“Isn’t this so much better, being able to see everything in 3D?”
Nevada State College Department of Physical and Life Sciences Professor Vikash Patel posed this question to his Biology 223, Human Anatomy and Physiology class during a live demo of NSC’s new cutting-edge technology, The 3D Classroom.
The 3D Classroom is revolutionizing the education industry. It is an interactive 3D product for schools, universities and health care organizations, which enables instructors to explain complex and abstract components of a subject in a simple and understandable manner. It increases motivation and learning among students and fosters both educational growth and academic achievement.
Nevada State College hosted a live demo session of this innovative educational tool on Monday, Sept. 29, in Room 109 of the Dawson building. The session took place in a classroom with NSC students and was conducted by an NSC instructor, to demonstrate the 3D Classroom’s functions and capabilities.
“Before, you could describe it, but now, we can actually see it,” one student said, after Professor Patel showed students several body parts/organs in 3D. The 3D Classroom requires that students wear 3D glasses and gives the students the feeling of being in a 3D movie. During Professor Patel’s demonstration, a camera seemingly travels through the human body, starting in one of the nostrils. Throughout the lesson, students continued to voice their delight. “Wow, this is really cool…it’s fun!” they exclaimed.
“It is our desire to teach better and that means engaging students to positively change their thinking, knowing and doing,” said Dr. Andy Kuniyuki, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences. “We are assessing the ability of 3D to conceptualize difficult subjects. Our investment will be supported by the impact on students.”
Dr. Kuniyuki was able to secure the 3D Classroom through a negotiation with Swedish company Sensavis, to license the use of 4 units. This was the result of Sensavis sending out a global invitation to attend their launch in the U.S. at their U.S. corporate office last May. Dr. Kuniyuki was the first to attend their demonstration and confirmed his impression of its value with Director of Information & Technology Services, Brian Chongtai, Assistant Professor of Visual and Digital Media, Dr. Adam Davis, and NSC Anatomy and Physiology professors.
“The 3D Classroom is a stepping stone for the next level of learning,” Professor Patel said. “We went beyond the traditional lecture PowerPoint way of learning.” NSC Student Kimberly Nichols is in her 2nd semester at NSC. “As a tactile learner, I like to learn through hands-on experience. This gives me a much more in-depth perspective,” she said. “I feel like I can practically reach out and grab it, which makes a huge difference for me…it’s great. I love it.” Nichols also mentioned that she wishes she’d had this tool available in her previous biology classes, and that she hopes the 3D Classroom become a staple of the NSC learning environment.
Another 2nd semester student, Christy Jackson, agreed. “Anatomy and physiology is a very difficult subject,” she said. “This made the whole thing click.” Jackson has been out of school for 25 years and is very impressed with the advances in technology. She currently works in the medical field, as a Compliance Coordinator in Labor and Delivery at St. Rose Sienna, and plans to enroll in the nursing program at NSC.
At the end of Professor Patel’s presentation, students applauded as Dr. Kuniyuki told them “you are the first in the country to experience this; it’s only at Nevada State College.” In addition to its expected impact on student learning, NSC has been invited to improve the content. “The ability to contribute to future content means that we can direct how to take advantage of this innovation,” Dr. Kuniyuki said. “It is a win-win-win for our students, Sensavis and NSC.”
NSC professors like Patel are thrilled by the possibilities of the 3D Classroom, which “gives more of a synergistic effect, making students much more appreciative and providing a better understanding of the concepts.”
“When we enhance with tools like this, and make it more interactive,” Patel explained, “that’s the only way we’re going to get through.”
Nevada State College hosts 3D Classroom live demo session to showcase new technology
