In virtual worlds such as MUDs, there are problems of theft, vandalism, and virtual rape. Gags and filters are computational solutions to deviant behavior. Z , rtf. To be presented at the National Educational Computing Conference in Boston, MA, June 1994. They can not only explore the virtual world, but extend it, creating new objects and places.
MUDs are Constructionist environments in which people build personally meaningful artifacts.
But unlike many Constructionist environments, MUDs place special emphasis on collaboration, encouraging construction within a social setting. Salient features of their learning experiences include ease of collaboration, availability of technical assistance from peers, playfulness, availability of an audience for completed work, and community spirit. The success of MUDs as a learning environment for adults points to its potential as a learning environment for children. In text-based virtual reality environments on the Internet called MUDs, it is possible to pretend to be the opposite gender. In these virtual worlds, the way gender structures basic human interaction is often noticed and reflected upon.