networking. The process of Identity in The Sims 3

Abstract

Social networks and video games have become a reality in the daily lives of our youth. They provide a new means of entertainment that allow them to connect and communicate with friends, family or just people with common views. The aim of this study is to create a scenario by introducing innovative commercial video games and social networks as educational resources in the classroom. The experience described in this paper is part of the project "Video games. Educating in a Global Society (www.aprendeyjuegaconea.com), where for the 2010-2011 academic year has worked with three secondary schools of the Community of Madrid. Performing different workshops from social simulation game The Sims 3 and the social network "Play and Learn" created for this work. From an ethnographic perspective, this article shows the use of teachers and researchers conducted these means, from communications with and generated by the students. Using a simulation game like The Sims and the dialogs shown by the students, we can discover how they have shown themselves to introduce their characters in the social network and even create new stories based on his experience in the game, acquiring different identities in the virtual world.