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Support

Virtual World Watch is partially a volunteer effort, and partially funded through small scale funding. More funding is required so time can be ringfenced for future research, snapshot compilation and dissemination activities.

VWW can be supported in the following ways.

Contributing content

If you are in the UK Higher or Further education sectors, and involved with virtual worlds in some way, then say what you’re doing for the latest snapshot. This helps you as well, providing a free platform for dissemination.

Funding research

VWW can undertake research in the use of virtual worlds in teaching and learning. Ideally, VWW will undertake small scale desk-based research. Particular research themes on which VWW is strong are:

  • The indexing of items, people and structures in virtual worlds, and the effectiveness of search mechanisms.
  • Measuring how useful or effective virtual worlds can be in education.
  • Comparing the potential of virtual worlds used in education.
  • Literature reviews, and the collation of research findings, of the use of virtual worlds in teaching and learning.
  • Measuring the costs involved, and potential savings, in partially or fully replacing ‘real world’ events with ones using virtual worlds.
  • Similarly, measuring the CO2/environmental savings by using virtual worlds in academia.

VWW will consider approaches for sole pieces of work, or as part of an academic or non-academic consortium.

Donations or grants

VWW keeps a careful track of how much time is spent researching and maintaining the service. All donations or grants, of any size, directly increase the amount of time ringfenced for this work. All donations are used only on VWW activities.

All funding is appreciated. The Paypal button here is one option for contributing:

Contact VWW for other options of awarding donations or grants. Receipts or other appropriate acknowledgement can be provided on request.

VWW is happy to discuss the sponsorship of a snapshot report, or the mention of a funding source or donation on this website. Note that although we can take donations from the developers of virtual worlds, we cannot allow any such funding to influence the political and editorial policy of Virtual World Watch.

Contact

For all support enquiries, contact john (@) virtualworldwatch.net