My friend Kevin Howarth at Narcissistic Graffiti has a conversation going regarding a Wired article on gaming and its influences on the skills of the workplace of today (and tomorrow). Kevin's thesis, a heresy in the formal education sphere, is one that needs exploring as we move into a competitive, global space:
Consider this article from Wired. A year ago, I'd call myself a heretic for saying this, but there may be elements to the World of Warcraft or Second Life that can later be applied to the real world. I sincerely think all people are different in their learning, yet if they learn and later contribute, then is any of their knowledge acquisition to be faulted?