Explorable explanation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:40, 7 August 2023

Revision as of 07:18, 9 December 2023

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[[File:PLATO chem exp.jpg|thumb|The PLATO computer system, which predates the personal computer, was the first platform for what would now be called explorable explanations]]

Many explorable explanations predate the popular use of the phrase.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Singley|first=Mark K.|title=Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems Reaching through technology - CHI '91 |chapter=Molehill |date=1991|series=CHI '91 |___location=New York, NY |publisher=ACM |pages=439–440 |doi=10.1145/108844.108992 |isbn=9780897913836|s2cid=21614588}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Redmiles|first=David F.|title=Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems - CHI '93 |chapter=Reducing the variability of programmers' performance through explained examples |date=1993|series=CHI '93|___location=New York, NY|publisher=ACM|pages=[https://archive.org/details/interchi93confer0000unse/page/67 67–73]|doi=10.1145/169059.169082|isbn=9780897915755|s2cid=13014326|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/interchi93confer0000unse/page/67|doi-access=free}}</ref> For example, the [[PLATO (computer system)|Plato system]], a computer-assisted instructional system created in 1960 depicted to the right, used interactive examples to teach concepts to students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hackeducation.com/2018/01/25/plato|title=PLATO and the History of Education Technology (That Wasn't)|date=January 2, 2018|website=Hack Education|language=en-US|access-date=March 27, 2019}}</ref> In 1996, [[Mitchel Resnick]] created an explorable explanation of [[emergence]] using [[Conway's Game of Life]] as an example.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playfulinvention.com/emergence/|title=Exploring Emergence |website=www.playfulinvention.com |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref>

The target audience for explorable explanations has historically been limited by available [[Software Platform|software distribution platforms]] (although some have been made for specific museums, without any intention of wider distribution, including some created by [[Karl Sims]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.karlsims.com/rd-exhibit.html|title=Reaction-Diffusion Media Wall |website=www.karlsims.com |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref>). Due to the fact that explorable explanations have not previously been successfully [[Monetization|monetized]], physical media such as [[CD-ROM]]s could not be considered. Since the 2000s, explorable explanations have become more common, because of widespread internet access and increased [[computer graphics]] possibilities within [[web browser]]s, for example via [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], [[WebGL]], and [[Canvas element|HTML5 canvas]] [[API]]. This allows complex simulations to be accessed instantly and shared on social media.