Orchestrating learning during implementation of a 3D virtual world

ABSTRACT There are many issues to be considered when designing virtual worlds for educational purposes. In this study, the term orchestration has acquired a new definition as the moderation of problems encountered during the activity of turning a virtual world into an educational setting for winter sports. A development case showed that community plays a key role in both the emergence of challenges and in the determination of their solutions. The implications of this study showed that activity theory was a useful tool for understanding contextual issues. Therefore, instructional designers first developed relevant tools and community-based solutions. This study attempts to use activity theory in a prescriptive way, though it is known as a descriptive theory. Finally, since virtual world projects have many aspects, the variety of challenges and practical solutions presented in this study will provide practitioners with suggestions on how to overcome problems in future.