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Virtual Worlds are challenging to develop and deploy in small community settings. Our research into their measurement, design, and usability has allowed us to radically reduce the cost and footprint of a platform needed to support the collaborative creation of content, letting communities share their histories with both local and global audiences. Integrating this platform with an approach to virtual fieldwork lets communities explore authentic recreations of historical scenes, giving new perspectives on cultural heritage that stimulate reflection and understanding across the generations and enhancing the visitor experience by making new modes of interaction available for museums. This has enabled educational and cultural heritage bodies in Scotland to connect with new audiences and increase public participation in local heritage.
Dr Sweetman's research on the churches of the late-antique Peloponnese included a virtual reconstruction of the Acropolis Basilica in Sparta, which was developed in conjunction with a pair of publications on the pedagogical applications of virtual reconstructions. This initial work led to the development of nine other virtual reconstructions — including St Andrews Cathedral, Linlithgow Palace and the Brora Salt Pans in Sutherland — which have contributed to making cultural heritage more accessible to a wide range of users. Specifically:
i. They have helped a range of tourist and cultural heritage bodies in Scotland and beyond to improve accessibility by means of virtual tourism and to increase public interest in local heritage. (Public understanding and heritage management)
ii. They have been used in the classrooms of seven Scottish schools in projects related to the Curriculum for Excellence, resulting in increased understanding of and enthusiasm for archaeology and Scottish and classical history. They have influenced Education Scotland in their development of new plans for using digital technologies to enhance learning, and have been made available via Education Scotland's `Glow' website to schools throughout Scotland. (Education)