Self-Developing a MUVE for Research and Educational Innovations - Teaching through Multi-User Virtual Environments - page 469

Figure 27. A head based on a primitive box that was modified using cutting and extruding (left). The
same head with a smoothing operator applied (right).

eliminate the rough edges (see Figure 27). Fur-
niture like couches, chairs, and tables can also be
modeled by starting with boxes to represent the
flat areas, cutting faces for the legs and backrests,
and finally extruding the legs and backrests.
The key is to continuously practice the basic
polygon modeling techniques. Recall, however,
that modeling and texture mapping are only two
of the four skills that you need to create a complete
virtual world. Once your modeling skill has ad-
vanced to the point where you can model not only
exteriors, but also interiors and characters, you
can start learning the animation skills needed to
move your characters, and the programming skills
for displaying character animations in response
to events.

ming to the loading of models and animations in
response to events, include:
Application 1: Case studies. In business and
law schools, it is common for instructors to use
case studies—where students read about actual
situations, then identify problems and infer solu-
tions. The students' findings are then discussed in
class. Instead of having students read about situ-
ations, one can build a virtual world that models
the situation and then students can act out the roles
in the case. Moreover, the virtual world allows
students to explore alternative scenarios with
other students, in a way they could only imagine
when reading the case.
Application 2: Virtual Training. One can use a
virtual world to model equipment, materials, and
procedures, then have students learn to operate
the equipment in the virtual world prior to using
the actual items. An example would be a virtual
science laboratory, where students could learn how
to combine materials with equipment and learn
the consequences of mistakes without having to
experience actual damage.
Application 3: Teamwork and Serious Games.
By teaching students the four key skills, they
can collaborate to build a serious game within a
virtual world. Briefly, a serious game is an ap-
plication containing elements of videogame play,
but with a learning objective (Kelly et al., 2007).

ReADILY ImPLemeNTABLe
eDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS

Assuming that one has learned the four skills of
polygon modeling, texture mapping, animation,
and programming, there are an unlimited number
of virtual world learning applications. Dieterle &
Clarke (2005) provide a review of existing multi-
user virtual environments in education. Some other
applications that are readily implemented with
just the four skills, and with limiting the program-