Title: Developing 3D Virtual Learning Environments

Presenters:

Barney Dalgarno
Charles Sturt University
bdalgarno@csu.edu.au

Intended Audience

Developers of technology-based educational resources.

It is expected that participants will have the following prerequisite experience:

• Web page development, including experience with directly coding HTML.
• Use of graphics software such as Photoshop or equivalent (knowledge of specific graphics software will not be assumed).

Objectives

It is anticipated that at the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

• Understand terminology pertaining to 3D environments, such as modelling, rendering, hardware acceleration, avatar, texture, lighting, collision detection, vertex, polygon and surface.
• Discuss the role of the various technologies pertaining to 3D learning environments, including (but not limited to) VRML, Active Worlds, Direct3D and OpenGL.
• Discuss the capabilities of the various tools that might be involved in developing a 3D learning environment, including (but not limited to) 3D Studio, Caligari trueSpace, Extreme 3D and Cosmo Worlds.
• Discuss and compare the various platforms that support multi-user 3D learning environments, including the Blaxxun Virtual Worlds Platform and Active Worlds Universe.
• Use a VRML browser such as Blaxxun Contact to move around, interact and communicate within a VRML environment.
• Use the Active Worlds browser to move around, interact and communicate within an Active Worlds environment.
• Use a modelling tool such as Caligaru trueSpace to create a simple 3D object to be used as a personal avatar within Blaxxun or Active Worlds.
• Use a text editor to create a simple VRML world.

Workshop Description

The workshop will begin with a discussion of 3D learning environments, their pedagogical basis and the technologies involved. Examples of 3D learning environments will be briefly demonstrated to help explain the ideas discussed. It is anticipated that this discussion and demonstration will be about one hour long.

The remainder of the workshop will consist of hands on exercises. Firstly, participants will explore, interact and communicate within various 3D learning environments. They will then develop a simple 3D object to be used as a personal avatar within a 3D environment. Lastly, they will develop a very simple 3D environment.

Presenter's Qualifications

Barney Dalgarno is a lecturer in Information Technology at Charles Sturt University. His qualifications are: Bachelor of Science (ANU), Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Canberra), Master of Applied Science (University of Canberra). His masters thesis was titled, Constructivist Computer Assisted Learning: Theory, Technique and Tools.

Barney has 14 years experience as an Information Technology educator, including workplace training, secondary and tertiary education. He has also published extensively in the learning technology area, including more than 20 refereed journal articles and conference papers.

Barney currently leads a team that is developing a 3D virtual chemistry laboratory, which, as well as being used in chemistry teaching as Charles Sturt University, will be a vehicle for addressing research questions relating to 3D learning environments in general.