In the long run, depending on what we find in the research, we should be able to have an influence. In the short run, there won't be any direct impact. Clifford Stoll is getting a lot of attention because of his book, Silicon Snake Oil . He argues these virtual worlds have a dark side. People become immersed in virtual communities and ignore their real communities.
Technology is a double-edged sword.
Even when a family watches television together in the same room, they can be isolated spectators rather than people who are sharing a common experience. The information infrastructures will have a somewhat better record, because at least they're interactive. But educators should be wary of placing too much emphasis on these virtual worlds. After all, the whole purpose of learning is to help you function more effectively in reality. It will require very careful design.