ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the need to research and improve visual and digital literacies in order to understand the effects of video games and virtual reality (VR) learning in academic settings. It accesses the lineage of visual literacy growth in light of important literature and advancements of technology. When in the classroom, these differences in skills and digital literacy development are noted and usually interpreted as an intellectual or communicative deficit. One of the stepping stones in Temple’s terminology and research into multimodal interactions such as video games and VR are comic books. Another arena where these terminology definitions are considered universal and regularly used is in film studies. Role-playing video games allow users to positively engage in pretend play, situated learning, and collaborative interactions. The opportunity for communication in video games and virtual worlds aids inter-player collaboration and allows for the exchange of multiple perspectives, yet also promotes competition.
