Implementing 3D (Part 1)

In the last two months I have been approached by four educators, situated across the nation, for advice about implementing 3D projects in their settings. If you are in a similar state of planning, I can provide a series of three essential tips for you, each an important strategy for implementing a 3D pilot project in a school or university setting:

Tip #1

It takes longer than you think. Implementing a 3D project usually doesn’t happen in a lightning-quick fashion. It takes time to grease the wheels. It takes time to explain it to funders or school/district/university supervisors. It takes time to do your research. It takes time to write a grant or obtain funding. It takes time to carefully interface with your IT department on support or set up. It takes time to see how specific content titles match up to your curriculum. It takes time to think through how you want to best employ 3D in your classroom. (In our original BVS3D project, we gave all participating teachers an entire spring and summer just to play and explore the 3D content we were using—in order to find the right fit, the right purpose, and unforeseen challenges—before officially launching our 4-school case study.)

Buying the equipment is easy. It’s the other stuff that matters. Consider this fact in your implementation timetable. 

See next week’s posting for an insightful Tip #2...

On the Road Again

I’m doing quite a bit of presenting this year on Teaching and Learning with Depth (transformative teaching and learning using stereo 3D). Here is a current list showing my speaking schedule, in case you are interested in attending. If you are in the vicinity, it’s also always a good excuse for an opportunity to meet and have some coffee or conversation.

Conference	Location and Date	Topic(s)
TCEA	Austin, TX February 4-8	-       When 3D Comes to School (Monday BYOD Workshop) and  -       Teaching with Depth: Why 3D Matters. (Tuesday TATN Session)
Tech Forum	Atlanta March 1	-       Depth-defying Learning with 3D
ITEEA	Columbus, OH March 7-9	-       Immersive 3D Comes to School
COSN	San Diego, CA March 11-13	-       Teaching with DEPTH: Why it Works, Why it Matters
MACUL	Detroit, MI Cobo Center March 20-22	-       Your Very First 3D@Macul Bootcamp (Hands-On PC lab)
Colorado TIE	Copper Mt., CO June  18-20	-       Teaching with DEPTH
ISTE Nat’l Conference	San Antonio, TX June 23-26	-       In the TI booth at the Exhibit Hall
ISTE SIG 3D	San Antonio, TX	-       SIG3D Opening Launch Meeting

SIG3D

In breaking news, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) reached a new milestone in its support for educational 3D.  A recent proposal to establish an official new Special Interest Group focused on stereoscopic 3D has been officially accepted and SIG3D has been launched internationally.

The details related to this exciting development are concisely cited in an article I recently wrote for Display Central.

Although the above article link covers most of the details you would need to know, let me add several important points here in this brief post:

First, ISTE SIG3D signifies an international level of recognition that 3D has had an impact—and it is here to stay, mature, and evolve in the education arena.

Second, this new ISTE SIG serves educators under “a big tent.” It reaches out to K-20+ folks, researchers, educators who use stereo content, even and educators who focus on student-created content. It also stretches its stakes out to include  manufacturers, content providers, and 3D innovators.

Last, this means that an all-hands-on-deck meeting will take place sometime during the ISTE national conference being held this late June in San Antonio. Please join us there.  Dates, times, and locations will be announced this spring.

Future-Talk World View

Добрый день      Bom dia   您好مرحبا   こんにちは Bienvenidos       

The Future-Talk 3D blog serves a diverse international audience interested in educational 3D. Our readers might be interested in seeing which countries were our top ten blog visitors during 2012. Based on web impressions for the 2012 calendar year, here is how the data shape up:

It is worthwhile to note that there is a relentless back-and-forth wrestling match for sixth place between the Ukraine, Australia,  and India. Also, tenth place France is trailed closely by the Netherlands and then Japan. 

Are there any surprises here? Or are these just “the usual suspects?” What do you think? Please comment.

Of course, this chart only represents the top ten. Many hundreds of other visitors have frequented this blog from countries all over the world. Future-Talk 3D blog has been visited by nearly every country in North, South, and Central America. The same is true for Europe; the entire Middle East is also broadly represented. Most of Asia has visited us, as well as more than 16 countries from Africa.  

I want to thank you for your deep and committed interest in 3D in education. Please write me, let me know what you are doing in your country. I would love to feature some interviews in 2013.

[Special Note: We have many visitors from Latin and South America, and I offer you a heartfelt ¡Gracias! -- Estoy a la espera de viajar a Belize, Honduras, México y Florida (FETC) en enero (2013), por lo que si le gustaría juntarnos para algún café y conversación, envíe me un correo electrónico .]