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Putting
in the WOW factor! 3D image projection in
Engineering and Maths |
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School:
South Hunsley School |
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Fellow: Mike Cargill |
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Email: michael.cargill@shunsley.eril.net |
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Final report: |
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The University of Hull’s Immersive Visual Environment (HIVE) project is developing the use of 3D image projection facilities through a number of school and industry projects. Techniques are left/right eye projection with LCD shutter glasses or polarized images with filtered glasses. Prior to the project conception visits to HIVE took place with colleagues from DT, Engineering and Science. During these visits all staff agreed that the facility will bring the wow factor to a number of class based activities, whether it be the representation of molecular structures, evaluating designs or as an extension of the current 3D software used in maths teaching to further enable the learning of 3D geometry. |
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Following these visits this project set out with two specific aims in mind: Firstly to plan and carry out a scheme of learning within GCSE Engineering (year 10 class: 2007/2008) that uses the HIVE facility to add the wow factor to 3D design both through students visiting HIVE and using their portable projection facility in school. Secondly a series of visits for Yr 6 students would take place to use HIVE to enrich the learning of mathematical concepts 3D shape, particularly sliceforms. Additional aims were to take time to evaluate the 3D projection facilities available to schools and utilise the portable 3D facility in an action research project to fully evaluate the place of this technology in the delivery of maths. |
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Our expected outcomes were that firstly engineering students will have an experience that will surpass those they have had previously in the subject and they will be able to evaluate their products, with their client in a way that has not been previously possible in schools. Secondly we believed that the project would have a high positive impact on learning and motivation. Evaluation of the project would be by way of student survey and teacher assessment. It was expected that there will be some technical difficulties with file transfer and having the best views. |
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In addition to the positive impact on students the project formed a valuable piece of action research for colleagues involved: Mike Cargill (Gatsby Teacher Fellow), Liz Russell (AST Maths), Marie Chamberlain (Lead Teacher DT and Engineering). The collaboration between primary and secondary phases, university research facility and school, maths and DT/Engineering teachers, and school with engineering ’clients’ made this a valuable project. |
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The project |
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GCSE Engineering |
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| To some extent part of the project had a flying start. We were able to fit in a visit to HIVE by GCSE Engineering students June of 2007 and then a further visit by the next cohort in November of 2007. All designs were completed by students on Pro/Desktop©, exported as Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML) to HIVE where they opened without problem. The group was taken to HIVE for a 2 ½ session during which the students’ ‘client’ was able to view, discuss and give feedback on all designs. The use of the 6x2m ‘workwall’ with interactive slicing and total freedom of movement to rotate and zoom in/out made evaluation of the work as simple as having the work on the desk. Students also each prepared a PowerPoint presentation to evaluate their designs against their specifications. These were shown on a laptop alongside the virtual models. |
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Year 6 Maths |
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The theory used here is that an exciting learning experience will help students understand, make links and remember. Active learning together with exciting 3D technology was to be used. Each of our seven primary feeder schools was asked to nominate students to take part in the activity. Places were allocated to each school depending on the size of their Yr6 class. Three visits to HIVE were arranged. Gatsby funding paid for transport, the hire of the HIVE venue for this and the engineering groups and the necessary processing of files to enable their use on the workwall. |
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The session on the exploration of 3D shape started with feeling and naming 3D shapes. Shapes in bags with names to choose from and students recorded their answers in workbooks. What happens when we slice shapes up came next and this naturally led into the use of HIVE for students to do this themselves. |
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The reaction of the students was brilliant. Reaching out to grab the shapes and then really engaging with the possibilities the technology held for them. The student shown here is using a head tracking device. This ensured that the view she had of the object was always real for her. The board she is holding allows her to slice away sections of the model to create cross sections. The final session gave the students the opportunity to further explore 3D slices by making their own sliceform model of a sphere. |
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Conclusion |
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Feedback was used from all possible stakeholders. For the GCSE Engineering class it gave their teacher a definite deadline for design completion and it ensured that all presentations were completed in one session. This was a huge improvement over completing the presentations in school. It gave the engineering group a real experience. For the next class coming through it was felt that further explanation of what is coming is needed. This would give the students the opportunity to further exploit the use of the technology in their coursework. The ‘client’ working with the class (an engineer from BAE Systems) was very impressed with the system. He enjoyed the opportunity to explore the designs and he felt that his input was more valuable. Students evaluated the use of HIVE within their design portfolios. These evaluations showed that there was a real appreciation of using the technology (i.e. advantages and disadvantages could be identified), there was some appreciation of how the technology could be further used and all saw the use of this technology as a reflection of what happens in the ‘real world’.
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The year 6 students that took part were really stimulated by the experience. Feedback from themselves and their teachers highlighted the need for students at this age group to be exposed to this technology and was also evident that the students who took part would be sharing their experiences with their classmates. Thus extending the impact of the project beyond the 66 who took part to potentially nearer 250. |
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Was the ‘wow’ factor achieved? Yes it was. Will it continue to be achieved? For a further 2-3 years we think it will work. As the use of 3D technology becomes more widespread in theme parks, museums and potentially in the home then we will have to continue to develop and make the ways students can develop their projects and explore ideas to ensure relevance is there and learning continues to take place. |
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