Creation, visualization and 3D printing of online collections of three timensional educative models with low-cost technologies.practical case of Canarian marine fossil heritage

Abstract

In many educational settings, the use of tangible objects is used to enhance learning (models, replicas of art works, fossils...). When knowledge is disseminated through virtual environments, sometimes, the value of these tangible objects is lost. The new low-cost technologies allow solving this problem, enabling teachers to include in their virtual classroom the access and manipulation of three-dimensional objects. This article describes the process of creation and dissemination of a three-dimensional, interactive educational content for learning in a virtual environment. As a practical study, we have worked on the Canary marine fossil heritage. The fossils are used as tangible material in paleontology teaching, however they are not available for work outside the classroom. For this work, it has been digitized in 3D a selection of 18 fossils. 3D files obtained are available to students in an online environment, allowing download, multi-touch display and interaction on mobile devices. In addition, if the student prefers, they can print them using a 3D printer. Finally, there has been an experience with 70 university students who, after accessing to the online files, responded to a questionnaire to assess the made materials. © Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.