Learning support in multi-user virtual environments

Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE) are seeing increasing use as educational platforms, despite having a number of deficiencies for educational support - both in terms of support for student learning as well as for learning management. In comparison with web-based Virtual Learning Environments (e.g. Moodle, Blackboard or WebCT) we see that MUVEs have a number of advantages and some distinct weaknesses. We outline the open source Sloodle project - a project which is addressing some of these weaknesses by integrating the web-based and 3D virtual learning environments - providing additional learning support to activities undertaken within 3D virtual spaces. Sloodle is currently being developed using the open source VLE 'Moodle' and 'Second Life' a popular MUVE. This paper details some of the existing functionality, covering tools for supporting student reflection; aids for enriching the emotive content of communications within the virtual space as well as tools for assessment and co-ordination and planning. We additionally detail how these features may be used to support the achievement of educational objectives when undertaking teaching and learning in 3D virtual environments.