The 3D virtual worlds are networked environments designed using the place metaphor. As an emerging technology for team collaboration, 3D virtual worlds have been widely recognised. However there is a general lack of research and practice in exploring and teaching design in 3D virtual worlds. Further, designing 3D virtual worlds is also a design discipline in its own right. To recognise such a significance, a postgraduate course "Designing Virtual Worlds" has been taught as a design subject since 2001. This paper shares our teaching experience and discusses principles for designing and teaching in 3D worlds. Drawing on the results from out recent cognitive studies of design collaboration in 3D virtual worlds, this paper concludes with future development on the course structure as well as the design of 3D virtual worlds as learning environments.
IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA 2007). Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA 2007) (Algarve, Portugal 7-9 December, 2007) p. 227-234