Collaborative work with large amount of graphical content in a 3D virtual world: Evaluation of learning tools in vAcademia

In this paper, we suggest a method for collaborative work with large amount of graphical content in 3D virtual worlds. We argue that applying this method will benefit educational and other professional use of this technology. The most common problems with applying 3D virtual worlds in everyday teaching and learning are steep learning curve and demand for computational and networking resources. The suggested method allows reducing the load on CPU, and therefore, designing convenient and sophisticated tools for collaborative work with graphics inside a 3D environment. We present the methods of generating images, the design, and implementation of tools we developed for vAcademia virtual world based on this method. We discuss the educational value of the possibilities to work with large amount of graphical content in a 3D virtual world, which were limited before. We provide performance evaluation of the suggested method based on a series of tests which we applied to the whole system and specific algorithms. In addition, we present the initial result of user evaluation.