3D animation aids visual learning at the VisTE project conducted at North Carolina State University. Here a student’s work explains how radiation affects a cell. All VistTe images courtesy of Dr. Julie Petlick.

Most people think of 3D animation as the visuals that make blockbuster movies and videogames possible, but the applications for this computer-dependent art form go well beyond entertainment venues. 3D models and environments are being used for education and training in a staggering amount of areas — architecture, medical training, aerospace, engineering, product marketing, historical recreations, archeology, biotechnology, vehicle operation and real estate — to name a few. Universities, corporations, government organizations such as NASA, even high schools and some middle schools have programs that use 3D visualization as a teaching tool.

Widespread use of computers in education has only developed over the last 25 years. Computers started with one-dimensional command lines. In the last 15 years or so 2D conventions such as Web pages and graphical user interfaces like windows and menus have been the norm. In the last decade the use of 3D technology has advanced along with improvements in computing and processing power. Plus we now have a generation of students that have grown up with the technology. They are not intimidated at all by the graphics.

Artist and curator Mark Meadows concludes that 3D, photorealism and motion can approximate reality and make learning possible when the real thing is not available to be studied.

“Students, especially high school students are enamored by animation technology. Whether they got there through their love of visual effects from film or computer games, there's a strong desire by students to learn — or play — on this technology. Now we're giving a firm academic reason to explore it,” shares Michael Edmonds, senior manager of education and government business for Discreet. Different from programs in classical high schools that teach animation as a technology prep course through fine arts or vocational programs, a new program has been developed for comprehensive high schools.

Comprehensive education courses focus on math, science, language arts and pre-college curriculum. In these courses the technology is used to support their objectives. The program curriculum consists of project-based immersion using visual communication to explore a particular science topic. Five projects that are best demonstrated using 3D animation are selected from high school science or technology curriculums. Using visual communication to explore these science areas, students animate a solution to explain the science or technology. Projects include an archaeological reconstruction of the Parthenon, a piece on the digestive system, one on weather systems and tornadoes, another on forensics and facial reconstruction and on planetary mechanics. Taken together, the five projects constitute a semester-long course as well as the equivalent of a fundamental animation course. Edmonds credits Pia Maffei of Applied IDEAS Inc. with authoring the program.

The federal government is investing in new curricular devises to promote the areas of science, technology and design in schools. Grants help universities such as North Carolina State, Harvard and other schools do cognitive research. Several schools are involved in research on the implementation of visualization in the classroom, both to help make teaching more effective as well as preparing future teachers on how to teach students to visualize. They are looking at cognition — how people absorb data. 3D works by making it more real and making it real is key. Author of Pause an Effect, The Art of Interactive Narrative, artist/curator Mark Meadows explains, “The best learning would occur hands on with the physical subject matter. It you're studying a rock, the best way to comprehend a rock is to hold it in your hand, look at it, smell it, weigh it — physical interaction. With 3D animation where you're using 3D, photorealism and motion, we can approach reality far closer than many other media. In this medium, learning is going to be facilitated.”