The book presents the possibilities and realities of virtual worlds in education through the application of 3D virtual worlds to support authentic learning, creativity, learner engagement and cultural diversity in higher education. It includes a unique variety of cross disciplinary approaches to research, teaching and learning in a virtual world, including analysis of data from the experiences of students in education, law, Chinese language, sustainability, computer architecture, business, health and the Arts. The book provides unique learning experiences that have celebrated the rich media of virtual world environments through the utilisation of affordances such as simulation, bots, synchronous interaction, machinima and games. The perspectives come from Australia and New Zealand higher education academics but transferable to any higher educational institution in the sector, worldwide, and is significant to various disciplines in the higher education field.

As innovation advances and grows, classrooms are able utilize more advanced technology to educate students. Through virtual learning environments, students can experience real-life tasks and situations more directly, promoting active engagement in education. Integrating Multi-User Virtual Environments in Modern Classrooms provides emerging research on the development of multi-user virtual learning environments and their potential role in education. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics, such as project-based learning, social learning theory, and interactive media, this book is a vital resource for educational researchers, school teachers, college professors, and instructional designers seeking current research on the benefits and integration of multi-user virtual environments in modern education.

"Using a case study analysis, this book provides a unifying perspective for discussing the viability of collaborative virtual spaces as training programs for insurance brokers, forums to support at-risk university students, simulations of historical places, means to aid autistic children learn social skills, repositories for digital libraries, collaborative spaces designing new university programs and emergency response training"--Provided by publisher.

This book explores how virtual place-based learning and research has been interpreted and incorporated into learning environments both within and across disciplinary perspectives. Contributing authors highlight the ways in which they have employed a variety of methodologies to engage students in the virtual exploration of place. In the process, they focus on the approaches they have used to bring the real world closer through virtual exploration. Chapters examine how the resources of the urban environment have been tapped to design student research projects within the context of an interdisciplinary course. In this way, authors highlight how virtual place-based learning has employed the tools of mapping and data visualization, information literacy, game design, digital storytelling, and the creation of non-fiction VR documentaries. This book makes a valuable contribution to the literature, offering a model of how the study of place can be employed in creative ways to enhance interdisciplinary learning.

"Recent technological advances have made virtual education an increasingly popular and effective degree program in many colleges and universities across the globe, and this academic book considers the challenges that students, faculty, and information specialists face in successful implementation. Current research is provided on designing e-learning environments to suit different cognition styles, forming online communities through group support systems and creative idea generation, and facilitating instructor-student communication and performance assessment. Attention is given to evaluating multimedia and educational software."

Over the last few decades, the use of virtual technologies in education, including foreign/second language instruction, has developed into a substantial field of study. Through virtual technologies, language learners can develop metacognitive and metalinguistic skills, and they can practice the language by interacting with real/virtual users or virtual objects, a very important issue for language learners who have no or little contact with native or target language speakers outside the classroom. Assessing the Effectiveness of Virtual Technologies in Foreign and Second Language Instruction provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of virtual technologies and applications in engaging language learners both within and outside the classroom. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as game-based learning, online classrooms, and learning management systems, this publication is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, scholars, educators, graduate-level students, software developers, instructional designers, linguists, and education administrators seeking current research on how virtual technologies can be utilized and interpreted methodologically in virtual classroom settings.