Showcase
Virtual Tours
The use of virtual spaces as a way of contextualising student access to learning materials lies at the cutting edge of international developments in the study of learning spaces.
Many educators and institutions have recently been drawn to emerging commercial technologies such as Second Life but very little research has gone into comparing whether fully immersive 3D worlds are actually better than smaller, bespoke interactive environments. Which is more cost effective? Does the technology used have an impact on pedagogy?
The Virtual Clinic project consisted of a comprehensive evaluation of the most effective visual representation for a GP surgery. Three key technological platforms, or strategies, for the building of a web-based virtual space were identified. Prototypes were developed and an extensive user testing evaluation was undertaken.
Flash Panorama
Leveraging the impact of photo realistic scenes, this prototype uses panoramic images that are rendered to provide the illusion of a 360° world view. As with QuickTimeVR, hotspots are used to link between multiple panoramas, giving the impression of moving through an immersive environment.
HTML Prototype
Rather than creating a three dimensional environment based on actual 3D geometry, suitable graphics and other multimedia resources can be hyperlinked providing the illusion of a world for the user to explore. Although not truly multi-dimensional this simple approach provides an interactive environment which is often used in online Problem Based Learning activities or Role Play simulations.
Isometric Prototype
Inspired by 3D chat room websites such as Habbo and the re-emergence of web-friendly pixel-art design, the use of an isometric visualisation benefits from the advantage of small file sizes and programmatic simplicity. Based on what are essentially 2 dimensional grids skewed into orthogonal perspective, environments can easily be defined from maps created using a two dimensional array of tiles (or map cells).
