How great are interactive illustrations? Rather than focusing on the one interactive illustration, I find that it is important to focus on the general goal and direction. Having been a part of the interactive illustration group, I find the goals rather worthwhile. We are back to the learning styles discussion. Many people who were previously alienated by the computer programming style find great reward and understanding in an interactive visualization. The Web and Java allow the idea to expand. Not only can you use interactive illustrations to teach about computer concepts but you can use them to teach about any interesting bit of information. Allowing people to interact with the program allows learners who work best by working with a system to work effectively. A solid 3D API will also help future work and goals (although I question the use of VRML in such a case...).

In addition, it is rather impressive to understand the importance of solid tools, both Java and the visualization system as well as the end result. I believe that illustrations could be built off of other illustrations to create a standard that could benefit educators as well as the mass public.

I also feel that this idea builds quite nicely on the viewer-only animations suggested in the first article. I encourage everyone to see what Brown's Interactive Illustrations group is doing now. Current interactive illustrations are online here (internal only) and here (a beautified subset).

After much playing with these demos I have decided that they are cool, very, very cool...I think that these types of interactive demos not only lend themselves to teaching you how to think about models but also may get the student excited about the topic...which is always a good thing.

I think that interactive demos are more useful than plain animations as well. I don't really get much out of watching an animation, its too easy to just ignore what's going on. I find that interactive animations that force me to play an active role really do help increase my understanding of the topic. I think that we should stress the distinction between the two.