Skip to main content
Log in

Adaptable visual presentation of 2D and 3D learning materials in web-based cyberworlds

  • Special Issue Paper
  • Published:
The Visual Computer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Educational cyberworlds allow one to circumvent physical, safety, and cost constraints that often affect real-world training and learning scenarios, allowing students to study the learning content flexibly and individually. However, this does not eliminate the need for presenting the educational materials in an effective way, using visualization, interaction and presentation techniques that are better suited to the learner’s preferences, abilities, and the available devices. The system that we present in this paper is capable, starting from a set of available educational resources (e.g., text, pictures, movies and 3D models) and lesson structures (e.g., suitable ordering of topics), to automatically build a set of alternative web-based educational cyberworlds characterized by different visualization (2D and 3D), interaction and presentation techniques, including virtual humans as instructors. The learner (or her instructor) can then choose the cyberworld that best fits her preferences and needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Atkinson, R.K.: Optimizing learning from examples using animated pedagogical agents. Educ. Psychol. 94(2), 416–427 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bandura, A.: Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall, New Jersey (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cassell, J., Bickmore, T., Billinghurst, M., Campbell, L., Chang, K., Vilhjàlmsson, H., Yan, H.: Embodiment in Conversational Interfaces: REA. In: Proceedings of CHI, pp. 520–527. ACM Press, New York (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cassell, J., Thòrisson, K.R.: The power of a nod and a glance: envelope vs. emotional feedback in animated conversational agents. Appl. Artif. Intell. 13, 519–538 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chittaro, L., Ieronutti, L.: A visual tool for tracing behaviors of users in virtual environments. In: Proceedings of AVI ’04, pp. 40–47. ACM Press, New York (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Chittaro, L., Ranon, R.: Web3D technologies in learning, education and training: motivations, issues, opportunities. Comput. Educ. (2006, in press) DOI 10.16/J.COMP.EDU.2005.06.002, available online (2005)

  7. Chittaro, L., Ranon, R., Ieronutti, L.: Visual analysis of navigation in virtual environments. IEEE Trans. Visual. Comput. Graph., Special Issue on Visual Analytics (2006, in press)

  8. Chung, S., Hahn, J.K.: Animation of human walking in virtual environments. In: Proceedings of Computer Animation, pp. 4–15. IEEE Computer Society Press, Washington, D.C., USA (1999)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Cugini, J., Scholtz, J.: VISVIP: 3D visualization of paths through web sites. In: Proceedings of Database and Expert Systems Applications, pp. 259–263. IEEE Computer Society Press, Washington, D.C., USA (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ekman, P.: Emotion in the Human Face. Cambridge University Press (1982)

  11. Findlater, L., McGrenere, J.: A comparison of static, adaptive, and adaptable menus. In: Proceedings of CHI, pp. 89–96. ACM Press, New York (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  12. H-Anim ISO/IEC FCD 19774. http://www.h-anim.org/Specifications/H-Anim200x/ISO_IEC_FCD_25774/ (2005)

  13. Hong, J., Landay, J.: Webquilt: A framework for capturing and visualizing the web experience. In: Proceedings of World Wide Web, pp. 717–724. ACM Press, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Huang, Z., Boulic, R., Magnenat-Thalmann, N., Thalmann, D.: A multi-sensor approach for grasping and 3D interaction. In: Proceedings of CGI ’95, pp. 235–253. Academic Press, New York (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ieronutti, L., Chittaro, L.: A virtual human architecture that integrates kinematic, physical and behavioral aspects to control H-anim characters. In: Proceedings of Web3D, pp. 75–83. ACM Press, New York (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  16. Ieronutti, L., Ranon, R., Chittaro, L.: Automatic derivation of electronic maps from X3D/VRML worlds. In: Proceedings of Web3D, pp. 61–70. ACM Press, New York (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Ieronutti, L., Ranon, R., Chittaro, L.: High-level visualization of users’ navigation in virtual environments. In: Proceedings of INTERACT ’05, pp. 873–885. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kayssi, A., El-Haji, A., Assir, M.E., Sayyid, R.: Web-based tutoring and testing in a computer networks course. Comput. Appl. Eng. Educ. 7(1), 1–7 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lester, J., Converse, S., Kahler, S., Barlow, T., Stone, B., Bhogal, R.: The persona effect: affective impact of animated pedagogical agents. In: Proceedings of CHI ’97, pp. 359–366. ACM Press, New York (1997)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Lester, J.C., Stone, B.A.: Increasing believability in animated pedagogical agents. In: Proceedings of Autonomous Agent, pp. 16–21. ACM Press, New York (1997)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Lin, B.S., Hsieh, C.T.: Web-based teaching and learner control: A research review. Comput. Educ. 37, 377–386 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Mayer, R.E., Sobko, K., Mautone, P.D.: Social cues in multimedia learning: role of speaker’s voice. Educ. Psychol. 95(2), 419–425 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Moreno, R., Mayer, R.E.: Personalized messages that promote science learning in virtual environments. Educ. Psychol. 96(1), 165–173 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Moreno, R., Mayer, R.E., Spires, H., Lester, J.: The case for social agency in computer-based teaching: Do students learn more deeply when they interact with animated agent? Cognition Instruct. 19, 177–213 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Norman, D.: How people might interact with agents. In: J. Bradshaw (ed.) Software Agents, pp. 49–55. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Shneiderman, B., Maes, P.: Direct manipulation vs. interface agents. Interactions 4(6), 42–61 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sproull, L., Subramani, M., Kiesler, S., Walker, J.H., Water, K.: When the interface is a face. Human-Comput. Interact. 11, 97–124 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Takeuchi, A., Nagao, K.: Situated facial displays: Towards social interaction. In: Proceedings of CHI, pp. 450–455. ACM Press, New York (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  29. van Mulken, S., Andrè, E., Muller, J.: The persona effect: how substantial is it? In: Proceedings of CHI, pp. 56–66. ACM Press, New York (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  30. VRML The Virtual Reality Modeling Language. http://www.web3d.org/x3d/specifications/vrml/ISO_IEC_20772-All/index.html (1977)

  31. Weld, D.S., Anderson, C., Domingos, P., Etzioni, O., Krzysztof. G., Lau. T., et al.: Automatically personalizing user interfaces. In: Proceedings of IJCAI, pp. 1613–1619. Morgan Kaufmann, San Francisco, CA (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Wiley, D.: Connecting learning objects to instructional design theory: A definition, a metaphor, and a taxonomy. In: D.A. Wiley (ed.) The Instructional Use of Learning Objects, online version: http://reusability.org/read/chapters/wiley.doc (2000)

  33. X3D ISO/IEC FDIS 19775. http://www.web3d.org/x3d/specifications/index.html (2004)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luca Chittaro.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chittaro, L., Ieronutti, L. & Ranon, R. Adaptable visual presentation of 2D and 3D learning materials in web-based cyberworlds. Visual Comput 22, 1002–1014 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00371-006-0038-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00371-006-0038-y

Keywords

Navigation