The Royal Military College of Science is testing an interactive web-based building as a teaching and learning aid in virtual environments.
In staged trials, students and staff at the Cranfield University college will be able to navigate a virtual university building, called The Barrington, 24 hours a day whether on or off campus.
Driven by Mediasurface software technologies, the research will investigate the effectiveness of distributing course manuals, syllabuses, agendas and other materials through the site.
The building is also a research tool on web navigation and alternative methods of displaying and retrieving information.
The Mediasurface application set employed will allow the project team to distribute technologically driven teaching and learning without the need for its users to acquire specific technical skills. Lecturers at the university will be able to use the technology as an integral part of their existing work.
Speed of rollout and ease of use were identified as critical to the successful implementation and further roll-out, as feedback from the continual involvement of people who will be using The Barrington will form the basis for the next stage of the research project.