FTCC moves today's science into products and services.

• Position: The Business of Innovation - Fayetteville Technical Community College

A look below at four projects at Fayetteville Technical Community College shows the College's commitment to the latest technology as well as useful products and services:

Integration of interactive 3-Dimensional content into instruction

Today's technologies have enhanced our ability to create more authentic and stimulating learning environments. Interative 3-Dimensional (i3D) learning objects represent a powerful information technology. They permit visualization of information that is difficult to understand, describe textually or demonstrate two-dimensionally. The built-in interactivity provides the means to make knowledge come alive. Since i3D allows students to learn by doing, receive immediate feedback and refine their understanding and build new knowledge, they understand faster, remember longer and make decisions more quickly.

Working with K-12 teachers and community-college instructors from seven counties surrounding Fort Bragg, Fayetteville Technical Community College is leading a collaborative effort to integrate i3D content into classroom instruction. The goal is to create learning environments that tap into the gaming generation's strengths. Participants provide content expertise for the development of i3D learning objects designed to meet a designated classroom/workforce need. They also create lesson plans and pilot the i3D learning objects in their classrooms. Anticipated outcomes are better student retention, higher student test scores, more student engagement, exploration, and integration of innovative instructional materials and technologies in the classroom and increased instructional skills. In addition, the connection between high school and community college will reinforce skills development and recruitment procedures.

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Development of anatomy and biology i3D learning objects was at the forefront. One of the first projects developed is a female human head where students can progressively remove layers to see the muscles, blood vessels, nerves, skull and brain. Students are able to "zoom in" to see components as well as rotate the image to see all sides, rather than relying on a series of 2D pictures. Additional learning objects under development include virtual simulations to provide real-world experiences such as a virtual operating room, a radiography room, a forest, a theater and a farm. A sample of additional learning objects under development includes the opportunity to put together a neuron...