A Virtual Laboratory for Computer Graphics Education

Abstract

We specify a 3D network-distributed virtual environment (DVE) where students learn computer graphics programming. The client/server software consists of a programming environment, the 3D DVE that is used to develop dynamic link libraries (DLLs) to generate 3D graphics. The software distributes a DLL to remote clients in an automatic way, and allows students to view the output of the DLL together in the interactive 3D DVE. A field study will evaluate the use, usability, and usefulness of the 3D DVE by an analysis of the discourse between students. We hypothesize that the software supports autonomous and collaborative learning of computer graphics principles and are valuable for readers that teach 3D computer graphics to students at remote universities.