Gather.Town, an interactive video-conferencing tool

Description: Gather.Town is an interactive and customisable web-conferencing tool. It is different from other similar ones, such as Zoom or Skype, in that, instead of just showing the webcam of users, it also provides a virtual space or room. Within this virtual space, which can have many different forms -that of a classroom or an office, for example—each user has an online self, i.e., a customisable avatar representing themselves. Users can move around in this virtual space, see who is also there (in the form of an avatar), and interact with other users. This interaction can be in the form of a chat or a virtual meeting. All in all, Gather.Town replicates a gathering in the physical world by providing virtual rooms and avatars with a “retro” appearance, or with clear aesthetical similarities to that of 8-bit games of the 1980s. It offers a free limited version and requires having an account for use.

Evaluation: Gather.Town can be a valuable and engaging tool since it offers an interactive approach to web conferencing and online teamwork. It is customisable and thus suitable for educators—in fact, Gather.Town has some pre-built virtual environments made specifically for classroom usage, such as pre-built classroom, campus, or lab settings. It also allows users to create their own spaces and add elements such as whiteboards or podiums to reproduce a classroom setting. Gather.Town can serve the purposes of collaboration, communication, education, and recreation. For learners, it can stimulate engagement and creativity by providing them with the opportunity to create virtual spaces and activities and collaborate with others on a web-conferencing platform with a gamified twist. Gather.Town has basic graphics that allow functioning across several operating systems with minimal lag. We recommend having a look at Carleton University’s article on Gather.Town.

Cost: Free for up to 10 users in the same space + paid options available.

Respect for privacy Privacy evaluations indicate how a tool handles personal data collection, storage, and sharing, including GDPR compliance and security measures, among others. The ICT-REV team provides them for informational purposes, reflecting our best understanding at the time of review, but assumes no legal responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of these evaluations and encourages users to conduct their own assessments: Medium/high. Gather.Town collects personal information such as email addresses, first and last names, and avatar-related data. This information is collected to provide, maintain, and improve its services, monitor usage, detect technical issues, and for marketing purposes. However, it does not sell this data to third parties and uses industry-standard methods for data encryption and key management. Gather.Town uses cookies that users can opt out of. It does not knowingly collect children user data—in fact, Gather.Town is not meant to be used by underage users. It acknowledges users’ right to access, modify, and delete their data. Gather.Town states compliance with the GDPR. See more here.

Type Of Interaction: Group/pair work - classmates, Whole class,

Content: Website/other users supply, You supply,

Usability and tech notes ▼