Verse verse iUniverse: Creating a Collaborative Information Universe for Indiana University Katy Börner [email protected] [email protected] Assistant Professor

verseverseiUniverse: Creating a Collaborative iUniverse: Creating a Collaborative

Information Universe for Information Universe for

Indiana UniversityIndiana University

Katy Börner Katy Börner [email protected]@indiana.eduAssistant Professor of Information Science Assistant Professor of Information Science

SLIS, IUB SLIS, IUB

Collaborative 3D Virtual Collaborative 3D Virtual WorldsWorlds

Provide access to multi-modal data (text, images, Provide access to multi-modal data (text, images, sound, video, 3-D objects) anywhere and at any time.sound, video, 3-D objects) anywhere and at any time.

Support distributed collaboration of people with Support distributed collaboration of people with different skills and expertise spread out in space and different skills and expertise spread out in space and time zones.time zones.

Improve information navigation, access, Improve information navigation, access, management, and learning by exploiting spatial management, and learning by exploiting spatial memory. memory.

Represent users by Represent users by sophisticated self-representations sophisticated self-representations called avatars that wave, dance, and share space. called avatars that wave, dance, and share space.

Facilitate natural, multi-perceptual human-human Facilitate natural, multi-perceptual human-human and human-computer interaction.and human-computer interaction.

Each Fall, the User Interface Design Each Fall, the User Interface Design Class at SLIS, IUBClass at SLIS, IUB

… … Uses Active Worlds Technology Uses Active Worlds Technology and …and …

… … Offers a “Design Deal” to Interested Offers a “Design Deal” to Interested Faculty …Faculty …

Just send us a Just send us a project specificationproject specification that contains: that contains:

Title of the project.Title of the project. Name of main contact person.Name of main contact person. Description of learning content & objectives in lay Description of learning content & objectives in lay

terms (what skills physical or cognitive are required). terms (what skills physical or cognitive are required). Explanation of why 3D is required/advantageous.Explanation of why 3D is required/advantageous. A vision of how the 3D world should look like and a A vision of how the 3D world should look like and a

short story of what visitors will experience.short story of what visitors will experience. A list of all material (text, images, 3D objects, audio A list of all material (text, images, 3D objects, audio

files) that can be used to design the environment. files) that can be used to design the environment. Number of users that will potentially use this Number of users that will potentially use this

environment in the next 2 years.environment in the next 2 years.

And we may build this virtual environment for you!And we may build this virtual environment for you!

Fall 2000 Projects:Fall 2000 Projects:

Natural Disaster Area Natural Disaster Area Science House Science House Quest Atlantis - Educational theme Quest Atlantis - Educational theme

park for the Boys & Girls Club in BLpark for the Boys & Girls Club in BL Virtual Collaboration Area Virtual Collaboration Area Art Cafe Art Cafe

Come Visit the iUniverse!Come Visit the iUniverse!

Download the free Eduverse 3-D browser from Download the free Eduverse 3-D browser from

http://objects.activeworlds.com/browsers/eduverse.exehttp://objects.activeworlds.com/browsers/eduverse.exe

Install it by double clicking the Install it by double clicking the

eduverse.exe file, launch the eduverse.exe file, launch the

browser, and visit us in the world ‘iUni’.browser, and visit us in the world ‘iUni’.

More information is available atMore information is available at

http://ella.slis.indiana.edu/~katy/iUnihttp://ella.slis.indiana.edu/~katy/iUni

Development of iUniDevelopment of iUni

iUni TodayiUni Today

Go !Go !

… … Sightseeing Tour …Sightseeing Tour …

Let’s have a look at the different Let’s have a look at the different

Learning Environments …Learning Environments …

Natural Disaster AreaNatural Disaster Area

Designer: Maggie SwanDesigner: Maggie Swan Collaborator: Bill Harwood, School of Collaborator: Bill Harwood, School of

Education, IUBEducation, IUB Intended User Group: Youths at Boys & Intended User Group: Youths at Boys &

Girls Club in BL. (Coordinated with Quest Girls Club in BL. (Coordinated with Quest Atlantis)Atlantis)

Purpose: Purpose:

Users will learn about natural disasters Users will learn about natural disasters and the different levels of damage they and the different levels of damage they can do by interacting with various types of can do by interacting with various types of buildings/ structures in a realistic setting. buildings/ structures in a realistic setting.

Sights & HighlightsSights & Highlights

4 different types of realistic 4 different types of realistic structures:structures: SkyscrapersSkyscrapers Wood cabinWood cabin Metal shelterMetal shelter Brick house:Brick house:


Images, sounds, video of Images, sounds, video of tornadoes in actiontornadoes in action

Science HouseScience House

Designer: Kent HoladayDesigner: Kent Holaday Collaborator: Bill Harwood, School Collaborator: Bill Harwood, School

of Education, IUBof Education, IUB Intended User Group: General Intended User Group: General

Public, Science Students, and Public, Science Students, and Science Educators Science Educators

Purpose: 3D Virtual Science Purpose: 3D Virtual Science DictionaryDictionary


Objects linked to web pages or virtual Objects linked to web pages or virtual worlds describing science of how object worlds describing science of how object works.works.

Computer in Office links Computer in Office links

to UCBCOB world to UCBCOB world

‘‘Virtual Computer’.Virtual Computer’. AC unit in back of Science AC unit in back of Science

House links to web page House links to web page

describing air conditioning.describing air conditioning.

Quest Atlantis:Quest Atlantis:Educational Theme Parks for Educational Theme Parks for KidsKids

Designers: Hakan Tuzun & Mark DialDesigners: Hakan Tuzun & Mark Dial Collaborator: Sasha Barab, School of Collaborator: Sasha Barab, School of

Education, IUBEducation, IUB Intended User Group: Children, Ages 6-Intended User Group: Children, Ages 6-

14 at the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club 14 at the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club Purpose: Purpose:

Provide a collaborative 3-D learning Provide a collaborative 3-D learning environment. A place where children environment. A place where children can view their earned Power Points in can view their earned Power Points in Quest Atlantis. Quest Atlantis.

Sights & HighlightsSights & HighlightsQuest Atlantis Entrance

Web page & Virtual tour links

Teleports to other Learning Environments

Quest Atlantis Courtyard

Designers: Gertrud Peters, Sy-Miaw Lin, & Lilly Lu Designers: Gertrud Peters, Sy-Miaw Lin, & Lilly Lu Collaborator: Lilly LuCollaborator: Lilly Lu Intended User Group: those who are interested in Intended User Group: those who are interested in

art appreciation art appreciation Purpose:Purpose:

Sharpen viewers' sensibility & perception to artworks. Build viewers' visual vocabulary & their visual concepts. Enhance viewers' understanding & appreciation about

works. Assist viewers in organizing & verbalizing their aesthetic

experience.

Art CafeArt Cafe


The Garden Area of Art CoffeeThe Garden Area of Art Coffee


Café HouseCafé House


Virtual CollaborationVirtual Collaboration

Designers: Randy Fisher & Tim BowmanDesigners: Randy Fisher & Tim Bowman Collaborator: Allan Dennis, Kelley School of Business, IUBCollaborator: Allan Dennis, Kelley School of Business, IUB Intended User Group: Business Professionals Intended User Group: Business Professionals Purpose: Purpose:

Virtual meeting space for business persons that could Virtual meeting space for business persons that could incorporate streaming video, streaming audio, and the 3D incorporate streaming video, streaming audio, and the 3D environment offered through environment offered through EduVerseEduVerse. This meeting . This meeting space would allow people around the world to go online space would allow people around the world to go online and conduct a business meeting, keep meeting minutes and conduct a business meeting, keep meeting minutes through real-time chat, while "building" diagrams or through real-time chat, while "building" diagrams or flowcharts in a 3D environment.flowcharts in a 3D environment.

Sights & HighlightsSights & HighlightsAt the Sign-In Booth, users will be able At the Sign-In Booth, users will be able to view events, examine previous to view events, examine previous minutes from other meetings, sign-in, minutes from other meetings, sign-in, and see who is in the world currently by and see who is in the world currently by clicking on the main screen and viewing clicking on the main screen and viewing the Webpage.the Webpage.

The Social Lounge area is designed to The Social Lounge area is designed to facilitate interaction among users when facilitate interaction among users when there is no speaker or during a meeting there is no speaker or during a meeting break. Soft, party noise can be heard in break. Soft, party noise can be heard in the background and couches and tables the background and couches and tables are used to set an informal atmosphere. are used to set an informal atmosphere.

Sights & Highlights Cont.Sights & Highlights Cont.The Speaking/Building Area is designed to The Speaking/Building Area is designed to facilitate meetings from anywhere in the facilitate meetings from anywhere in the world. Here, a user can park their avatar and world. Here, a user can park their avatar and watch the big screen for real-time streaming watch the big screen for real-time streaming video of the person heading the meeting and video of the person heading the meeting and listen to streaming audio piped through the listen to streaming audio piped through the audio speakers while inside the audio speakers while inside the speaker/building area.speaker/building area.

The Speaking/Building Area on Level 2 The Speaking/Building Area on Level 2 is also designed to facilitate meetings is also designed to facilitate meetings from anywhere in the world. from anywhere in the world.

Go !Go !

… … Learning Environments …Learning Environments …

IU’s Worlds in AWs IU’s Worlds in AWs EduVerseEduVerse

iScape iScape - Information Landscape - Information Landscape (Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB(Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB))a shared virtual desktop world dedicated to the analysis, the visual display, a shared virtual desktop world dedicated to the analysis, the visual display, and the collaborative exploration and management of information. and the collaborative exploration and management of information.

iUni iUni – Collaborative Information Universe for IU – Collaborative Information Universe for IU (Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB (Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB ))

iPalace/iGardeniPalace/iGarden (Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB (Katy Börner, SLIS, IUB ))are ‘twin worlds’ used to design and evaluate a shared resource of online are ‘twin worlds’ used to design and evaluate a shared resource of online documents for faculty and students at the School of Library and documents for faculty and students at the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at Indiana University (IU). Information Science (SLIS) at Indiana University (IU).

QuestA QuestA (Sasha Barab, School of Education, IUB)(Sasha Barab, School of Education, IUB)Indiana University will design, enact, and evaluate a community-based Indiana University will design, enact, and evaluate a community-based after school program, Quest Atlantis, which will attract and engage children after school program, Quest Atlantis, which will attract and engage children aged 9-14 (and mentors) in intellectually stimulating tasks that promote a aged 9-14 (and mentors) in intellectually stimulating tasks that promote a better understanding of science, mathematics and technology (SMT). better understanding of science, mathematics and technology (SMT).

IU’s Worlds in AWs IU’s Worlds in AWs EduVerseEduVerse

ArtCafe ArtCafe (Lilly Lu, School of Education, Center for Research on Learning (Lilly Lu, School of Education, Center for Research on Learning and Technology)and Technology)A relaxing environment for viewers to look at selected high quality A relaxing environment for viewers to look at selected high quality photographic and computer generated artworks. With the provided art photographic and computer generated artworks. With the provided art guidelines and the voting activity, users easily share their aesthetic guidelines and the voting activity, users easily share their aesthetic responses with friends they meet in this cyberspace. In addition, users responses with friends they meet in this cyberspace. In addition, users can virtually meet actual artists and have a real-time conversation in our can virtually meet actual artists and have a real-time conversation in our special exhibition areas. special exhibition areas. CLIC CLIC - - Collaborative Learning in CyberspaceCollaborative Learning in Cyberspace (Li-Fen Lu School of (Li-Fen Lu School of Education, Art Education) Education, Art Education) A virtual learning environment for K-12 students. Every summer, 15 A virtual learning environment for K-12 students. Every summer, 15 teachers in Indiana from different subject areas will decide on a theme, teachers in Indiana from different subject areas will decide on a theme, design a curriculum, develop instructional activities, and display learning design a curriculum, develop instructional activities, and display learning resources in a 2D and 3D virtual environment using the Active Worlds resources in a 2D and 3D virtual environment using the Active Worlds technology. The potential users are not only these 15 teachers' students, technology. The potential users are not only these 15 teachers' students, but also anyone in anywhere when they log into this CLIC world. but also anyone in anywhere when they log into this CLIC world.

ConclusionsConclusions

Collaborative 3-D worlds have high potential Collaborative 3-D worlds have high potential for educational, social support network, and e-for educational, social support network, and e-commerce applications.commerce applications.

Given the growing interest of IU faculty to use Given the growing interest of IU faculty to use this technology, the purchase of AW universe this technology, the purchase of AW universe server for IU should be considered.server for IU should be considered.

OutlookOutlook June 2001: June 2001:

Workshop Workshop “Using 3-D technology to develop “Using 3-D technology to develop innovative approaches to educationinnovative approaches to education”, IUB.”, IUB.

Fall 2001:Fall 2001:L578 User Interface Design - Collaborative L578 User Interface Design - Collaborative Information SpacesInformation Spaces course on will be taught again. course on will be taught again.

You are invited to exploit the “Design Deal” to You are invited to exploit the “Design Deal” to check-out this technology for your teaching & check-out this technology for your teaching & research needs.research needs.

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

iUni is supported by Indiana University's iUni is supported by Indiana University's High High Performance Network Applications ProgramPerformance Network Applications Program (2000/2001).(2000/2001).

I would like to thank Mandee Tatum and Lucrezia I would like to thank Mandee Tatum and Lucrezia Borgia, Active Worlds for their advise, Rick McMullen for Borgia, Active Worlds for their advise, Rick McMullen for his technical support, and Brian Horvitz and students his technical support, and Brian Horvitz and students taking the User Interface Design class in Fall 2000 for taking the User Interface Design class in Fall 2000 for filling iUni with content and life.filling iUni with content and life.

Documents

Verse verse iUniverse: Creating a Collaborative Information Universe for Indiana University Katy Börner [email protected] [email protected] Assistant Professor