The Virtual Historian Concept

A Shift in Paradigms

For decades, history has been taught in much the same way. Slideshows have evolved into videos. Textbooks now have color. These have been incremental steps that mainly focused on refining the look of old presentation methods.

The problem we face is that history is constantly being created. This means that in 2004 we are responsible for understanding more history than we were in 1950. We cannot continue to use traditional methods and still learn everything we need to know. We need accelerated teaching tools that deliver understanding more completely and more quickly.

Virtual Historian represents a complete departure from the old paradigms of the textbook and the video presentation. We believe the Virtual Historian will not only revolutionize the way in which the Doctrine & Covenants is taught but how history in general is delivered.

There are two keys to the Virtual Historian Concept:

• Non-linear presentation
• Instant Context

Non-linear Presentation

Traditional resources start at the beginning of a story and take you to the end. They are a seven course meal where you must eat everything that is put on your plate. Virtual Historian is a buffet of resources that allows you to stroll through and only pick out the items that interest you. There is no beginning and there is no end. You can start wherever you want and follow your curiosity.

For example, you could click on a link to a biography, open up the media viewer for a location that was mentioned in the biography, then see a map containing the location and finally, read other sections that were received in the same place. Since you are controlling the experience you are only studying subjects that interest you. This increases your attention span and your retention of information.

Instant Context

The problem with a non-linear presentation is that it is very easy to arrive at information for which you have no context. Linear presentations organize information so that each new bit of information builds on information that has previously been presented.

Studying in a non-linear fashion has traditionally been like skipping randomly to various scenes in a movie. You have no context of the scene and thus have no idea what is going on.

Virtual Historian solves this problem by always providing instant context on anything you are studying.

• Historical background for each section is always present right alongside that section.
• One click of the mouse will load a map of where the section was received and jump the timeline to when it was received.
• All names mentioned in the Doctrine & Covenants can be clicked on. A biography opens up on that person.
• Locations mentioned in the D&C can be clicked on. A window opens up with historical background on the location as well as Virtual Reality photographs of that location.

These are just a few of the examples of how Virtual Historian solves many of the problems inherent in a non-linear presentation of history.

Virtual Historian: Doctrine & Covenants is just the first of many similar products that will be developed on both Religious and Secular History. We will keep you posted as new Virtual Historian Products are developed.