![]() Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?
written by
Urban Eriksson
An overlooked feature in astronomy education is the need for students to learn to extrapolate three-dimensionality and the challenges that this may involve. Discerning critical features in the night sky that are embedded in dimensionality is a long-term learning process. Several articles have addressed the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) simulations in astronomy education, but they have neither addressed what students discern nor the nature of that discernment. A Web-based questionnaire was designed using links to video clips drawn from a simulation video of travel through our galaxy and beyond. The questionnaire was completed by 137 participants from nine countries across a broad span of astronomy education. The descriptions provided by the participants were analyzed using hermeneutics in combination with a constant comparative approach to formulate six categories of discernment in relation to multidimensionality. These results are used to make the case that the ability to extrapolate three-dimensionality calls for the creation of meaningful motion parallax experiences.
Science Education: Volume 98, Issue 3, Pages 412–442
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![]() <a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=13750">Eriksson, Urban. "Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?." Sci. Educ. 98, no. 3, (April 18, 2014): 412–442.</a>
![]() U. Eriksson, , Sci. Educ. 98 (3), 412–442 (2014), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172).
![]() U. Eriksson, Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?, Sci. Educ. 98 (3), 412–442 (2014), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172>.
![]() Eriksson, U. (2014, April 18). Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?. Sci. Educ., 98(3), 412–442. Retrieved May 2, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172
![]() Eriksson, Urban. "Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?." Sci. Educ. 98, no. 3, (April 18, 2014): 412–442, https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172 (accessed 2 May 2025).
![]() Eriksson, Urban. "Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?." Sci. Educ. 98.3 (2014): 412–442. 2 May 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172>.
![]() @article{
Author = "Urban Eriksson",
Title = {Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat?},
Journal = {Sci. Educ.},
Volume = {98},
Number = {3},
Pages = {412–442},
Month = {April},
Year = {2014}
}
![]() %A Urban Eriksson %T Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat? %J Sci. Educ. %V 98 %N 3 %D April 18, 2014 %P 412–442 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172 %O application/pdf ![]() %0 Journal Article %A Eriksson, Urban %D April 18, 2014 %T Who Needs 3D When the Universe Is Flat? %J Sci. Educ. %V 98 %N 3 %P 412–442 %8 April 18, 2014 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13750&DocID=4172 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
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