TEDx DenverEd

Another interesting aspect to ISTE 2010 was my own TEDx Denver Ed speech focusing on what 3D means for education. Thank heavens for amazing editors, who were adeptly gifted at removing my nervous mistakes! Take a look!

Tethered 3D Learning

In an early entry in this blog, I introduced the 3D content taxonomy represented in the chart below:

In this post, I originally groused (in reference to 3D movie or movie segments): "There's not much educational value there, except the 'grab' factor. Don't stay fixated here too long." Well, live and learn. I was a bit wrong. At the ISTE 2010 national technology conference in Denver, I spoke with Dr. KJ Brar, who is the president of Designmate (www.designmate.com), perhaps the largest producer of 3D content in the world. After some thoughtful conversations with Dr. Brar, I learned something quite important. Although movie segments are indeed more passive learning experiences than their other cousins on the 3D content taxonomy, they can still play a very important role in 3D learning. When tightly tethered to interactive simulations, 3D movie segments can provide the sound base of knowledge and context that students need in order to fully explore a simulation and firmly understand the concepts being presented. Although 3D movie segments have less value when they stand alone in instruction, in tandem with interactive simulations, movie segments have real value. Now, six months after I spoke with Dr. Brar, his words have borne out in our classrooms. Short video segments are indeed highly effective.

3D Comes to School

Here's an unabridged version of my recently published article, "3D Comes to School." This article highlights some of the best approaches in exploring 3D, and it highlights the benefits of using various content providers and folks who can help you get started (integrators). The magazine-published version suffered through the excessively sharpened scalpel of seasoned editor, so this version will serve you with much better detail.

Demystifying 3D Content

Here's a bit more explanation of each of the categories in my taxonomy:

3D Movies
Explanation: Full-length 3D movies, or video segments designed professionally (with Hollywood or production studio quality).
Blog Author's Commentary: There's not much educational value here, except the 'grab' factor. Don't stay fixated here too long. 

Learning Objects
Explanation: A large library of easily accessible 3D objects, focused video shorts, and models (e.g., the solar system, DNA, atomic particles, geometric shapes, landforms, and maps) that are used by the instructor to clarify working components, concepts, relationships, comparisons, and/or misconceptions; these objects may be easily shown, rotated, or labeled.
Blog Author's Commentary: An essential first tool in the 3D educator's toolkit; however, the educator will need to employ high-level strategies (kinesthetic connection, higher-order thinking and questioning, focusing on misconception, and/or peer teaching) in order to maximize the educational potential of 3D learning objects. Firms that produces quality 3D learning objects include DesignMate and NavTech.

Micro-simulations
Explanation: A small, interactive simulation of an object, process, or phenomenon; interactivity implies the ability to manipulate, change, vary, layer, and/or simulate; in essence, this is a learning object with a limited degree of built-in interactivity.
Blog Author's Commentary: Micro-simulations are practical tools and a step up from non-interactive learning objects; still, the educator will need to employ high-level strategies (described previously under learning objects) in order to maximize their educational potential. Firms that produces quality 3D learning objects include DesignMate, JTM Concepts, and NavTech (also see this NavTech link).

Simulations
Explanation: An interactive experience that imitates, models, or replicates more complex phenomena; simulations allow learners be in places they normally cannot be, allow learners to change variables and thus explore the simulated environment, or take learners on a 'discovery' journey with a concrete end in mind.
Blog Author's Commentary: This stage starts to recognize and build smartly on the power and potential of 3D learning. A pre-eminent publisher of this type of content (as well as micro-simulations and learning objects) is Illinois-based JTM Concepts.



(Click on the thumbnail above to see the current collection of JTM simulations)

Content Creation
Explanation: Enabling students, with appropriate 3D camera technology and programming skills, to produce their own 3D videos, learning objects, micro-simulations, or interactive simulations. A firm that has experience with student-driven content creation is also NavTech. Check out this Link.  
Blog Author's Commentary: In case you didn't notice beforehand, these five categories of 3D content easily correlate with the new Bloom's taxonomy for digital media.

A Look at 3D Content

The growth of promising 3D technologies doesn't mean much, however, without world-class educational content to use in classrooms. And the stuff we see in the movie theater—although creative—isn't the only thing we're referring to here. In our recent investigation of what is available in the world of 3D educational content, we have seen at least five categories appear thus far. I have placed these five categories of 3D content into a taxonomy showing the full range of potential classroom effectiveness and/or sophistication: