Computer games can be good for children, according a three-year study unveiled today by researchers at Brunel University.

They focused on the online game Runescape and concluded that, far from being a frivolous diversion from homework, it taught many valuable skills because the virtual worlds created by the gamers mirrored many aspects of the real world.

Gamers are invited to join highly disciplined co-operatives called Klans in which they share a common set of goals, adopt identities such as merchant or warrior and divide their time online between work and leisure.

Recent research has shown most children spend as much time on computer games as on their homework, says Nic Crowe, of Brunel's Centre for Youth Work Studies in the School of Sport and Education, who co-authored the report.

'This is the kind of information to strike fear into the hearts of concerned parents and educationalists alike, as they perceive it as idle 'downtime'. However, this is far too simplistic a view,' he said.

'Our study shows that the online gaming communities are complex and highly developed, acting as 'training grounds' for the transition from school to work.

'When playing, gamers are undergoing a complex process of 'work related learning' - learning how to cope with work scenarios - which is far removed from the traditionally held negative view of gaming.'

The study forms a chapter of a book, Youth Cultures: Scenes, Subcultures and Tribes, published by Routledge.

It is not the only sign that educationalists are taking computer games more seriously.

Professor David Buckingham, of London University's Institute for Education, said last month that computer games should be taught at school because they are as much a part of modern literacy as reading and writing.