A Virtual Marine Museum for Educational Application
Today I'm gonna introduce a virtual marine museum developed for educational application.
We all know that oceans which flow over three- quarters of our planet are significant to Earth and mankind. Oceans have numerous special physical properties so we call them "the inner space".Under the deep oceans are high pressure, dark as well as lots of marine creatures. Therefore very few people is able to discover the mysteries. However, children are curious about miraculous and mysterious inner space so that our aquariums are always full of children and their parents. Aside from visiting these marine creatures in the museums, we also want them to be aware of the importance of the oceans and protect them.
Today's virtual marine museum can help children experience this inner space without leaving home.This virtual marine museum was developed computer animation and VR technologies to animate marine creatures and their ecological environment in the real world.They used 3D computer graphic models to animate marine ecology and relations among different species in the oceans.
The virtual scene of marine museum
The museum consists of three exhibition areas. The first area displays fish in freshwater, including creeks, rivers, and dams in Taiwan.
A visitor observing fish in the Freshwater Area
The second area exhibits marine ecology and creatures of different species in the oceans.
A visitor observing fish in the Seawater area
The third area is an undersea transparent tunnel, just like many aquariums, where we can see sharks, tune, and beautiful anemone fish swimming around the coral reefs.We can use the buttons on the right to go forward, backwards as well as look up and down. In all, visitors can experience the full range of this tunnel.
A visitor entering the undersea transparent tunnel
The virtual marine museum also provides personal aquariums for people to breed fish. They can buy their favorite fish, and then put in the decorative objects such as corals, seaweed, and shells. They are able to feed fish, change water, and share their experiences with others in the discussion area.
Breeding fish in the virtual aquarium
The application of VR in education definitely increase students' learning interests in marine ecology. I think the most interesting par of this marine museum is the Personal Aquariums which can motivate children to create their own marine world and make them know the importance of the oceanic ecological balance. Besides, the virtual marine museum can keep students away from the danger of doing some experiments.
Teachers suggested that the application of virtual marine museum to science education is supposed to follow the guideline of instructional design. They thought it was easy for independent students to learn effectively by themselves in the virtual marine museum, but the guide learning by teachers was still essential. The learning effects will be better if the application of virtual marine museum is cooperated with proper instruction design.
Reference:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIRTUAL MARINE
MUSEUM FOR EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS*
