VLearn 3D - Collaboration: Colleges and Universities

	Colleges and Universities
	Schools and Consortia - K-12
	Museums and Other Institutions
	Virtual University and School Prototypes


	University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning DAAP in Active Worlds Daap is the virtual world of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. Daap has been used as an environment to test models of sculpture and other three dimensional projects by faculty, students, and guests of the college. Fine Art Media Fundamentals, Modeling for 3 Dimensional Networking, and Computer Sculpture, are courses which have been taught using Daap as a venue for the presentation of student work. Contact: Derrik Woodham, Director derrick.woodham@uc.edu Web Site: http://www.cerhas.uc.edu/dwoodham/daap2.htm


	Art Center College of Design Pasadena, California "accd" in Active Worlds & AWedu ACCD world began in the AW and now continues development in the AWEDU Education Universe. Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, offered its first accredited course in online virtual worlds design in 1998. Each term (three trimesters / year) since 1998, the virtual worlds design class, led by Dr. Michael Heim, has focused on designing and building in ActiveWorlds. The class began with small enrollments (sometimes as few as 2 students) and has grown (currently 8 students). Heim's goal is for the new ACCD world "to build an environment that continues our AW "accd" world design but that pitches the world's tonality in a brighter key. This sibling world will provide a double look at our design strategy." ACCD world currently offers a location for hosting the series "CyberForum@ArtCenter" developed by students in the Virtual Worlds Theory class (a companion course to the Virtual Worlds Design class which enrolls different students who come from the Theory and Critical Writing Program at Art Center). Contact: Michael Heim mike@mheim.com HOME PAGE: http://www.artcenter.edu


	University of Colorado, Boulder College of Business UCOB in Active Worlds The University of Colorado at Boulder has constructed a computer in an immersive 3-D environment that can be called a virtual computer. Much different from the traditional way of learning, the Virtual Computer offers a unique way for students to get valuable information. By combining the tools of Active Worlds, an immersive 3-D environment with an interactive web site, the "walk through" Virtual Computer provides an informative learning resource and learning experience. The Virtual Computer consists of custom-made objects accompanied by their realistic actions, and the informational web site for the beginning computer user. Whether using the 3-D or web browser window, AW enables the student to be in control of his/her navigation throughout the computer. With the availability of object specific information, text, custom made objects, and real digital images, the "walk through" Virtual Computer provides a fun, interactive, informative learning experience. Contact: Dave Monarchi david.e.monarchi@colorado.edu HOME PAGE: http://cob-distance02.colorado.edu/activehome.html


	University of Toronto's McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology McLuhan in Active Worlds The mcluhan world in Active Worlds is a new addition to the Virtual CoachHouse Project of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology. Using new web technologies, the Virtual CoachHouse Unit endeavours to represent or augment the ambience, activities, and culture of the coachhouse. It will provide within the Virtual CoachHouse forums, creative and productive 'work spaces', galleries, and new ways of representing and accessing archived information. Contact: Derrik de Kerkhove, Director derrick@chass.utoronto.ca http://www.mcluhan.utoronto.ca/derrick.html HOME PAGE: http://www.mcluhan.utoronto.ca/


	West Virginia University, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources TIGERS in AWedu TIGERS (Teams of Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellows Engaged to Reinvigorate Students) is a 3 year National Science Foundation project that combines the talents of outstanding graduate students in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology as well as teacher-leaders for middle grades in mathematics and science. TIGERS represents a collaborative effort between the Colleges of Engineering and Mineral Resources, Arts and Sciences, Human Resources and Education at WVU. Because the state science (and eventually mathematics) curriculum is organized in an interdisciplinary thematic fashion TIGERS fellows are organized into interdisciplinary "theme teams" that provide mathematics and science teachers in participating schools the most up-to-date content knowledge while expanding their teaching capabilities. Teams of TIGERS fellows will visit the schools, co-plan and co-teach with mathematics and science teachers, and invite the teachers and their students to engage in engineering and science research beyond the normal curriculum. This sustained contact requires a more interactive environment, and this is precisely where Active Worlds comes in. This world would complement the existing virtual high school efforts already a part of the education universe. Margaret Corbit of Cornell University will provide guidance on the construction and maintenance of a TIGERS world, as well as to provide critical input on the operation of the world. Contact: Allen C. Cogley acogley@wvu.edu Eric J. Pyle epyle@wvu.edu


	The University of California, Santa Cruz VHS Feasibility Study VHS - Virtual High School in Active Worlds This demonstration virtual high school was built for the University of California, Santa Cruz VHS Feasibility Study and features an office with office hours, Spanish Wing, Science Lab with a chemistry simulation in the "Student WebQuest Wing," and a gallery show on Geometry and Art.This virtual high school demonstration model was designed and built by Zg and Aurac of Active Arts Design and its content and concept were developed by Bonnie DeVarco. The first VHS was initiated and hosted by Stuart Gold and Bruce Damer in TheU. Another public version of the VHS demonstration model is now also in Zg world. Contacts: Francisco Hernandez - vhs@ucsc.edu Bonnie DeVarco - devarco@cruzio.com http://vhs.ucsc.edu/vhs/storyboard.htm http://vhs.ucsc.edu/


	Universita Degli Studi Di Milano, Italy VETUNIMI in AWedu The 3D technology has been generally used in the scientific field to develop educational tools and simulations running offline as well as online resources to offer a more effective training support. For their dynamic layout and high value real-time communicating system, online 3D environments deserve further study and experimentation as an innovative way of digital presentation and communication. The aim of this project is to experience any possible application of the 3D technology in the clinical field of Small Animal Practice. The development of simulations and tutorials inside a 3D scientific environment is going to be performed in order to achieve interactive educational areas. The major interest is in the application of tutorial that will be running inside a virtual environment, taking advantage of both virtuality and web sites. The 3D environment provides a graphic reproduction of a Virtual Veterinary Clinic and Library. Simulators and tutorials will be placed inside different areas and they will concern a virtual physical examination of a patient and a virtual guide to the most popular scientific search, URL, and E_Publications. Besides this, smaller areas will be developed as to build interactive rooms: i.e.. a laboratory, surgery, radiology, etc. Contact: Cinzia Gandini cgandini@iol.it http://www.italvet.com/clinic/akno.html


	Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University SciCentr & SciFair in AWedu Led by Margaret Corbit, SciCentr is a growing virtual museum. This museum is under continued development by graduate students at the Cornell Theory Center. This interactive online world for science education and offers interactive ways to learn about life sciences such as genetics This world is modeled on a cross between a conventional science project and a World's Fair. SciFair is a spin-off world from SciCentr where youth are welcome to host their own science fairs, etc. This world is under the supervision of SciCentr staff and volunteers. The first planned activity is a fair/expo relating to the Gene House exhibit in SciCentr. Early planning is underway, with two seventh graders at the helm, DJ Party and tinkerbell. Contact: Margaret Corbit corbitm@tc.cornell.edu http://www.tc.cornell.edu/~corbitm/


	University of California, Santa Cruz, California V-UCSC in Active Worlds Sponsored through UCSC's Outreach, Admissions and Student Academic Services (OASAS), the public V-UCSC in Active Worlds is an orientation and guidance tour through college-bound students. In the summer of 1998, University of California, Santa Cruz students engaged in a virtual collaboration with professional designers across the planet (Active Art Design and Polygon Factory) to build a 3D world representing UC Santa Cruz. Through this project to build a campus in cyberspace, the Virtual-UC Santa Cruz (V-UCSC) team pioneered a new mentor-student team-based model for interdisciplinary collaboration, and used Active Worlds® as a virtual workspace and meeting place. Prospective students and their families are encouraged to take a "tour," "talk" with a virtual admissions counselor, and find out more about UC Santa Cruz in this just launched 3D world. Links to external Web pages also offer a rich source of online information about UC Santa Cruz. Contact: Bonnie DeVarco v-ucsc@cats.ucsc.edu bdevarco@cats.ucsc.edu http://oasas.ucsc.edu/


	University of California, Santa Cruz, California EcollegE (ecology) in Awedu Virtual College Eight will serves as an incubator for content and techniques (especially bots) to be incorporated into Virtual UCSC. College Eight at UCSC has an environmental emphasis, as will VC8, and will thus be interdisciplinary. VC8 will have a strong outreach component, selecting websites and educational software programs that will allow students more hands-on and real-world learning opportunities than the traditional classroom, and will complement the Virtual High School currently in the AWEDU. VC8 will also give public school students the ability to "visit" our campus and interact with university students and staff, and receive tutoring in various subjects, as well as the opportunity to assist us in building VC8. Initially EcollegE is working with AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination, a highly successful national program which prepares students who traditionally have not had access to higher education) classes at two local high schools, and will serve as a location for mentoring and tutoring for students who are part of the Borderlink Project in LinkWrld. Contact: Patrick McKercher pmmckerc@cats.ucsc.edu


	Stanford University PBL Laboratory, Dept. of Civil Engineering Stanford University's PBL Lab As part of Stanford University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Problem/Project/Product/Process/People-Based Learning is a process of teaching and learning that focuses on problem based, project centered activities that produce a product for a client. PBL will be based on re-engineering processes that bring people from multiple disciplines together. Contact:: Dr. Renate Fruchter, Director fruchter@ce.Stanford.edu http://pbl.stanford.edu/


	Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) University College London CDVS in Active Worlds The project, formally known as 30 Days in Activeworlds, was developed to explore and log the growth of networked virtual space. By allowing tourists and citizens of Activeworlds to build in our server a series of maps were developed, logging the growth of the virtual world. A core community of users enthusiastically built a number of large and complex structures using elaborate architectural forms and investing a great deal of time. The pages carry details of the growth of the world, a prize was awarded for the most innovative building during the 30 Days, details are on the Winners page. Due to demand from the community the project has been extended to encompass 360 Days in Activeworlds, with the extension comes a number of new features and projects which will be taking place in the original 30 Days virtual world. Contact: Andy Smith asmith@geography.ucl.ac.uk http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/


	University of Texas at Austin ACTLAB ACTLAB's Utopia is a student-built experimental space in Onlive Traveler. Now already five years old, Utopia is a vrml world that enables avatars to move in between 3D communities, talk to other avatars in their own voice and hear their voices. Web Page: http://www.actlab.utexas.edu/utopia/


	University of Washington The Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) Virtual Playground A Java 3D World The Greenspace Project's Virtual Playground is an experimental virtual environment concerned with the underlining hardware and software issues of collaborative VR and with how humans will live and act in this new environment. The Virtual Playground prototyped a new generation of a shared virtual space, written completely in Java and using the new Java3D API. Contacts: Bruce Campbell - bdc@hitl.washington.edu Jim Davidson -jnd@hitl.washington.edu Kori Inkpen - inkpen@hitl.washington.edu http://www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/greenspace/


	Georgia Tech University School of Literature, Communication and Culture TechLINK in The Palace Georgia Tech's LCC program, TechLINK is using the Palace in seven of its 42 freshman courses as an online collaborative learning space. Meeting halls, classrooms offices and cafes allow students to congregate in virtual rooms regularly as a part of their course. Contacts: Greg VanHoosier-Carey, Assistant Professor greg.vanhoosiercarey@lcc.gatech.edu Web Page: http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/techlinc/index.html

	The Center for Advanced Learning Technologies INSEAD in Active Worlds The Centre for Advanced Learning Technologies (CALT), located in France is increasingly regarded as Europe's leading R&D initiative in the domain of advanced learning technologies for management education and knowledge management. Their virtual world in Active Worlds is public and serves as a virtual environment to test CALT's experimental projects. Contact: http://www.insead.fr/CALT/