New Augmented Reality Applications - Teaching through Multi-User Virtual Environments - page 383

With all of this we developed a system made of
several applications that use the models created and
the Open Source libraries. Finally, an experimen-
tal multimedia classroom was setup, supporting
collaborative structure manipulation. Since the
system was developed for different situations, it
is possible to design various experimental setups,
depending on the purpose of each lesson. For this
reason, we cover different kinds of systems, such
as one-camera and multi-camera systems.
One of our setups is a class with an experimental
system made of seven webcams simultaneously
connected to our system. The students are divided
into seven groups of two, each with a camera.
That way, all groups can control with their camera
the AR application and handle different VRML
models overlaid on the patterns of the markers. As
a result, each group gained knowledge from the
structure it was studying. It also learned from the
other groups that were handling other structures,
collaborating with each other and enhancing peer
learning.
For the above reasons, we want to apply this
system to other areas of Inorganic Chemistry, as
well as disciplines like mathematics (vector and
linear algebra), physics (vector physics) and engi-
neering (applications). We also want to improve the
tracking and rendering capabilities of the system.
Finally, we want to support more students and we
want to have a classroom permanently outfitted
for collaborative AR education.
All in all, the experience was very positive,
from the points of view of both the students and
the professors, because it greatly improved and
helped the teaching-learning process.

innovation project as the best project of 2007/2008.
Finally, we are thankful to all the students who
welcomed this work into their classrooms, for
their opinions, contributions and encouragements.

ReFeReNCeS

Azuma, R. T. (1997). A Survey of Augmented
Reality. Presence (Cambridge, Mass.) , 6 (4),
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Billinghurst, M. (2002). Augmented Reality in
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from http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/
technology/billinghurst.htm

Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., & Poupyrev, I. (2001).
The MagicBook - moving seamlessly between
reality and virtuality. IEEE Computer Graphics
and Applications , 21 (3), 6-8.

Bimber, O., & Raskar, R. (2005). Spatial Aug-
mented Reality: Merging Real and Virtual Worlds .
Natik, MA: A K Peters, Ltd.

Cawood, S., & Fiala, M. (2008). Augmented
Reality: A Practical Guide . Raleigh, NC: The
Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Cole, J., & Foster, H. (2007). Using Moodle:
Teaching with the Popular Open Source Course
Management System,(2 nd ed.). London: O'Reilly
Media, Inc.

Kaufmann, H., & Schmalstieg, D. (2002). Math-
ematics and geometry education with collaborative
augmented reality. International Conference on
Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques,
ACM SIGGRAPH 2002 conference abstracts and
applications, 37-41. New York: ACM.

ACkNOWLeDgmeNT

Kaufmann, H., Schmalstieg, D., & Wagner, M.
(2000). Construct3D: A Virtual Reality Applica-
tion for Mathematics and Geometry Education.
Education and Information Technologies , 5 (4),
263-276. doi:10.1023/A:1012049406877

This work was partially supported by a grant of
the “Proyectos de Mejora e Innovación Educativa
2007/2008” of the Unitat de Suport Educatiu
(USE) of the Universtitat Jaume I. This support
is gratefully acknowledged. We would also like to
thank the USE for its recognition of our teaching