ODF for Blenderin an eLearning Context
Blender Conference 2008Amsterdam, 25th October 2008
Oliver Schneider
Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany
Zentrum für Advanced Learning, Medien und Simulation
Overview
• Learning project Atlantis University
• How to incorporate Blender
• ODP importer
Me in a nutshell
• Studied TV-engineering• Former media-engineer• Research in Digital Storytelling– VR, AR, MR-projects– Education
• Lecturer and Trainer
Idea
3 pillars – 1 face to the customer
Atlantis University Portal
face-to-face learning eLearning project based learning
Multi Disciplinary
• Computer Science• Pedagogic• Design• Engineering• Economic Sciences• IT-Law
International
• Germany• Great Britain• Poland• Ireland• USA• Hungary
Learn Your Own Way
• Content is adapted to individual learner-types• Normally– 2 strong– 2 weak
Analyst
Perceptor Communicator
Creator
ConstructorOrganiser
Non-Linear Learning
• Learning-path is influenced by– Learner preferences– Time– Available content– Learner performance
• Different pedagogical models are possible
Non-Linear XBLAnalyst
Perceptor Communicator
Creator
ConstructorOrganiser
Learning by Contribution
• Contribution by tutors and learners• Could be part of assessment• Direct-manipulative changes
(at the right place)• Immediate visibility of changes• We call it:
Collaborative Content Manipulation (CoCoMa)
CommunicationCollaboration
Lecturer:create/administrate
Module
Revision
Learner:supplement/update
Collaborative Content Manipulation
CoCoMa Screenshot
Learning with Blender
Of course: Learning 3D and games
• Open source• Everybody may learn at any place on any
platform• Still not well known• UI discourages many beginners• “There's no support”• “It's unreliable”
Learning with Blender
Simulations
• Simple simulations– Physics– Python
• VR, AR, MR• mLearning
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
Learning with Blender
BlenderGame Engine
Story Engine
Glue logic
Content
User Input,GPS, Gyroscope
Output (AV)
Learning with Blender
eLearning context
• Any kind of interactivity• Content prepared with an external editor– SCORM– Learning Design– ODP
ODP Import
Overview
• Presentation with Blender• Good start for modelling and animation• Slides may be enriched with interaction• Idea originated because of the learning platform• Still hoping for browser-plug in
ODP Import
Current status
• Pre alpha• Can import– Text– Some formatting– Images
• Uses Python's XML libraries• Some parts are dependent on Mac OS X
ODP Import
ODP Import
ODP Import
ODP Import
ODF files
• zip compressed• Bunch of XML files• Most important– content.xml– styles.xml– Pictures folder
ODP Import
ODP Import
ODP Import
Code: Classes
• XML• Presentation• Draw– Text, pictures, drawings– Blender code– Includes SVG
• Style
ODP Import
Code: Future
• Presentation– Conversation to game engine– Animations– Transitions
• Improve import
ODP Import
Roadmap
• 1.0– import (nearly) all static information– Simple presentation
• 2.0– Animations– Presentation
ODP Import
Roadmap
• 3.0– Real importer– no XML– platform independent
• 4.0: Editor…
ODP Import
Next steps
• Reorganising the code• Publish– Own website– Official Blender project
ODP Import
Difficulties
• Blender's handling of text styles– Mixing of styles not possible– Full justification missing in BPython
• Bug reports…• Blender is very slow on MacBook Air
(maybe problem with Intel GMA X3100 Chipset?)
ODP Import
Wishes
• Web plug in• Or media plug in…– Quicktime– Linux…?
• Game engine's CPU usage• Real time media files like video• Easier text formatting within Blender • Text in game engine
ODP Import
Help wanted
• Font handling• Layout• Interoperability (e.g. Linux)• How to reference other Python files…?
