Abstract
It is commonly agreed that a well-balanced mix of collaboration, training and simulation eventually produce a superior learner. Today's collaborative design and learning environments integrate variety of interactive objects as well as many technological aspects to achieve such balance. Unfortunately, the actual profit of the resulting learning systems is largely reduced by poorly represented interactive objects as well as poor interlinking between such objects. In particular, such objects appear isolated: they neither can be modified sufficiently (e.g., by choosing parameters or enhancing functionality) nor be interlinked properly with their context (e.g., by synchronizing with a guided tour or metadata). We are presenting in this article a model for representing virtual and 3D scenes as learning objects. The model utilizes notions and techniques based on Scene Graphs, X3D, Java3D, and SceneBeans. The prototype accompanied with a simple client-server protocol for exchanging and viewing the 3D SceneBeans. This research aims to extend this protocol by utilizing Sun JXTA primitives to link to the POOL of other learning objects repositories.
Highlights
Virtual learning environments (VLEs) can provide rewarding teaching and learning experiences
The two previous sections describe how a virtual scene can be described in Java3D/X3D and the steps required to program the virtual scene within the J2SE Java environment
Because of the ubiquitous nature of such collaborative architecture, student/instructor communication requires two different channels for exchanging information on 3D Scene: the XML like channel (e.g., X3D or XJ3D) that can be used to display the definition of the multimedia objects as well as to convey the instant messages between the student and the instructor, and the 3D SceneBean channel that transfers the Java Bean files via the TCP/IP Channel which is used by most of the ubiquitous devices connected on the internet
Summary
Virtual learning environments (VLEs) can provide rewarding teaching and learning experiences. The current technologies of VLEs have many innovative and exciting possibilities especially in the direction of virtual reality using 3D modeling, multisensory communication, and active/immersive interaction Such technologies provides students with more learning opportunities way beyond those offered by the eLearning in its current state but careful modeling, planning and innovation will be required to ensure that the potential for the scope of delivery is reached (Carpenter and Anderson, 1996). With virtual reality we may obtain a tremendous degree of involvement and engagement, and greater learning and retention In this direction, the animated objects are needed to play the role of teachers or guides, team-mates or competitors, or just to provide a source of interesting motion in virtual environments. This research is part of our ongoing research to establish multimedia learning objects repository for the academia at LU as well as to establish a proper search engine for such learning objects (Fiaidhi and Mohammed, 2004; Fiaidhi et al, 2004; Fiaidhi et al, 2003a), and (Fiaidhi et al, 2003b)
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