Nextspace bring 3D visualisation to the classroom

Media Release
16 February 2009

Nextspace education partnerships bring 3D visualisation into the classroom

From Tots to Teens the Future is 3D

Catlins Area School Student

Primary, intermediate and secondary school children across New Zealand are taking their first steps into 3D visualisation thanks to partnerships with 3D visualisation industry catalyst Nextspace.

The Catlins Area School in South Otago, Edmund Hillary Primary School in Papakura and the Computer Clubhouse 274 after school computer programme in South Auckland are among the first to collaborate with Nextspace. Together they are developing initiatives to use 3D computer visuals to create more engaging learning experiences for students.

The Catlins Area School is New Zealand’s first provider of Aviation Studies through eLearning. 3D technology plays a key part in the course which is designed to prepare students for a career in aviation and give a head start towards Civil Aviation Authority and industry qualifications. Nextspace’s Business Development Director Brenda Frisk is working with their education team to use 3D as a teaching and learning tool through both the online and face-to-face parts of the programme. Nextspace also provided the school with 3D models of aeroplane engines and landing gear based on real engineering plans, so students work with accurate simulations not approximations.

Teachers from Edmund Hillary Primary School have attended professional development on 3D publishing and media literacy in the classroom, how 3D visualisation is used by industry and how to best engage students with it. This training was held at Nextspace’s Innovation Centre, a high-tech facility for digital innovation and learning.

A partnership agreement between Computer Clubhouse 274 and Nextspace allows South Auckland children as young as ten to become engaged with sophisticated 3D visualisation technology when working with their mentors in the after school programme. Through the partnership, children and mentors have access to world-leading software and industry connections that could lead to new career pathways.

Nextspace’s Brenda Frisk says 3D visualisation is an engaging and accessible teaching and learning tool. “Our school partnerships give teachers the toolset, skillset and mindset to use technology to create even more engaging learning experiences for students.”

“These tools further students’ learning by giving them the framework to take the knowledge and skill sets taught by teachers and ‘unpack and repack’ that knowledge in a journey of discovery.

“3D encourages different forms of media literacy and different ways of learning. A student can take a 3D model, examine it, manipulate it, combine it with other multi-media and information to create something new. Students can also collaborate with classmates and tutors adding comments or questions to the models and then publish the final models in common documents formats like PDFs, Word or PowerPoint. The result is much richer storytelling or a more hands-on creative process that excites students and ignites their passion for learning. Students become active participants in their learning journey and retain those lessons for life,” says Frisk.

Nextspace provides the training, support and tools for teachers and students to use 3D models as digital learning objects in any curriculum area.

Previously 3D technology has been viewed as expensive and complicated. However, Nextspace’s industry partnerships mean it can make highly sophisticated, commercial 3D software available to students and teachers using everyday computers. This includes significant education discounts on world-leading 3D software from Right Hemisphere and Esperient.

Nextspace was created through an agreement between the Ministry of Economic Development and world-leading 3D communications company Right Hemisphere to create a $1billion 3D visualisation industry in New Zealand over ten years.

ENDS

About Nextspace

Nextspace is a 3D visualisation industry catalyst and consultancy. Nextspace’s goal is to build a $1 billion visual communications industry in New Zealand which makes complex 3D data accessible, easy-to-use and interactive in a range of applications.

Nextspace brings together companies, universities, research organisations, educators and government agencies; with Right Hemisphere’s unique visualisation and collaboration technology; and its own expertise to create an internationally competitive cluster.

Based in Auckland, Nextspace also provides consulting, contract research, mentoring, software development services and an Innovation Centre with high-tech training and development facilities. It is owned by a not-for-profit trust.

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