Free 3D Software for Interactive Whiteboards
It’s always exciting to run across cutting edge technology that has true educational implications. “Edusim is a free opensource 3D virtual world” designed to be used with interactive whiteboards. Did you hear that? It’s FREE and OPENSOURCE!!! “Edusim is an extremely powerful way to engage your students by bringing a 3D virtual environment that allows the direct manipulation of the 3D virtual learning objects directly from the interactive whiteboard surface.” You can also use the software to connect multiple interactive whiteboards allowing teachers and students to collaborate with others around the world.
Now, don’t misread my enthusiasm. The graphics, interface, etc. all have room for improvement, but that’s true with all new innovations. That will all get better with time, resources, and more innovation. And, yes, educators will need to look for effective ways to integrate this with teaching and learning and refrain from using another bell or whistle. I just find it intriguing to think about the door of possibilities that this opens. Aw, the fun we’d have with this in my math and science classes. We could potentially use this kind of technology when studying the parts of a cell, the layers of the Earth, fractions, ratios, proportions, measurement, metric vs. British measurement, conversion of measurement, and so much more. I’d love to be part of its future development!!! Wouldn’t that be a blast?How could/will you use this kind of technology in your instruction?
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January 30th, 2008 at 1:34 AM
OMG!!! I am floored by this; and the Greenbush site says there is something under development to make interactive videos using cellphone cameras- whoa. I hope to God I can get some of these techtoy/tools to play/teach with in my classroom (once I get a classroom). Awesome! =D
January 30th, 2008 at 12:02 PM
I think this is amazing! I would love to have one of these in my classroom too! Soon it is going to be a whole new learning environment for teachers and students.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:18 PM
This would be very interesting in the classroom, but you would have to be careful not to use this feature just for the sake of using it. I love the way you can have multiple users interacting at once.
January 31st, 2008 at 9:42 PM
In my teacher training sessions I will inform teachers about the uses. This would be nice to have in one of my training sessions and allow the teachers to interact with it. I would have graphics related to the training session information.
March 13th, 2008 at 11:43 PM
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June 11th, 2008 at 8:49 PM
Last semester I visited a Kindergarten class where the students used something like that to help them with reading. The teacher called it a “Smart Board.” The kids absolutely loved it, and I recall them reading some rather large words for five and six year olds.
June 21st, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Students would find interactive whiteboards fun and engaging. I would love to have one in my classroom.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:18 PM
I think that the whiteboard is an excellent tool that allows children the opportunity to interact and learn at the same time. What a great concept.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I agree with Tricia. The tool is very cool and innovative, but I think you would have to be very crafty to work it into instruction.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:03 PM
I think that this is excellent. I would love to see in person this being used and would love to have the oppurtunity to incorporate it into my classroom someday!
January 25th, 2009 at 3:02 PM
I think this is a great idea. Allowing children hands on/interactive experience while also learning has got to be beneficial. You could use this for a numerous amount of lessons and it could making learning more fun and interesting for the students.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:24 PM
I am blown away by this! I want one for my house! The students are allowed to be creative and there are endless opportunities for teaching.
June 9th, 2009 at 4:50 PM
These whiteboards are really cool. I think they are great, especially for Pre-K and Elementary. This is a great way to keep a kid’s attention.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Interactive whiteboards are a great way to get students excited about learning. I am a 7th grade Language Arts teacher and I think it would be really neat to take students on a virtual field trip to Verona while reading Romeo and Juliet!
June 9th, 2009 at 7:32 PM
In my undergrad i took this same class and to my amazement the teacher was a principal at a local middle school in Murfreesboro and we went on a field trip to his school and the school had one. People generally think of how expensive things of this nature are but they didn’t have to pay for it all it takes is for teachers to apply for grants. He has each grade level apply for them to bring cool and new things to their school each year… how exciting!
June 10th, 2009 at 6:12 PM
This makes me so excited that I have an IWB for the next school year. I can’t wait to start experimenting with it!
July 14th, 2009 at 10:30 AM
I think this is a wonderful way for students to interact with technology. My school currently has Smart Boards in each classroom. This advancement is beneficial to the student.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:03 PM
How fun this looks! I can see this being useful for almost any grade. Pre-k with learning to draw and recognize shapes to a high school class learning about team work through designing a city (have a planning dept, mayor, city council, DOT, individual developers, and so on).
July 16th, 2009 at 5:16 PM
this is an amazing tool to use in a classroom!
July 16th, 2009 at 9:29 PM
This video is awesome! I am just in awe by the technology that’s out there. I can see how technology, as shown in the video, can be costly. However, is there any amout of money too much to invest in our children’s future? I am really excited about seeing this. I believe, and others may agree, that in time, school systems will do away with the use of pens, pencils, and paper and become more advanced!
August 31st, 2009 at 2:30 AM
This is fantastic! I just ordered a new whiteboard to work with the eBeam we won in a drawing last year. Can’t wait to make it work for us in such a great way!!!
Amy Rosenberg
IDT 7061
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 PM
I have never seen anything like this (except on television shows). This is really cool. I would love to use this, and I know students would love to too.
September 4th, 2009 at 8:05 AM
Lots of possibilities for using this in almost every subject. And, it looks like fun!
January 30th, 2010 at 8:26 PM
I have to be honest. I like to keep things real, and I’m skeptical here. This video makes us excited as teachers, but let’s face it: (at my school, anyway) the only teachers who get technology are the ones who teach gateway subjects. We just don’t have that much money, and what we do have is concentrated into a handful of classrooms while the others know better than to even ask. Also, in the video we see one child working independently. I know my other 34 would never be so patient. I know, I know… there are other types of activities which would involve more students. I guess I’m being a Negative Nancy, but I just think we should all consider reality before we get stars in our eyes over smartboards (let alone 3D on smartboards). Dr. Mims, don’t kill me, and maybe you can change my mind by the time we’re done with this class, but I can’t help thinking about what else that much money could buy…