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Virtual Worlds
Part I: Definition: What is a virtual world or a virtual environment?
A virtual world is a computer-based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and
interact via avatars. The computer accesses a computer-simulated world and presents perceptual
stimuli to the user, who in turn can manipulate elements of the modeled world and thus experiences
telepresence to a certain degree. Such modeled worlds may appear similar to the real world or
instead depict fantasy worlds. The model world may simulate rules based on the real world or some
hybrid fantasy world. Example rules are gravity, topography, locomotion, real-time actions, and
communication. Communication between users has ranged from text, graphical icons, visual
gesture, sound, and rarely, forms using touch and balance senses.
What research tells us:
Expanding Services for Libraries
Social History of Virtual Worlds
Virtual Worlds, Virtual Literacy
The following are examples of virtual worlds:
Active Worlds
Coke Studios
Cybertown
Disney's
Toontown
Dreamville
Dubit
Habbo Hotel
The Manor
Mokitown
Moove
Muse
The Palace
Playdo
Second Life
The Sims Online
Sora City
There
TowerChat
Traveler
Virtual Ibiza
Virtual Magic
Kingdom
Voodoo Chat
VPchat
VZones
whyrobbierocks
Whyville
Worlds.com
Yohoho! Puzzle
Pirates
Many of the virtual worlds are being used for today’s classroom, in K-12 classrooms and in higher
education. One example is ActiveWorlds. Active Worlds allows the participant to visit and chat in 3D-
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worlds that are built by other users. This website uses ActiveWorlds Educational Universe, a unique
educational community that makes the Active Worlds technology available to educational institutions,
teachers, students, and individual programs in a focused setting. Via this community, educators are able to
explore new concepts, learning theories, creative curriculum design, and discover new paradigms in social
learning. A second is SecondLife.
Part II: Examples of Second Life and virtual worlds in education
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Vassar 07 Sistine Chapel Vassar College Second Life Tour
San Jose State uses Second Life for Library Science (3.29)
An introduction to teaching and learning in Second Life (6.11)
Historical maps, GIS, and SecondLife Part I for librarians (10.25)
Historical maps, GIS, and SecondLife Part II for librarians (9.30)
Google Maps in Second Life (2.50)
Introduction to Second Life (4.13)
Libraries and Innovation by Lori Bell (This is a series of 7 workshops.)
Education in Second Life: Explore the Possibilities (6.01)
Ohio University Second Life Campus (2.34)
Science Learning Opportunities in Second Live (3.24)
Students Building a 3D Virtual World for High School (2.00) This was
completed by a private Christian school.
Science Education in Second Life, Part 2 (this is static and more like a
PowerPoint)
Interactive Science Lab (for middle school)
HK PolyU Second Life
Virtual World Tour (2.57)
Virtual Learning Labs
Virtual Medical Simulator While this is graphic, it gives you insight into the
capabilities of virtual teaching.
Virtual pets? (http://www.gadzi.com/animals/virtual-pets.html)
My Virtual Model (http://corpo.mvm.com/en/index.php)
The Virtual Body (http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp)
The Virtual Library (http://www.chart.ac.uk/vlib/)
The Virtual Laboratory (http://www.jhu.edu/~virtlab/virtlab.html
The National Archive of Virtual Manipulatives
(http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vLibrary.html)
The Virtual Cell (http://www.ibiblio.org/virtualcell/)
Virtual Insects (http://home.comcast.net/~sharov/3d/virtual.html)
Marapets (http://www.marapets.com/marapets.php)
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Integrating Technology: The virtual tour
These virtual field trips have been completed for the classroom. Check others out on
YouTube or TeacherTube.
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Virtual farm tour: Chicken farm (2.52)
Virtual tour: Vatican
London Heathrow Terminal 5 Virtual Tour
Virtual tour of Holocaust Survivors Exhibition
Art Institute of Chicago