Direct classroom applications for Club Penguin are extremely limited, due to:
- monthly subscriber model, costing around $60 per child per year
- problematic reinforcement of consumerism that places an emphasis on status
- simple, click and point, mini-games that teach nothing beyond how to win the game
- current “digital divide”, disparity between tech-rich and tech-poor schools, makes computer-based learning limited
However, creating classroom applications that tap into the elements of Club Penguin and other virtual worlds is possible. For example:
- have students design and draw their own avatars, or representation of themselves - either in animal form, from a time period in history, or any other theme - award the avatar with a title or badge when the student completes a task or does something of merit (ie “Master of Sharing”, “Plant Waterer Extraordinaire”
- challenge students to design their own virtual world that doesn’t rely on acquiring stuff. What would the goals be? What would it teach? Who could visit your world?