Levy, Richard, and Peter Dawson. “Interactive Worlds as Educational Tools for Understanding Arctic Life.” In Pastplay: Teaching and Learning History with Technology, edited by Kevin Kee, 66- 86. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2014.
Many of the unique traditional dwellings constructed by indigenous groups in the Arctic can be brought to light through the use of 3D interactive technology and computer modeling. The use of technology is becoming more widely accepted as a medium of expression and knowledge. Therefore, the authors purport that digital reconstructions of architectural structures transform the flat representation of the past to enhance the behaviour and performance of the unique structures. Through technology, researchers are able to better understand and observe how these structures withstand the extreme Arctic environment. These virtual laboratories can offer students and teachers case studies that enhance and entice students to learn about different cultures and history and offers indigenous users the opportunity to evoke effectual and emotive knowledge. The authors use the study of primary school students’, college students’ and Inuit leaders’ responses to the digital reconstructions of pre-contact Inuit dwellings in a 3D virtual theatre at the University of Calgary. Through this study, the authors concluded that these virtual environments can also be useful in assisting in personal identity growth and recovery as well as in enhancing discourse. The chapter brings readers through how 3D interactive technology can be used for different displays and interaction through appropriate venues. The authors also discuss the reasoning behind creating virtual objects through laser scanning. They enhance their argument through the use of a case study of the Thule Whalebone House, a discussion of the value of virtual laboratories and the description of how they used the modeling of light from a whalebone lamp in their 3D reconstruction. The authors discuss the use of 3D technologies through funding from the Virtual Museum Program, which brought Arctic life to the public through the web and a kiosk at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, which allowed the public to interact with their own virtual dwellings. The chapter concludes with a discussion and summary of using 3D technology as a tool to enhance understanding of Arctic life.