Xref: utzoo comp.graphics:8839 sci.edu:825 Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!shelby!helens!baroque!jim From: jim@baroque.Stanford.EDU (James Helman) Newsgroups: comp.graphics,sci.edu Subject: Visualization in Education (was Message-ID: Date: 4 Dec 89 21:35:31 GMT Sender: news@helens.STANFORD.EDU Organization: Stanford University Lines: 23 In-reply-to: rick@hanauma.stanford.edu's message of 1 Dec 89 04:55:41 GMT Rerences: <11726@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <1989Nov25.142552.1702@hellgate.utah.edu> <3399@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> <5646@eos.UUCP> <1989Nov30.222404.2817@csustan.CSUStan.Edu> <7153@portia.Stanford.EDU> As Richard points out, visualization tools used in research can find their way into the classroom. They can be useful in this role because an interactive data visualization tool is almost always better than a static graph or text book picture. But one could imagine going one step better, by having visualization environments designed expressly for the purpose of education. A student could play with the physical model and immediately "see" how the system changes. Usually research tools don't allow this sort of interaction with the underlying simulation and physical model. Scientifically useful simulations are usually too large and time consuming (and always seem to stay that way) for this purpose. I think this sort of interaction is essential for education. Using what I called "ShowVis" in the classroom meets with the same problems. It may be slick and entertaining, like Star Wars. Good for the imagination. But it will probably be a prerecorded video, not very interactive. Jim Helman Department of Applied Physics P.O. Box 10494 Stanford University Stanford, CA 94309 (jim@thrush.stanford.edu) (415) 723-4940 Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com