Animation elements: an approach for authoring and presenting 3D Animation in Internet Based Learning Environments

3D Animation is not as commonly used as video, graphics or audio in World Wide Web (WWW) based learning environments. This is not because 3D animation is any less valuable for educational purposes. It is due to the fact that animation authoring requires much more effort in terms of time and cost, not to mention expert skills. Inorder to cope with these obstacles preventing a broader use of 3D animation, we present an element-based approach as a new paradigm for 3D animation authoring and propose implementation stategies using the Virutal Reality Modeling Language (VRML) and Java.