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Virtual reality captures people's attention. This technology

This paper presents an application of Augmented Reality for improving spatial abilities of engineering students. An augmented book called AR-Dehaes has been designed to provide 3D virtual models that help students to perform visualization tasks to promote the development of their spatial ability during a short remedial course. A validation study with 24 Mechanical Engineering freshmen at La Laguna University (Spain) has concluded that the training had a measurable and positive impact on students' spatial ability. On the other hand, results obtained using a satisfaction questionnaire illustrate that AR-Dehaes is considered an easy to use, attractive and very useful technique for students. AR-Dehaes has proved to be a very cost effective tool insofar as it only required an ordinary PC with a webcam to be used.

The present study assessed a short training experiment to improve spatial abilities using two tools based on virtual technologies: one focused on manipulation of specific geometric virtual pieces, and the other consisting of virtual orienteering game. The two tools can help improve spatial abilities required for many engineering problem-solving procedures. The results indicated that training activities improved the components of space ability (mental rotation, spatial visualization, and spatial orientation). In addition, it was concluded that there were no differences between men and women with respect to spatial ability levels before or after the training experiment. This fact resulted from masked training relating to daily living and leisure activities that are usually indistinctly performed by men and women in developed and industrialized countries.

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The technologies that have sought to intervene in the architectural drawing process have focused on the sense of sight, leaving aside the use of the hands and the entire body that together achieve more sensory designs. Nowadays, to the benefit of the draftsman, that ideal scenery in which sight, hands and body work holistically is returning thanks to Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR). The purpose of this research is to analyze the perception of two-dimensionally drawn spaces, the drawing of such spaces through three-dimensional sketches in IVR, and both the perception of 3D sketched spaces and those which are also modeled realistically in IVR. First and fifth year architecture students went through the four phases of the experiment: (a) the perception of a space based on 2D sketches, (b) real-scale 3D space drawing in IVR, (c) the perception of a space drawn in 3D in IVR, and (d) the perception of the same space realistically modeled in 3D in IVR. Through three questionnaires and a grading sheet, the data was obtained. The perception of two-dimensionally drawn spaces was high (70.8%), while the precision of a space drawn in an IVR was even higher (83.9%). The real or natural scale in which the spaces can be experienced in an IVR is the characteristic that was most recognized by the students; however, this and the other qualities did not allow for a reliable conclusion for a homogeneous perception of sensations within the virtual spaces.

The influence of learning space on users has been broadly accepted and tested. However, the literature has focused on single factor research, instead of holistic approaches. Additionally, lower educational levels have been the focus of interest, while higher education is moving towards multi-method teaching. This paper focuses on how learning spaces for different purposes (practice and lecture rooms) may influence academic performance from a holistic approach of learning physical environment perception. For this, the iPEP scale (Indoor physical environment perception) is used and validated through Cronbach Alpha and Exploratory Factorial Analysis. Then, multiple linear regression is conducted. The results indicate that iPEP measures near to 63 percent of the construct, which is structured in six factors. Moreover, linear regression analyses support previous literature concerning the influence of learning physical environment on academic performance (R 2 = 0.154). The differences obtained between practice and lecture room in terms of predictor variables bring to the light the need to diagnose learning environments before designing changes in educational buildings. This research provides a self-reported way to measure indoor environments, as well as evidence concerning the modern university, which desires to combine several teaching methods.These studies provide evidence that acoustic comfort is fundamental to support sustainable learning environments, which implement active pedagogies [15].Illumination combines artificial lighting and daylight to offer visual support and it influences visual perception, cognitive processing, behaviour, learning and academic performance [16][17][18]. Therefore, lighting design perspectives should be task-driven, as well as focusing on comfort to human health and perception [19]. Appropriate levels of visual comfort have been evidenced to improve social relations [20]. While daylight helps students to retain and learn information [21], long exposure to artificial lighting may cause stress and lead to irritability [22]. Buildings are highly artificial lighting dependent, as there was no concern about energy efficiency when educational facilities were designed, and nowadays represent a major factor of energy consumption.In traditional learning, the views through windows are considered as distractor, which may explain the lack of daylight through windows, despite its importance for children [23], who distinguish lighting requirements given the task performed. Nature inspires students through its aesthetic value and entails a restorative effect on the mind, which fosters concentration [24]. It stabilizes students' psychology and reduces their negative emotions [25], and leads to a proactive knowledge of the natural environment. This fact may foster a culture in which life-based learning is a must and encourage positive social interaction [26]. Landscape views and walls with living plants are correlated with better academic results [27,28] and may reduce stress [29], whilst increasing le...

Rapid freehand drawings are of great importance in the early years of university studies of architecture, because both the physical characteristics of spaces and their sensory characteristics can be communicated through them. In order to draw architectural spaces, it is necessary to have the ability to visualize and manipulate them mentally, which leads us to the concept of spatial skills; but it also requires a development of spatial perception to express them in the drawings. The purpose of this research is to analyze the improvement of spatial skills through the full-scale sketching of architectural spaces in virtual immersive environments and to analyze spatial perception in reference to the capture of spatial sensations in virtual immersive environments. Spatial skills training was created based on the freehand drawing of architectural spaces using Head Mounted Displays (HMD) and registered the spatial sensations experienced also using HMD, but only in previously modeled realistic spaces. It was found that the training significantly improved orientation, rotation and visualization, and that the sensory journey and experimentation of architectural spaces realistically modeled in immersive virtual reality environments allows for the same sensations that the designer initially sought to convey.