Neopets+-+WilyKitKat

Neopets

What is the site's mission? (i.e. purpose of the community and its objectives). The site contains games that give you neopoints which allows you to upgrade outfit and feed your neopet. The games are often puzzle based or multiplayer.

Who are the community's members? Anyone can join. There is no way to determine who the person is or their age.

What are the guidelines for membership? You only need an active email account to join.

What are the guidelines for adult involvement? (teachers, parents) There is no messages or restrictions that require a parent to be present upon signing up. A child needs only to realize they can lie about their age to appear older.

What features are included in this site? (e.g. message areas, discussion forums, blogs, chats, photo and video sharing, games, etc…) There is a forum that discusses the aspects of the site that people maybe interested in. Anywhere from fan clubs to guides and help forums are available.

Is there a clear rationale for the features that have been included? Absolutely. The site is self perpetuating. Like many MMOs or social sites there is no ultimate ending to the game. There is always more points to earn to buy new products and skills.

In your opinion, can this site be used for an educational purpose? Can it be related to curriculum? Why or why not? This site serves no educational purpose. The games are puzzle based and reflect none of the NYS standards. Not to mention the fact that the site designed as a time sync with no real ending.

If it can't be directly tied to curriculum, would you recommend it to parents? Would you let your own children use the site? Why or why not? I would recommend this site to parents with a huge warning. Site like this are highly addictive. As I mentioned before the site is a continual set of time syncs. Meaning your child can spend hours on this site daily and will always have more to do. That being said I would recommend that parents limit their children’s exposure to this site. In moderate amounts the site can develop complex thinking and problem solving skills.

-Will