Related Activity

This section contains details of and links to other spatial literacy related work going on at Nottingham.

DELVE (Design of Learning Spaces in 3D Virtual Environments) - JISC funded collaboration between the Open University and The University of Nottingham

This project will evaluate a range of 3-D virtual learning spaces, immersive and non-immersive, realistic and non-realistic, with students, in order to propose models for a variety of pedagogical requirements.

The project will investigate the existing models of learning spaces in a 3-D virtual world (Second Life) and the rationale for their designs; compare students' and educators' experiences and perceptions of the design of 3-D learning spaces on their collaborative learning and teaching, for three distinct models of learning spaces in Second Life; investigate the pedagogical benefits provided by a semi-immersive 3-D Virtual Reality environment (large screen, stereo projection, for audiences up to 40), as compared to the less immersive learning space offered by Second Life; propose a suite of models for the design of 3-D virtual learning environments for different pedagogical requirements (e.g. for different disciplines or types of activities) and contexts (e.g. online learning versus face-to-face education) [more].

If you use Second Life - you can visit the environments created [here] or view a University of Nottingham podcast covering the project [here]

Investigators: Nick Mount and Gary Priestnall

 

A Design Methodology for GUI Displays on Handheld Devices for Mobile Navigation Applications - Centre for Geospatial Science

This is an ongoing Ph.D. research project within the Centre for Geospacial Science. Shahabuddin Amerudin's main aim is to develop methods and tools that support the design and development of handheld devices for geographical problems for interactive software systems. The system is designed with the support of graphical user interface that allows users to better manage and enjoy using the device. The resulting applications should be suitable for the both experienced and inexperienced mapping users to perform the tasks in the surrounding environment easily. In fact, not everyone is educated to a level where they are familiar with mapping and how to use it, especially when using handheld devices. Due to this, the navigation applications should be able to provide a user with the capability to show or display information with or without a map interface. The way the application communicates with the user and vice versa will be studied and explored. Thus, there is a need to study a new way of presenting maps and information especially for small screen display devices, instead of using traditional map symbols and attribute information.

Supervisors: Prof. Mike Jackson and Dr Gary Priestnall - Centre for Geospatial Science [more], University of Nottingham.

GeoSpatial Widgets - Visual Learning Lab

The word ‘widget’ has been used to describe a discrete interactive learning object designed to teach certain spatial and logic skills visually. Examples developed by Jack March and Ed Lester using Macromedia Shockwave 3D are already being deployed in a range of engineering and scientific teaching and learning contexts. The ‘GeoSpatial Widgets’ project aims utilise the same interactive visual framework in a more overtly geographical context. This will produce several new exemplars of ‘visual learning’ illustrating how several interactive graphical techniques can be applied across a range of disciplines. It will also provide some examples of where the Visual Learning Lab and the SPLINT (SPatial Literacy IN Teaching) CETL’s have a common interest. Applications currently under development include: an orienteering application looking at the association of 3D visualisation of a landscape with various 2D map equivalents; and a flood simulator using a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) to model water flow through a catchment. The most well developed application is 'LOCATA', an interactive web-based spatial skills test which explores the ability of students to associate 3D landscape views with a 2D map equivalent [more].

Investigators: Jack March and Gary Priestnall - Funded by the Visual Learning Lab [more]