Using Roberta B.

It all started when one day my 4 year old son Davide came home from school and told me about reality and virtuality.

Intrigued, I asked him some questions and discovered that he really did have a clear idea of the difference between the two concepts. He was able to describe different forms of reality and virtuality and, above all, wanted to explain it to my mother-in-law, who knows absolutely nothing about such things.

I was already aware that my son was using a computer in his nursery school. I had seen some of the interactive programs used by the teachers and, to be honest, knew that he had achieved a level of skill with the computer that neither I nor his father have yet managed to do. He demonstrated both computer language skills and knowledge of the tools and, above all, had none of that fear of the machine that I still feel.

In other words he had a natural skill in using the computer that amazed me.

At the same time he was not dependent upon it (as my husband had feared); he used the computer just like any other game.

But to return to reality and virtuality... I began to wonder. My son spoke about a school of wishes and what he and his classmates wanted to build there. He told me that they wanted a swimming pool and spoke of "friends far away" who were building things for them.

I was totally confused and decided to find out exactly what these "strange" teachers (Linda and Patrizia) were doing, partly because I felt unable to understand the work that my child was doing and I didn't like that.

I asked the teachers some questions and after a detailed explanation, of which I understood nothing, Linda suggested that I download the "suspect" program from the Internet, which she said would make everything clear.

But I have to confess that I wasn't able to and so Linda calmly sent it to me by e-mail adding all the instructions (step by step) to install it (I should mention that I'm not much of an expert with computers).

I travelled through the worlds for the first time on my own and it seemed like a fantastic experience. I immediately found friends who showed me how to move and even raced one another to be the first to teach me how to use the "buttons". But I have to admit that there was one great fear that bothered me. It seemed absurd to imagine that my son was working on that program.

Then I decided to ask the teachers to accompany me on a trip. And so we made an appointment in the virtual world and I met one of the teachers in AW and Albert, one of my son's "distant friends".

Step by step they took me around the Winter world created for the children and I saw their drawings and their fantasies.

Albert, Giro and Onda taught me how to "walk" through this fabulous world, where I was still very apprehensive, and, with kindness and authority, these expert guides encouraged me to wander around among the houses, schools, games, flowers, dogs and a thousand other things.

My head was spinning from the problems of using the computer and understanding the program. I looked and tried to work out how it was possible to enter a virtual world like this. What bothered me was the absurd idea that my son of barely 4 years of age was able to use such an instrument while I was having difficulty in finding my way around.

At the end of the trip I saw my child's name and his drawing on a house. So it really was true! I felt a strange sensation as if I had violated a magic world and my guides were aware of this because I remember their virtual laughter. At that very moment of intense emotion my son came into the study and said calmly: "Oh, mum, you're in our world too. Look at Albert and our school. Look, mum, that's my drawing! Do you like it?"

A little embarrassed, I said yes and that I was having a trip to see their work. He was delighted and wanted to continue but, by now, it was late and the three of us ended our evening meeting in a magical virtual world.

http://www.descrittiva.it/calip/orsa.html

Following this, I made several other trips with my son and I have even passed on the program to other friends who now use it successfully. In a virtual world you can organize a world made to measure for children, thanks to the enthusiasm and effort of certain slightly "strange" teachers and the virtual friends who have shared their work.

They have taught me a lot, both as a professional person and as a mother, and I can only thank them for what they have done, for the love that they have put into their work and for their patience with me, a slightly inquisitive mum. I have discovered that through a machine it is possible to organize a child-sized worl.