Virtual worlds

Unter den Linden, Second Life (Source: J. Yardley, goo.gl/uUavuM, under CC BY-SA 3.0 licence)

The nature of virtual worlds

Virtual worlds are fully simulated 3-dimensional digital environments, much like gaming environments, which users enter in the form of a character known as an avatar. Virtual worlds are sometimes also referred to as MUVEs (Multi-User Virtual Environments). The difference between virtual worlds and gaming environments is that the former do not typically involve the kinds of game-like goals, quests and challenges which are an integral part of the latter.

While virtual worlds have some commonalities with web 2.0, in that they facilitate multimodal interaction and collaboration across the internet, they are more closely linked to the web 3.0 concept of the geospatial web. A decade or so ago, virtual worlds were widely viewed as being at the cutting edge of educational technology development, with many educational institutions establishing a presence and running interactive classes and meetings on the best-known platform, Second Life. In the intervening years, interest in virtual worlds has waned as educators have turned their attention to emerging forms of mobile learning which do not focus on a separate digital realm, but rather focus on (re-)integrating the virtual and the real through augmented reality (AR) and similar paradigms.

However, as a subset of virtual reality (VR) platforms, virtual worlds may yet see a new lease of life with the increasing popularity of VR or extended reality (XR) headsets that offer a much more immersive experience than a flat computer monitor. Virtual reality simulations – for example, of locations inaccessible from a classroom, or of phenomena that cannot normally be directly viewed or experienced – are now coming to play an important role in education, especially though not exclusively in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. It remains to be seen how AR, VR, virtual worlds and associated interfaces and platforms may connect with the concept of the Metaverse, as promoted by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (the parent company of Facebook), and others.

Learning with virtual worlds

For now, traditional virtual worlds continue to offer some opportunities for immersive, situated learning in a simulated environment. In a virtual world like Second Life, students can visit museums and galleries whose layouts match those of their real-world counterparts. They can visit simulations to learn about everything from the structure of molecules to customs in Ancient Rome. They can practise skills in areas ranging from patient-doctor consultations to urban design, building up confidence before embarking on real-world encounters or entering real-world scenarios. Given the linguistic nature of most avatar-to-avatar interactions, there is potential for language learning, with effective communication depending also on the development of digital literacies. There has been some discussion of the importance of situated cognition, based on the notion that embodiment has a major impact on the way we learn. Although avatars’ bodies, like virtual worlds themselves, are simulated, it may be that even simulated embodiment affects the nature of the learning that takes place. Related research is taking place in gaming environments, which combine many of the features of virtual worlds with game-oriented goals, as noted above. Machinima movies made in virtual worlds or gaming environments may also have educational value in presenting new perspectives on their subject matter.

Some virtual worlds can be accessed on the web, though others, including Second Life, still require users to download specialised (but generally free) software. For more information about Second Life, take a look at the Second Life YouTube channel, and for more information on education in Second Life, see Second Life’s Education page, the Second Life Wiki’s sections on Education and Second Life Education, or the Second Life for Educators Facebook Group.

Other virtual worlds include Decentraland, There, and the live events-based Sansar; note that Twinity went offline in 2021, and AltspaceVR was closed down in 2023. Meta is currently experimenting in this space with its Horizon Worlds. There are some virtual worlds for children, which typically roll virtual world, social networking and gaming features into a single platform; these include Habbo (formerly Habbo Hotel) and Whyville; note that the formerly popular Club Penguin/Club Penguin Island was closed down in 2017/2018, and Moshi Monsters was closed down in 2019. Although Teen Second Life was discontinued in 2011, teens can enter Second Life subject to certain restrictions.

There has been some educational interest in the multi-platform OpenSimulator, where users can create their own customised virtual worlds; other platforms for creating virtual worlds include Activeworlds, Kitely and Multiverse. There is some possible overlap with game creation platforms, as covered on the gaming page of this site.

New AI-powered tools for generating virtual worlds (or virtual reality experiences) from images are on the horizon, with one early development in this space being from World Labs.

Last update: December 2024.