Prologue

[Extract] This eleven-chapter book is concerned with practical applications of three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds in online education. It is thought to be particularly timely due to the current ―state of play‖ of virtual world adoption and use across the tertiary education sector globally (see, for example, Dalgarno, Gregory, Carlson, Lee, & Tynan, 2012; de Freitas, 2008; Kelton, 2007; Kirriemuir, 2010a, 2010b, 2012). For several years, there was a great deal of hype surrounding the use of virtual worlds in academia for learning, teaching, research, and student support. However, as this initial hype has subsided and the technology is now displaying signs of approaching maturity (Lowendahl, 2013, 2014), we are seeing a body of sound, evidence-based strategies and practices that has accrued over time as a consequence of ongoing scholarship.