University of Leicester
University of Nottingham

University of Leicester

Within SPLINT, our aim is to encourage students themselves to engage with the VR theatre facilities as part of their learning and teaching experience; VR laboratories elsewhere can often be seen as the territory of research staff only. Use of the VR infrastructure falls within two main categories:

The VR theatre as an environment for teaching and learning
The 3D visualisation literature suggests considerable untapped potential for the use of VR in teaching and learning both in geography related subjects and across a wide range of disciplines; chemical models, geological complexities, magnetic force fields, anatomical structures and reconstructed archaeological monuments are just a small number of possibilities.
Technical considerations of visualisation in digital geographies
New opportunities relating to virtual reality methods and modelling are ongoing as part of our visualisation module within the department's MSc in GIS degree programme. Similarly, but at a different level, undergraduate students are using the theatre as a learning space within which to consider the role and place of digital visualisations and issues such as realism, interfaces, complexity and the public communication of science. Our VR theatre can be used for real-time stereo viewing of 3d modelled environments (artificial or pseudo-realistic, natural or man-made) but is also convertable to a wii-controlled wide screen environment for viewing Google Earth or similar environments.

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3D models as a means of enhancing subject-based understandings related to inherently 3d concepts and/or complex space-time phenomena

3D visualisations, presented within the VR theatre or via our portable stereo rig, are being developed and evaluated for their learning effectiveness. While there are many examples of immersive VR being used in medical education, there is less evidence within the environmental literature. Further, where examples are presented, their effect on learning processes and the place in which they best sit as part of an overall blended pedagogic model is rarely considered. Part of SPLINT’s VR work at Leicester aims to address these gaps in the pedagogic literature in addition to seeking effective ways of re-purposing materials and models such that the use of VR for teaching and learning purposes becomes less resource intensive.

Learning and teaching tools are currently in the process of either development or evaluation in the following areas:

The use of stereo VR to aid student understandings of locational error in GPS of different types and at varied locations: Leicester Campus model

Jarvis, C.H., Li, J., Brunsdon, C. (2008) Exploring spatial uncertainty of GPS coordinates and DEM interpolation in virtual environments, Proceedings of Virtual Geographic Environments, Hong Kong, January 7th -8th 2008.
Jarvis, C.H., Dickie, J., Li, J. (2008, Forthcoming) Blended learning as a dynamic process: Embedding immersive visualisations within the Geographical Information Science curriculum. GI Forum, Salzburg, July 2008.

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The use of 3d to visualise mathematical functions such as those used in interpolation, and to view the effects arising as a result of particular method or parameter configurations

Jarvis, C.H., Li, J., Brunsdon, C. (2008) Exploring spatial uncertainty of GPS coordinates and DEM interpolation in virtual environments, Proceedings of Virtual Geographic Environments, Hong Kong, January 7th -8th 2008.

The role of immersive 3d landscape models in providing students with an apriori sense of place prior to field work overseas: Almeria, SE Spain

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The VR theatre as an environment for investigating research questions relating to visualisation/spatial literacy

A range of research strands are emerging under this heading, including:

• The role of immersive 3d landscape models in providing students with an improved spatial orientation/location once ‘on-tour’ in the field: Almeria, SE Spain
• Getting lost: Wayfinding and navigating in a virtual environment. Almeria, SE Spain & campus VR environments
• The relative effectiveness of augmented and virtual environments for teaching and learning

These ideas have been discussed, inter alia, at the following meetings:
Jarvis, C.H., Priestnall, G. (2008) Visualisation futures: A teaching and learning perspective. Horizon Scanning for GIS and Visualisation, Salford, April 1st 2008.
Jarvis, C.H. (2008) Immersive visualisation for learning in Geography. Immersive Vision’08, Plymouth, March 2008

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In addition to taught components of the course, and work by SPLINT research staff, the VR equipment is also being used by undergraduate and MSc students for their dissertations. Examples of research that are not SPLINT funded or SPLINT deliverables in their own right, but have been positively impacted by the SPLINT VR software and hardware infrastructure, include the following:

Visualising (simulated) crime data in Virtual Reality: Market Street, Leicester

Chapman, D. (2007) Visualising crime data in Virtual Reality. MSc in GIS Dissertation 2007/8, September 2007.

The Effectiveness of Artificial Landmarks for Orientation Tasks within a Large-Scale Virtual Environment

Rousell, A., (2007) The Effectiveness of Artificial Landmarks for Orientation Tasks Within a Large-Scale Virtual Environment. MSc in GIS Dissertation 2007/8, September 2007.
Rousell, A., Jarvis C.H., Li, J. (2008) The Effectiveness of Artificial Landmarks for Orientation Tasks Within a Large-Scale Virtual Environment. Proceedings of GISRUK 2008, Manchester, April 2nd-3rd 2008.

Tabernas badlands: Visualising relationships between vegetation and topography

Millman, R. (2007) Tabernas badlands: Visualising relationships between vegetation and topography. BSc Geography Dissertation 2006/7, February 2007.

Liaisons with other departments across the University have also led to experiments concerning spatial memory and early stage investigations regarding the effectiveness of visualising molecular forms in stereo 3d for learning. It is our aim for the SPLINT virtual reality theatre to be used further to foster inter-disciplinary collaboration connected with spatial literacy both in regard to research and also teaching projects.

For more information on the VR work of SPLINT at Leicester, please contact:
Claire Jarvis chj2@le.ac.uk
Jing Li jl185@le.ac.uk
Bill Hickin bwh@le.ac.uk

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University of Nottingham

Visualisation

One of the core streams of research and development in SPLINT at Nottingham is in the field of Visualisation. The aim is to utilise state-of-the-art visualisation presentation technologies to strengthen the teaching and learning at the University of Nottingham and beyond. SPLINT funds were used to buy stereoscopic projection systems both as permanent installations, and as portable systems which can be taken on the road.

Staff were brought in under the SPLINT CETL to develop models for use in teaching and learning contexts in conjunction with the presentation equipment. An initial remit was to build a model of the University of Nottingham 'University Park' campus as an example of an urban site, and a field study site in the Lake District as an example of a rural site.

Software used by the military for flight simulations has been procured for use in the project allowing development of high-end virtual reality (VR) modelling. The software utilises techniques such as levels-of-detail and terrain and texture tiling in order to render high-quality real-time large screen worlds. The systems deliver semi-immersive VR to the student users.

Reconstruction of a retreating glacier in Cumbria used in conjunction with an undergraduate Geography fieldtrip.

Augmenting the landscape with geological fault lines near Derwent water, Cumbria.

Urban model building: Developing work flows to engage students in building and visualising 3D models – here part of the University of Nottingham campus.

The Technology - The SPLINT 3D Visualisation Theatre, Technical aspects of the Theatre and Bluetooth Mapping Application - [more]

Teaching and Learning Applications - The visualisation suite has become an integral part of the teaching of several modules - Windfarm Siting Exercise, Campus Building Modelling Exercise - [more]

Research - The SPLINT team is constantly working on the development of new and innovative mobile learning and visualisation technologies. Each learning technological advancement made by the SPLINT team is rolled out in teaching courses within the university and beyond. The experiences of the students using SPLINT learning objects is then analysed and fed back to the development team in order to create second and third generation technologies, in a student-led technology evolution process - [more]

For more information on the VR work of SPLINT at Nottingham, please contact:
Gary Priestnall gary.priestnall@nottingham.ac.uk
Andy Burton andy.burton@nottingham.ac.uk
Gemma Polmear gemma.polmear@nottingham.ac.uk

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