Integrating Mathematics Integrating Mathematics and Chemistry into a Virtual and Chemistry into a Virtual

Environment for Geologic Environment for Geologic EducationEducation

Donald P. Schwert, Brian M. Slator, Guy Hokanson, Otto Borchert,Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat, Jeffery Terpstra, John Reber, and Lisa Daniels

North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA

Research into Research into Immersive Virtual Immersive Virtual

Environments (IVEs) at Environments (IVEs) at NDSUNDSU

ImplementationImplementation• Goal-oriented.Goal-oriented.• Promotes learning-by-doing through Promotes learning-by-doing through

exploration and cooperation in multi-exploration and cooperation in multi-user, spatial environments.user, spatial environments.

• Teachers control parameters for each Teachers control parameters for each exercise.exercise.

• Student progress can be monitored.Student progress can be monitored.• Software agents act as tutors and Software agents act as tutors and

guides, guides, “24/7“24/7”.”.• Available without cost for any classroom, Available without cost for any classroom,

any user, anywhere.any user, anywhere.

Geology ExplorerGeology Explorer

oit.cs.ndsu.nodak.eduoit.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu

• Newly-discovered Newly-discovered planet.planet.

• Students assigned Students assigned exploration tasks.exploration tasks.

• Emulate the Emulate the practices of being practices of being a “geologist.”a “geologist.”

• Aimed at Grades Aimed at Grades 6-8.6-8.

2½-D to 3-D 2½-D to 3-D TransformationTransformation

GEOLOGY

MATHEMATICS

CHEMISTRY

ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCE

Comparison Pre Mean Post Mean P-valueContent Question 1 0.962 0.769 0.025Content Question 2 0.731 0.846 0.317Content Question 3 0.808 0.846 0.564Content Question 4 0.423 0.423 1.000Content Question 5 0.423 0.577 0206Content Question 6 0.462 0.500 0.655

Content Confidence 1 0.824 0.848 0.688Content Confidence 2 0.768 0.838 0.107Content Confidence 3 0.760 0.848 0.047Content Confidence 4 0.609 0.791 0.003Content Confidence 5 0.809 0.904 0.055Content Confidence 6 0.714 0.833 0.021

Attitude 1 1.769 1.615 0.381Attitude 2 1.385 1.308 0.538Attitude 3 1.385 1.308 0.327Attitude 4 0.769 0.885 0.083Attitude 5 1.577 1.500 0.538Attitude 6 1.192 1.346 0.103Attitude 7 2.423 2.461 0.574Attitude 8 1.154 1.154 1.000

Statistical Analyses of School Statistical Analyses of School ExperimentsExperiments

Challenges . . .Challenges . . .• Mac compatibility

• School firewalls

• Network stability and capacity

• 3D development is $$$ !!!

Undergraduates

Partnerships with publishers

• School cluster capacities

• Student expectations of 3D environments

wwwic.ndsu.eduwwwic.ndsu.edu

oit.cs.ndsu.nodak.eduoit.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu

This research was supported by National Science FoundationGrants #0608082 and #IIP0945807 to North Dakota State University.