There is considerable hype around the purported affordances of virtual worlds to facilitate authentic learning in a variety of discipline areas. Though at first glance, virtual worlds look as if they would provide an ideal environment for this type of learning, in reality there are a number of factors that need to be considered in relation to these claims. As Sherry Turkle suggests, even though new technologies provide opportunities for being and learning, there is a risk that because the virtual is deliberately compelling, we believe that we are achieving more than we actually are (Turkle, 1995). Though experiences in virtual worlds can be immersive and engaging, they still may not be authentically educative for the user (Jackson & Lalioti, 2000). This chapter examines the claims surrounding authentic learning in virtual worlds with a view to determining their veracity