Media Education Summit

(Social, Cultural and Civic) Participation in Virtual Spaces

Virtual spaces have paved a new way for social, cultural, and civic participation around the globe. Gaming in particular can enable players to engage with existing communities or establish new ones, thus allowing them to access information, build meaningful relationships, and perceive a sense of self-efficacy, which is particularly important for those who are subject to cultural, social or physical limitations in their everyday lives. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of online communication as well as its limitations, thus laying the foundation for a reevaluation of current approaches, especially in educational contexts.