An Australian and New Zealand scoping study on the use of 3D immersive virtual worlds in higher education

This article describes the research design of, and reports selected findings from, ascoping study aimed at examining current and planned applications of 3D immersivevirtual worlds at higher education institutions across Australia and New Zealand. The scoping study is the first of its kind in the region, intended to parallel and complementa number of studies conducted in other parts of the world. Results from a sector-widequestionnaire administered as part of the scoping study, portions of which arepresented in this article, appear consistent with international trends, especially interms of the platforms chosen and the dramatic increase in usage seen in recent years.Higher education teaching staff in Australia and New Zealand are using 3Dimmersive virtual worlds with their students in a variety of ways, for both assessable and non-assessable tasks and in face to face, fully online/distance as well as blendedmodesubjects, although use in face to face and blended contexts appears to be mostcommon. The results also provide some insight into the demographics (e.g. age) ofstaff who have adopted 3D immersive virtual worlds in their teaching, as well as intothe academic disciplines in which the technology is being employed.