When eS3D content is amazing

Think in 3D by Clyde Dsouza

Recently reading Think in 3D made me think about those moments when 3D content is absolutely amazing in the classroom. How does that work? According to Dsouza, 3D content becomes truly amazing when:

It tells a story. Dsouza  is never apologetic in his passion for “the art of 3D storytelling.” Great eS3D doesn’t just focus student attention, it tells a vital story, one which students need to learn about in a given subject area.

It offers dwell time. Dsouza explains: “By its very nature, stereo 3D invites the user to look around a panoramic vista when presented… Giving the eyes and brain time to sample and savor a scene in these establishing shots key to successfully telling a story in stereo 3D.” This is something I have noticed in using great eS3D in the classroom—it compels more dwell time.

It offers out-of-screen real estate. Dsouza agrees with most teachers when he offers the opinion that “true stereographers know that out of screen real estate is invaluable to immersive 3D ...”  I can confirm his view. Out-of-screen real estate really matters to students.

It leverages 3D. Dsouza teaches that using 3D well “means that the unfolding story should know when to leverage 3D to heighten, ebb, or even alienate the audiences from the protagonist at appropriate stages during the screenplay.” Great eS3D in schools works in much the same way. The right learning object or scene geography is found at exactly the right depth—and for the right reason.

It activates our reflexes. Dsouza has observed that 3D is “a powerful phenomenon that can even activate our physical reflexes.” He notes “this is why we flinch or duck when we see something ‘flying’ out of the screen in a 3D movie. We don't usually have the same reaction in a 2D movie.” Great eS3D has the same effect on students—time after time.

It serves as a powerful trigger. Dsouza wonders: “Can stereoscopic 3D imagery be a ‘trigger?’ Could a scene in a 3D movie of balloons at a kid’s party trigger an emotional response in the audience remembering his childhood?” In education, we know that the mental images of stereo 3D content do indeed work the other way: eliciting greater recall, triggering, in the “mind’s eye,” a picture of a difficult or abstract concept.