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Last Updated: Tuesday November 25 2008 16:30 GMT

Maddy checks out 3D lessons

Maddy tries out a 3D lesson

We all know classrooms can get a little bit boring at times, but how cool would it be to be able to walk around a really old village, or get up close to a volcano when it's erupting?

That's what new technology could let you get up to in your lessons.

Maddy went to find out more.


"Images of England 500 years ago, a huge volcano or a pumping heart are just some of the things you can check out using the technology. It works on special TVs or computer screens.

A first the pictures just look like something out of a normal cartoon or computer game, but if you put a special pair of glasses on the images become what's called 3D or three dimensional. That means things seem to come alive and pop out of the screen.

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So how does it all work? Watch and find out

I explored a village set in Tudor times. When you're wearing the specs you control where you're going using a special mouse - it took me ages to get the hang of it!

Realistic

But once you work out how to move around you can check out what Tudor houses used to look like, watch people playing games on cobbled paths and even say hello to some sleepy horses. They looked really realistic.

Loads of girls in the class I was with said they felt like if they reached out they would be able to touch the animals. But if you actually try you end up stroking thin air!

I felt a bit silly wearing the big, bright yellow glasses you need to make all this technology work, and after a while they dug in and made my ears hurt.

Maddy tries out a 3D lesson
Maddy has a look at the 3D screen
But I found the whole thing really fun and it's definitely a different way to learn, instead of just reading books.

At home

A few theme parks and cinemas already use the technology, but this is the first school in the UK to make it such a big deal in lessons.

It is really expensive, so it's unlikely other places will use it any time soon, but experts reckon it will get much cheaper in a few years - you might even be able to use it on your own telly or laptop!

How much fun that does sound?"

Maddy