Educational use of 3d virtual environments: primary teachers visiting a romanesque castle

The study focused primary teachers views on the educational use of Virtual Environments (VEs). A 3D reconstruction of a Portuguese Romanesque castle, XII Century, was developed. A sample of 21 teachers explored the VE. The study intended to construct a detailed description of the exploration process implemented by the school teachers and to elicit their perspective on the educational potential of the VE. Globally, the data suggests the existence of a strong correlation between usability and sensory presence. In terms of educational use, the teachers stated willingness to use VE technology, although the data suggests a direct relationship between a traditional pedagogical approach and a bigger reluctance to use the VE. After experiencing the VE, all the teachers were capable of identifying some of its educational advantages but still described difficulties in actually implementing the technology in their classes.