Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

8 at the left shows a real experiment which is
accompanied by explanatory text only. In the
picture at the right the same experiment is shown
to the student wearing the AR system with the
addition of a virtual object which in this case is
a 3-D hand, serving as “a rule of thumb” showing
the geometric and physical connection of
the three physical parameters involved (q, B,
F). Depending upon orientation of the magnetic
field (B) the electron beam is diverted upward
or downward. For this change of direction the
so-called “Lorentz Force” (F) is responsible. It
affects all charged particles, which move in a
magnetic field, thus also the negatively charged
electrons. The force - and so the diversion - is
larger, the stronger the magnetic field is and the
faster the particle moves.
ADAPTING NEW CONTENT
ON EXISTING EXHIBITS AND
RENEWING THE EXHIBITION
The EXPLOAR service could support the work
of the science museum design and development
team to innovate the exhibition by adding new
content to the optical view of the visitors when
this is necessary.
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Visualising the Invisible in Science Centres and Science Museums
Figure 9. (left) Real hands on experiment (right) Augmented Reality version of the same experiment
wearing the device. The real exhibits are mixed in their optical view with the 3-D visual objects and
representations that the system is producing and embedding into this augmented world through their
glasses.
The explanatory and additional materials
currently accompany the exhibits are produced
for general used and they are presented to all the
different visitors categories. By introducing the
EXPLOAR service the design team will have the
chance to develop different content according to
the needs of the visitors (families, school groups,
experts, tourists) and in that way to make their
visit more interesting and effective. The interaction
with the exhibit and the learning objectives
would be different since the available information
is different. As the exhibit augmentations
are easily updated, the information provided by
the EXPLOAR service could not only present
exhibit relations to everyday life but also current
news on topical subjects. With this service curators
would be able to present a larger variety and
more connected material in an engaging manner
within the limited physical space available for
the exhibit. Furthermore, inexpensive changes
and improvements of the exhibit are greatly supported
by the EXPLOAR service. Altering the
information provided by the service corresponds
to a renewed exhibit with much less resources
than a usual renovation.
Finally the museum team would have valuable
information to their disposal regarding visitor’s
preferences and behaviour. Based on the amount