This article explores the experience of a researcher who was part of a pan-European team exploring one of the currently available avatar worlds used for educational purposes. The article reports research undertaken as part of the European Union (EU)-funded project EQUEL (e-quality in e-learning) from the point of view of a single researcher. The EQUEL project was organised into several Significant Interest Groups (SIGs) and the Agora SIG was set up to explore knowledge-sharing in 3D (three-dimensional) avatar-based systems, in particular Active Worlds Educational Universe (AWEDU-http://www.activeworlds.com). AWEDU is a relatively common, stable and explored 3D system. Further details of the research reported here can be found in papers presented by Jensen and Fejfer Olsen et al at the networked learning conference 2004 (http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/past/nlc2004). (Contains 1 note and 7 figures.)