Global Teamwork: A Study of Design Learning in Collaborative Virtual Environments

With the recent developments in communication and information technologies, using Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) in design activity has experienced a remarkable increase. In this paper we present a collaborative learning activity between the University of Sydney (USYD), and the Istanbul Technical University (ITU). This paper shares our teaching experience and discusses the principles of collaborative design learning in virtual environments. Followed by a study on students’ perception on the courses and collaborative learning in both universities, this paper also suggests future refinements on the course structure and the main areas of collaborative design learning. Keywords: Collaborative Design; Collaborative Virtual Environments; Design Teaching And Learning</p

Intelligent Pedagogical Agents in Immersive Virtual Learning Environments: A Review

The concept of Intelligent Pedagogical Agents (IPA) has been an important research topic for a long time. IPA is supported by multi-agent systems research derived from AI. IPA provides personalized instruction, increase learner motivation, and act pedagogically on behalf or with the learner. On the other hand, virtual environments add value to the education process by giving new educational possibilities and computational-richness support. Combining both IPA and Virtual environments can make a promising approach for effective computer-aided learning. This paper provides a review on IPA and related topics focusing on a general overview of the topic, gives a detailed review in the application domain of virtual learning environments, and outlines a proposal for a flexible conceptual approach for the flexible application in different learning settings

Interactive Science Fiction Prototyping in Virtual Worlds: Fundamentals and Applications

Science Fiction Prototyping (SFP) is a powerful tool to imagine, explore, and exploit future technologies, science, and environments and it can be a valuable asset for education, multimedia, and research. This article explores SFP in interactive, flexible, immersive, and collaborative settings, which introduced as Interactive Science Fiction Prototyping (ISFP) and allows new forms of experiencing and reflecting on prototypes. We investigate how to integrate the ISFP process into an existing collaborative virtual world platform and outline required integration steps. Furthermore, we discuss different application scenarios for ISFP in educational, artistic, and business domains and conclude with future ideas and challenges to explore modern scientific ideas

Updating the art history curriculum: incorporating virtual and augmented reality technologies to improve interactivity and engagement

Master's Project (M.Ed.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017This project investigates how the art history curricula in higher education can borrow from and incorporate emerging technologies currently being used in art museums. Many art museums are using augmented reality and virtual reality technologies to transform their visitors' experiences into experiences that are interactive and engaging. Art museums have historically offered static visitor experiences, which have been mirrored in the study of art. This project explores the current state of the art history classroom in higher education, which is historically a teacher-centered learning environment and the learning effects of that environment. The project then looks at how art museums are creating visitor-centered learning environments; specifically looking at how they are using reality technologies (virtual and augmented) to transition into digitally interactive learning environments that support various learning theories. Lastly, the project examines the learning benefits of such tools to see what could (and should) be implemented into the art history curricula at the higher education level and provides a sample section of a curriculum demonstrating what that implementation could look like. Art and art history are a crucial part of our culture and being able to successfully engage with it and learn from it enables the spread of our culture through digital means and of digital culture

3D-Stereoscopic Immersive Analytics Projects at Monash University and University of Konstanz

Immersive Analytics investigates how novel interaction and display technologies may support analytical reasoning and decision making. The Immersive Analytics initiative of Monash University started early 2014. Over the last few years, a number of projects have been developed or extended in this context to meet the requirements of semi- or full-immersive stereoscopic environments. Different technologies are used for this purpose: CAVE2™ (a 330 degree large-scale visualization environment which can be used for educative and scientific group presentations, analyses and discussions), stereoscopic Powerwalls (miniCAVEs, representing a segment of the CAVE2 and used for development and communication), Fishtanks, and/or HMDs (such as Oculus, VIVE, and mobile HMD approaches). Apart from CAVE2™ all systems are or will be employed on both the Monash University and the University of Konstanz side, especially to investigate collaborative Immersive Analytics. In addition, sensiLab extends most of the previous approaches by involving all senses, 3D visualization is combined with multi-sensory feedback, 3D printing, robotics in a scientific-artistic-creative environment

The People's Smart Sculpture

The People’s Smart Sculpture (PS2) panel discusses future oriented approaches in smart media-art, developed, designed and exploited for artistic and public participation in the change and re-design of our living environment. The actual debate about a smart future is not taking into account any idea of media art as an instrument for to realize the social sculpture, mentioned by Beuys [1] or as social sculpture itself. The People’s Smart Sculpture is the only large scale Creative Europe media-art project (2014-2018) in this context. It fosters participative-art and collaborative media-art-processes. The artistic results and the open approaches of the project will be discussed by 5 panelists from 5 countries. The project itself is constituted by 12 project-partners in 8 European countries with more than 350 artists and creatives from 29 countries worlwide. The approach works on two levels: the implementation of cultural participation-projects by media-artists and the ongoing optimization of the art and participation aspects. PS2 integrates diverse groups of people to participate in the non-institutional set up of structures for the people´s re-design of their urban,societal and living environment. Artists, citizens, creatives with a new user's perception and new skills are able to „medialize“ the Cultural Revolution of art, culture, society and science: into spaces of a new public