RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

Brian J. King
402 High Street, APT 3A
Bowling Green, OH 43402
brianjosephking@gmail.com
+1.440.452.5272: mobile
Reference: RFP#: BGSU/TECH695
SPECIAL DELIVERY - EMAIL
Dr. Patrick W. Miller
Patrick W. Miller, POC
The Miller Funding Agency
9235 Greenwood Avenue
Munster, IN 46321
email: patrickwmilller@sbcglobal.net
Attention: Dr. Patrick W. Miller, POC
Dear Dr. Patrick W. Miller:
Subject: RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

Dear Dr. Patrick W. Miller,

The Digital Media Research Group as part of Bowling Green State University has
worked in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University to developed the attached
RFP#: BGSU/TECH695 proposal. Our proposal includes the following sections as
specified in the solicitation for grant application. The Budget also follows the 25% cash
match from Bowling Green State University, Digital Media Research Group, and Case
Western Reserve University.
• Cover Sheet & Abstract
• Problem/Need
• Goals/Objectives
• Project Narrative
• Budget
• References
• Appendices
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the application please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Sincerely,
Brian J. King
Graduate Technologist Researcher
DMRG/Bowling Green State University

Enclosures, Grant Application: RFP#: BGSU/TECH695 (1 digital copy)

 RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

Name of Organization: Bowling Green State University, Digital Media Research Group,
Case Western Reserve University
Contact Person: Dr. Larry Hatch, BGSU Professor & Digital Media Research Group1
supervisor
Office Address: Bowling Green State University, College of Technology, C/O Dr. Larry
Hatch, DMRG/Bowling Green State University
Telephone: 419.372.7475
Fax: 419.372.5555
Email: brianjosephking@gmail.com

Descriptive Project Title: Pocket Virtual Worlds, Voluntary Immersive Kinesthetic

Learning Tool

Abstract: Pocket Virtual World is a kinesthetic voluntary immersion based learning and
gaming tool that allows for learners to immerse themselves inside of a virtual space
displayed on a PDA2 through the use of cubic panoramic photographs displayed on the
PDA as the learner physically moves forward, backward, and side to side. This allows a
4th grader living in the inner city of New York to go to their gymnasium and view sights
and explore them such as the Eiffel Tower and much more to fully engage their learning
without the large overhead costs of cross continental flights, lodging expenses, etc.

1
DMRG
2
Pocket Digital Assistant, PocketPC
 RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

Problem & Need

Students of the current generation are inherently raised using technology, playing
video games, generally are more collaborative when solving problems, etc. Our current
method of educating these students is archaic and lacks the real engagement that these
digital natives are comfortable with and engaged in; showing a two-inch photograph of
the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the beach of Normandy in a textbook is no longer an
effective way to educate these digital natives to be fully engaged learners. “Universities
have been adopting the computer based gaming in the classroom. In 2001, the 2nd highest
ranked course among executive MBA students at Harvard Business School was a
simulation used to teach global logistics.”34

Goals & Objectives

1. To develop a system that is able to effectively engage these digital natives
in their education.
2. To provide the learners with a voluntary immersion into an environment
that they may never have the chance to physically visit due to travel costs,
etc.
3. To provide the user with a kinesthetic navigation system that effectively
teaches the concepts necessary for the learner through an innovative
approach to depicting space, time, and motion.
4. To move from the PDA approach to a functional prototype of the system
on the iPhone/iPod touch SDK within the period of performance.

Methods & Activities

What these digital natives need is a more engaging and game like approach to
their learning; one that matches their lifestyle of gaming, technology use and capacity,
and their exploratory nature. The Digital Media Research Group5 at Bowling Green State
University6 along with our collaborating university Case Western Reserve University7
have developed a system known as Pocket Virtual Worlds that allows these digital
natives to be fully engaged and to explore these environments through the use of a
PocketPC that communicates to a device worn upon the users belt. The DMRG & CWRU
have developed this software & hardware and also collected large data sets of panoramic
imagery and placed these onto maps that can be loaded onto the PocketPC. As the user of
the Pocket Virtual World walks through any environment (inside or outside, anywhere in
the world) they can be kinesthetically engaged in a voluntary immersion into whatever
3
http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/digitalnatives/index.htm
4
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/DigitalGameBasedLearningI
/40614
5
DMRG – http://thedmrg.com, http://pocketmobilegaming.com
6
BGSU – http://bgsu.edu
7
CWRU – http://case.edu , Jared Bendis
 RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

data set they chose to view (ie. Eiffel Tower). As they physically take steps forward they
will walk through a series of panoramic images that they will view on the PocketPC.
As the period of performance listed in the grant is October 1st through September
th
30 we will need to have full time workers as described in the budget (ProjectBudget.xls)
we will work to develop from our original device on the prior model of the GP2X gaming
system and the version on the Dell XV50 PDA and port over to the Apple Inc.
iPhone/iPod touch SDK8 during the period of performance if awarded the grant monies
requested from The Miller Funding Agency. Dr. Larry Hatch will serve as the main point
of contact for updates to the Miller Funding Agency if awarded the grant. The main role
the graduate and undergraduate students will have is to ensure that inside of the period of
performance that we port our code base and test the device for usability and functionality
on the iPhone/iPod touch SDK to have a more ubiquitously distributed and inexpensive
device for the software & hardware to utilize.

Evaluation Plans
Evaluating the Pocket Virtual World program is multi-faceted as the project is
still in development and mainly internal testing. For the purpose of this grant application
the main evaluation method is to finalize a fully working demo on the iPhone 3g device
as found in the attached budget. Once a fully functional device is developed then more
complex testing will be developed at this time to assess the effectiveness of utilizing the
Pocket Virtual World in gaming applications. Currently the evaluation plan is
summative9 in the sense that we are developing a tool that will eventually have more
assessment built into it to provide the learner with feedback; although we do not have a
quantitative methodology for evaluating this as of yet. The project will be evaluated
internally by Dr. Larry Hatch and Jared Bendis with project updates to be sent if
requested by the Patrick W. Miller funding foundation. The two main points of contact
8
Software development kit (SDK)
9
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/edtech/etc667/proposal/evaluation/summative_vs._formative.htm
 RFP#: BGSU/TECH695

for the proposed project are listed below:

• Dr. Larry Hatch, BGSU, larryhat@gmail.com
• Jared Bendis, Case Western Reserve University, jaredjared@earthlink.net

Estimated Cost
The estimated costs of the project as well as the 25% cost matching can be found
in the attached document (ProjectBudget.xls). The budget items are based on rates of pay
publically available from BGSU and based off of my personal pay rate for graduate
assistantship assuming a 0.5 time assistantship working 20 hours per week for 1 (one)
academic year in length, the same is true for undergraduates although only for 20 hours
per week for 1(one) academic year at an hourly rate. The equipment costs are the second
highest expense requested. The costs for the devices can be found listed with references
on the ProjectBudget.xls file.

Appendices
See attached documents for supplemental information regarding Pocket Virtual
World.