GeoEd3D
 
Project Summary
The North Dakota State University World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC) is an inter-disciplinary research team, which has since the 1990s developed multiuser, interactive virtual environments (IVEs) for the purpose of teaching various branches ofnatural and social science.

The most developed of these IVEs is the .Geology Explorer. where students land on a newly discovered planet to identify rocks and minerals, and to model of geologic relationships and structure. The Geology Explorer has been used in college level courses at multiple universities. The effect of our IVEs, including the Geology Explorer, on college-student learning has been rigorously studied. Results consistently indicate that IVE students perform higher on various assessments than those exposed to a more traditional instructional approach. Recently, we have expanded our science education endeavors by modifying the Geology Explorer to be age appropriate for 6-12 grade students (i.e. increase scaffolding and intelligent software tutor capabilities, assessment tools embedded in virtual experiences). Additionally, over the last three summers we have held training sessions for secondary teachers to learn the Geology Explorer software and explore ways to incorporate it into their curriculum.

This project, as a 'Track 1 Pilot Project' of the Geoscience Education grant, would meet four goals:

  1. Design and implement 2 new modules to the Geology Explorer IVE which could be incorporated into 6-12 grade earth science, chemistry, and math classrooms.
  2. Design and implement standards-based curricula and assessments to supplement these new modules.
  3. Evaluate the effect of the new modules on students. ability to connect skills used in geoscience to those used in other career opportunities and science disciplines.
  4. Evaluate students. attitudes of perceived relevance of math and science beyond high school.
 
User Registration: Registration
Faculty Login: Faculty
 
Installer: Download Version 13May2009
 
Geometry Idea: River World and Data
Geometry v1: Dynamic Area
Geometry v2: Painted Area
Geometry v3: Interpretive Module
Geometry v4: Interpretive Module w/Water
 
Grant Info:
Pilot Project: Research on Serious Games for Geoscience Education, 2 years, $149,984, National Science Foundation (Geo-Ed) No. GEO-0608082, Aug 2006 - Aug 2008; Dr. Brian M. Slator, PI, Lisa M. Daniels, Jeffrey T. Clark, Donald P. Schwert, and Jeff Terpstra.
 
Identified Problem Hardware
  1. Marvell Yukon 88E8050 PCI-E ASF Gigabit Ethernet Controller
    • Sometimes causes network connection to fail.
    • Workaround - Reboot required.
  2. ATI Xpert/Rage128 GL (Driver 6.13.3279.0) & (Driver 6.14.10.4785) & (Driver 6.14.10.4860)
    • Textures render as all black.
    • Workaround - Update driver to 6.14.10.4926 (Released on March 17, 2008)
  3. Some HP PCL-based Printers (seen on HP Laserjet 4100 and 4250N)
    • Only one graph and one cell of a table prints out
    • Workaround - Use a PS driver OR disable "Print Optimizations" in the Advanced tab of the Printing Properties dialog.