TimeScope 3D objects come in time and locale-specific modules, which consist of appropriate object or building templates and 3D files. If desired, teachers can also request additional objects not included in the module. To evaluate students progress, each assignment in the TimeScope curriculum results in a student-created object that can be examined by the teacher for evaluation purposes. For the global community of history students, TimeScope is a valuable persistent, online resource. Students put what they ve learned into an interactive 3D knowledge base of objects which can be explored by others even after the class has ended.
Sister classes in different cities or countries can visit each other s historical spaces.
By publishing their work to a global audience, students are encouraged to take ownership of and responsibility for the learning process, and are more likely to create a final product that they can be proud of. Students participate in activities which require them to create and interact with 3D objects that represent historical ideas in the TimeScope world. Actual physical objects help serve as mnemonic devices for students, as well as support different student learning styles. Students interact with the world via client software, and the server receives and delivers real-time changes to the environment through an Internet connection. The database of objects is stored on the server and updated whenever it receives a message from a client.