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Some of the best results in recent years have emerged from virtual worlds through thoughtful design of the learning environment that leveraged what we know about how children learn, especially in collaborative, technology-mediated spaces.

In the design perspective with the longest history, games have been viewed as conduits or vehicles for the delivery of curricular content

The research literature suggests three different perspectives on designing games for learning

Second, with the growing sophistication of game play and its rise in the general population, educators have looked for game elements or “game mechanics” that can be borrowed and transferred to educational settings to improve engagement

A third perspective on the role of games and virtual worlds in education is organic: looking for and exploiting curricular topics inherent in popular games

Virtual worlds are typically more focused on exploration than a specific game mechanic and they open up other possibilities for learning

Research on science learning in these multi-user immersive virtual environments (Barab, et al., 2010; Dede, 2009; Neulight et al., 2007) suggests that authentic designs and contextual narratives around science phenomena are not only engaging but also help learners acquire deep science inquiry skills and conceptual knowledge