vAcademia – Educational Virtual World with 3D

Recording

Mikhail Morozov and Alexey GerasimovMari State Technical University, Russia

Mikhail FominykhNorwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

International Conference on Cyberworlds 25–27 September 2012. Darmstadt, Germany

3D Virtual Worlds

• Multiuser• Synchronous• Persistent• Facilitated by networked computers• Each user is represented by a single avatar• Three-dimensional graphical interphase• Social Worlds/Game Worlds

3D Virtual Worlds

• Multiuser• Synchronous?• Persistent?• Facilitated by networked computers• Each user is represented by a single avatar?• Three-dimensional graphical interphase• Social Worlds/Game Worlds

3D Virtual Worldsas learning environments

• Low cost and high safety• Three-dimensional representation of learners

and objects• Interaction in simulated contexts • Sense of presence • Variety of tools

Challenge

Synchronous - Asynchronous

Synchronous(online)

Asynchronous(offline)

TraditionalLearning Face-to-face classes

Text booksVideo recorded

classes

2D e-Learning Videoconferences Recorded videoconferences

3D e-Learning Classes in virtual worlds ?

Types of learning

Synchronous/live Asynchronous/content

Transformation of synchronous to asynchronous 2D e-Learning

Synchronous class

Asynchronous class

Face to face class

Videoconference

CMS/LMS

live/online

content

Proposal

Face to face class

Synchronous class

Asynchronous class

live/online

content

Transformation of synchronous to asynchronous 3D e-Learning

VirtCAST

Synchronous(online)

Asynchronous(offline)

TraditionalLearning Face-to-face classes

Text booksVideo recorded

classes

2D e-Learning Webinars Recorded webinars

3D e-Learning

Types of learning

Synchronous - Asynchronous

vAcademia

1. Starting a class in vAcademia

2. Press Recording button

3. Conducting a class in vAcademia

4. Press Stop button

5. New content – 3D recording of the class

6. 3D recordings – course content

Previous Work?

• Asynchronous Virtual Classroom (1999)• N*Vector (2000)• MASSIVE-3 (2002)• Wonderland

Teaching tools

Real world vAcademia

Chalk and board Interactive white boards

Pointer for each user

Pointer

Slide show presentations

Slide show presentations

Web camera sharing

Web camera

Desktop sharingDesktop

Teaching toolsTeaching tools

Backchannel

Clicker tools

Text, graphic, and voice notesText, graphic, and voice notes

Users may share their comments and impressions in the form of text, graphic, and voice notes.

CollectionCollection

Educational resources for both teachers and students may be uploaded into Collection.

Environment designEnvironment design

Users can organize learning space at any location of vAcademia by arranging the furniture in the way they like.

User’s 3D objectsUser’s 3D objects

Users can upload their own 3D objects in Collada format, which extends the possibilities for creating learning environments

Time machine

tR1 R2

R3

R4

R5

Real time class 1

Real time class 2

Real time class 3

Real time class 4

Parallel space

Parallel time

Real time class R0

R1

R1

R2

Recording

Replay

Recording

Web-site support

New course

3D recordings

3D recording info

Scenarios of use

• Visiting a 3D recording• by a group of learners• actively working inside• with almost the same presence effect

• Creating a new 3D recording being inside one• guiding learners only through some parts of

the original class• enhancing a class with additional discussions,

questions and comments• using text, graphic, and sound notes

Visiting a 3D recording

tLive class

R1 – 3D recordings of the class

R1

3D recording without some of the parts

x x x

R2

R1 – 3D recordings of the classt

R1

R2 – shorter 3D recording based on R1

3D recording with additional and replaced parts

x x

R1 – 3D recordings of the classt

R3 – longer 3D recording based on R1

R1

R3

3D recording with enhanced with notes

x x

R1 – 3D recordings of the classt

R4 – 3D recording based on R1

R1

R4

Current usage

• Several IT courses at the Mari State Technical University, Russia

Current usage

• English for beginners at the Mukogawa Women's University in Japan

Current usage

• High school advanced chemistry course in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia

Future directions

• Additional functionality • custom learning environments• convenient environment and teaching tools

• Improving accessibility• different operating systems• mobile devices• browser-based client

• New learning scenarios• synchronous and asynchronous activities• Virtcast – new type of user-generated content

• Collaboration in research

Thank you!

http://vacademia.com

http://www.facebook.com/vAcademia

@vacademia_info

http://www.slideshare.net/vacademia

Educational virtual world vAcademiainfo@vacademia.com

presented by Mikhail Fominykhmikhail.fominykh@svt.ntnu.no

http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~fominykh/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/fominykh

http://slideshare.net/mfominykh/

http://vacademia.com/userprofile/show/id/808