The authors have developed a computer-based learning module on the unit cell of various types of crystal. The module has two components: the virtual unit cell (VUC) part and the subsequent unit cell hunter part. The VUC is a virtual reality simulation for students to actively arrive at the unit cell from exploring, from a broad view, the crystal…

The number of experimentally derived structures of cellular components is rapidly expanding, and this phenomenon is accompanied by the development of a new semiotic system for teaching. The infographic approach is shifting from a schematic toward a more realistic representation of cellular components. By realistic we mean artist-prepared or…

A simple interface between VPython and Microsoft (MS) Office products such as Word and Excel, controlled by Visual Basic for Applications, is described. The interface allows the preparation of content-rich, interactive learning environments by taking advantage of the three-dimensional (3D) visualization capabilities of VPython and the GUI…

This paper is a study on the interaction patterns of distance learners enrolled in the Mathematics and Physics programmes of Universiti Sains Malaysia in the videoconferencing learning environment (VCLE). Interaction patterns are analysed in six randomly chosen videoconferencing sessions within one academic year. The findings show there are more…

Learning embryology remains difficult, since it requires understanding of many complex phenomena. The temporal evolution of developmental events has classically been illustrated using cartoons, which create difficulty in linking spatial and temporal aspects, such correlation being the keystone of descriptive embryology. We synthesized the…

Despite a long tradition, conventional anatomy education based on dissection is declining. This study tested a new virtual reality (VR) technique for anatomy learning based on virtual contrast injection. The aim was to assess whether students value this new three-dimensional (3D) visualization method as a learning tool and what value they gain…

A conference attended by 40 "students" and 20 "teachers" was held to explore the state of the art in computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The school was held in a remote Italian resort, but direct connections with computers in Italy and the United States were made to provide opportunities for demonstrations of existing systems.…

Two college educators offer their personal stories of adopting technology for college teaching in different disciplinary contexts (a physics course for nonmajors and a design course for interior designers and architects), and the process of redesigning curricula, rethinking instructional techniques, and revising student assessment accordingly.…