Living in immaterial worlds: Who are we when we teach and learn in virtual worlds?

A revolutionary feature of virtual environments is the opportunity they provide for learners to transform the way in which they present themselves. Their virtual interactions are mediated through the personae of their avatar. This chapter considers the nature of an avatar and how it enables the expression, or creation, of an individual learner’s identity. For those whose see learning as a sociocultural process, the issue of identity and how it is negotiated is crucial. This chapter examines this issue in relation to the impact of trust, attachment and group affiliation. It concludes that, along with the positive opportunities that freedom of appearance and action bring, there are risks whose negative consequences can potentially extend beyond the virtual world.