For visual learners, a single image can be as powerful as a multitude of words. With the explosion of educational apps and 3D technologies, these types of learners have become more and more accommodated. Visual imagery used in apps, in particular for science and math subjects, has helped many visual learners bridge the gap between confusion and understanding.
Corinth, an interactive Czech educational technology company, has created a visually spectacular app which aims to teach plant biology. The app has interactive 3D segments of different plant biology specimens, such as a leaf, a tree and a plant cell. It also displays a 3D environment of plant bacteria and viruses. Players can zoom in to each specimen all the way up to a microscopic image using a slider, with labels and descriptions of each item provided. The app is also connected to Wikipedia, and every item in the ecosystem has an encyclopedic definition attached.
Visual learners will love this app. It allows them to become immersed in the microscopic structure of a plant, understand how they function, and give them a deeper understanding of plant biology. The app fully uses the potential of touch screen technology, with compatibility with the Microsoft Surface and Windows 8.
The app has been noticed by many influential technologists, such as Microsoft Vice president Anthony Salcito. He commented on his blog:
“Showing the power of technology with a cool 3-D app drew “oohs” and “ahhs” from the audience. Corinth developed a 3-D interactive platform and an app called Corinth Micro specifically for the Global Forum in just 6 weeks. Corinth’s apps enrich the learning experience by providing detailed objects and environments that the user may freely explore (like individual leaves or cell structures). Using a demo example of search for “plant viruses” I found documentation through Kno and then zoomed in on images of leaves to look around 3-D cellular structure. It was pretty amazing!”
The Windows 8 / RT app is available to download here.