Collaborative problem solving was compared in SecondLife (SL) and Blackboard (BB) and both technologies were compared with a face-to-face (FTF) control condition. There were no performance differences overall, although FTF was quicker and preferred, followed by BB and SL. BB was perceived to be more usable, whereas SL provided better user experience. Worse performance was indicated by dislike of avatar interaction in SL, and poor user experience in BB, whereas better performance was associated with engagement with avatars, and better usability in BB. The affordances for collaboration in each technology are discussed, with reflections on the mixed methods approach using qualitative and quantitative data analysis.