Company News • 21.11.2011

Pilot project reveals students are twice as engaged when using 3D content

A pan-European pilot project headed by Texas Instruments (TI) DLP has highlighted the widespread positive impact on how students learn when using 3D content as a teaching tool, improving student engagement, concentration and test scores. The DLP inventor Texas Instruments has joined efforts with several 3D DLP projector specialists such as NEC Display Solutions Europe to establish showcases in several European schools. NEC acted as an important technology partner in Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands – three out of seven European countries, where the pilot was running.

The research, conducted by TI DLP has shown that 3D projection can make a huge impact in the classroom. The study compared the difference in comprehension, information retention and overall behaviour between students learning via traditional 2D methods versus learning via 3D projection.The participating schools used DLP projectors from leading manufacturers in that area such as NEC Display Solutions Europe.

Over the course of the study, 92 per cent of students on average were attentive during 3D lessons, while only 46 per cent were actively paying attention during non-3D lessons. Similarly, on average, 86 per cent of pupils improved from the pre-test to the post-test in the 3D classes, compared to just half (52 per cent) who improved in the 2D classes and individual test scores also improved by an average of 17 per cent in the 3D classes, compared to an eight per cent improvement in the 2D classes between pre-test and post-test.

In Germany it was primary school pupils at Munich’s Grundschule an der Simmernstraße that took part in this innovative pilot project, where a special classroom was set up with computers and interactive whiteboards, along with both NEC 2D and 3D projectors.

“NEC has a proud tradition of performance within the education sector and technology in the classroom offers a wealth of promising opportunities. Recent technological innovations like 3D capable ultra-short throw projectors, tablets and interactive whiteboards are practically destined for use in schools and all appeal to a modern child’s high level of media and technological literacy,” said Ulf Greiner, Product Line Manager Business Projectors at NEC Display Solutions Europe. “Projects like this one give us the chance to gather valuable feedback, while promoting the informative and captivating learning experience that is created through 3D modelling and viewing.”

Across all of the schools involved in the study, 3D shortened the time it took for students to learn concepts, increased their attention spans and resulted in overall deeper thinking from the students. The findings indicate that 3D projection should be considered now and into the future when looking for ways to improve their students learning and engagement.

“At TI DLP , we work to provide technology that improves people’s lives and the results of this study shows that we’re putting our resources in the right place,” said Roger Carver, Manager of Front Projection, DLP Products. “As the technology powering the vast majority of 3D-Ready projectors around the world, TI DLP is focused on enabling teachers and students worldwide to experience the same kind of learning success that has been found through this project.”

“With the lifelike images that 3D projection can provide, it’s no surprise that 3D projection is going from strength-to-strength across Europe, and NEC is helping to pave the way for educators to make the most from this technology,” added Greiner. “Not only does it help keep students’ attentions, but also provides an immersive, 360-degree view of content that previously could only be taught using flat, 2D images and videos, or rudimentary models and figurines.”

For the study students were tested before and after the lessons, with one control group learning with 2D methods only, and the other receiving the same instruction, but with 3D content added into the lessons. Students were also tested on their ability to recall the information four weeks later, and researchers collected observational data on the engagement level of students at set intervals during each of the lessons.