Edusim is a
cave automatic virtual environment "Immersive Touch"
3D natural user interface
In computing, a natural user interface (NUI) or natural interface is a user interface that is effectively invisible, and remains invisible as the user continuously learns increasingly complex interactions. The word "natural" is used because most c ...
(NUI)-based concept of lesson driven (multi-user) 3D virtual worlds on the classroom interactive whiteboard or classroom interactive surface. The Edusim concept is demonstrated by the Edusim ''free and
open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
'' multi-user
3D Open Cobalt virtual world platform and authoring tool kit modified for the classroom
interactive whiteboard
An interactive whiteboard (IWB), also known as interactive board or smart board, is a large interactive display board in the form factor of a whiteboard. It can either be a standalone touchscreen computer used independently to perform task ...
or surface. The Edusim application is a modified edition of the open source Open Cobalt Project and relies heavily on the affordances of
direct manipulation of 3D virtual learning models and
constructionist learning
Constructionist learning is the creation by learners of mental models to understand the world around them. Constructionism advocates student-centered, discovery learning where students use what they already know, to acquire more knowledge.Ale ...
principles.
Goals
The goal of the Edusim project is to provide an example platform, and initial resources for demonstrating the use of lesson driven
3D virtual environments in the classroom or for training purposes using interactive surfaces and/or whiteboards as the hardware platform for the "immersive touch" 3D NUI direct manipulation of the 3D learning content. For example, students are able to play with 3D renderings of dinosaur fossils and study the flight of birds from every angle.
History
The Edusim project originated and the term "immersive touch" 3D natural user interface was coined in September 2007 at the Greenbush Education Service Center in Southeast
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...
as an effort to bring an engaging 3D experience to the classroom interactive whiteboard. Pilot groups were established with 6th and 7th grade middle school students throughout Southeast Kansas to observe how students would engage with the software, and how the user interface would need to be augmented to account for the affordances of the interactive whiteboard, and the usability of the students.
Immersive Touch
Immersive Touch natural user interface is defined as the direct manipulation of 3D virtual environment objects using single or multi-touch surface hardware in multi-user 3D virtual environments. Coined first to describe and define the natural user interface learning principles associated with Edusim. Immersive Touch natural user interface now appears to be taking on a broader focus and meaning with the broader adaption of surface and touch driven hardware such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and a growing list of other hardware.
Emerging and potential immersive touch environments
*
Smartboard 3D Tools: Smartech deployed the first commercial Edusim UI in their 3D Tools product.
*
Google Earth on a collaborative interactive surface.
*
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operati ...
{{Portal, Free software
References
Edusim functions and functionalities Weblog - Greenbush Labs. (11-20-2007).
Key points to variations of the Edusim IWB environment Weblog - Greenbush Labs. (2-9-2008).
Edusim and the Mobile Immersive Learning Lab Weblog - Greenbush Labs. (2-28-2009).
Immersive Touch and Edusim Weblog - Greenbush Labs (8-2-2009)
External links
Official website
Free software
2007 software
Virtual reality