Development of virtual reality game-based interfaces for civil engineering education

Dinis, Fábio Matoseiro; Guimarães, Ana Sofia; Rangel, Bárbara; Martins, João Pedro Poças

doi:10.1109/educon.2017.7943000

Cited by 33 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…These goals demand an immersive interface which, in turn requires equipment that has the capability of processing complex 3D graphics. Additionally, similar VR interfaces have shown favourable usability results, as assessed in previous research [18]. Nonetheless, HMD equipment still face limitations.…”

Section: Main Objectives and Scopementioning

confidence: 83%

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Disseminating Civil Engineering through Virtual Reality: An Immersive Interface

et al. 2018

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Abstract-The application of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) interfaces has shown favourable results for Engineering Education. In fact, VR interfaces provide new practises for improving the transferability of knowledge and communication amongst users. The capacity of current game engines improved by the availability of 3D building models and their components greatly increases the feasibility of 3D scenarios.The present work includes a description of an immersive VR interface developed for prospective Civil Engineering students. An Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) was developed to display construction elements in a highly visual environment, avoiding the steep learning curve of general modelling software tools. The interface is available online and can be tested using a Head Mounted Display and a VR ready computer. The interface has been developed to disseminate Civil Engineering amongst pre-university students, simultaneously providing new tools to harness students' interest for Information Technology applied to a specific field of study. Keywords-Virtual Reality interfaces, Civil Engineering, Engineering Training, Game Engines Objectives and ideaIn the last few years, the development of Virtual Reality (VR) interfaces has shown promising applications in the scope of Engineering Education. Indeed, the literature contains various examples of VR applications to enhance communication, disseminate information, improve students' lack of experience in real case scenarios, amongst many others. Several authors assert favourable enhancements in the learning experience and knowledge transfer [1][2][3], stating that traditional methodologies may be supported by technological tools such as VR, providing more effective means to motivate students during teaching activities [4].Recent developments in the field of VR in education show promising results when this technology is applied to Engineering Education. In Civil Engineering Education, the established model of lecture-based classes can only allow knowledge to be transferred from lecturer to students, perpetuating a passive learning approach [5]. In this iJOE

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Section: Main Objectives and Scopementioning

confidence: 83%

“…Additional interfaces will be developed and more thorough assessments will be made in accordance to preliminary trials of the tool [18,23]. Future work will include statistical analysis to validate the applicability and effectiveness of VR for Civil Engineering Education applications.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disseminating Civil Engineering through Virtual Reality: An Immersive Interface

et al. 2018

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“…The general aims in the project were to explain the role of civil engineering to K-12 students and their relevance to society. In their accompanying research [83], the authors created a VR platform to introduce civil engineering to pre-university students through a VR game. The obtained results show that VR is a relevant asset in Civil Engineering Education as it allows for participants with no prior training to properly interact with the platform.…”

Section: Engineering Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Reality and Its Applications in Education: Survey

et al. 2019

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In the education process, students face problems with understanding due to the complexity, necessity of abstract thinking and concepts. More and more educational centres around the world have started to introduce powerful new technology-based tools that help meet the needs of the diverse student population. Over the last several years, virtual reality (VR) has moved from being the purview of gaming to professional development. It plays an important role in teaching process, providing an interesting and engaging way of acquiring information. What follows is an overview of the big trend, opportunities and concerns associated with VR in education. We present new opportunities in VR and put together the most interesting, recent virtual reality applications used in education in relation to several education areas such as general, engineering and health-related education. Additionally, this survey contributes by presenting methods for creating scenarios and different approaches for testing and validation. Lastly, we conclude and discuss future directions of VR and its potential to improve the learning experience.Information 2019, 10, 318 2 of 20 must be carried out under supervision; therefore, students cannot self-configure lab equipment, experience states of emergency or effects of misconfiguration which may lead to equipment damage. Moreover, there is no possibility to practice and catch up outside the laboratory schedule. Currently, the solutions are modern technologies such as online courses [8,9], blended learning [10-13], different computer-based platforms [14-18] and many others, which allow the students to repeat several times the same topic, make mistakes and learn from them. Numerous examples of hardware and software which have been successful in educational processes indicate that edtech industry can improve learning outcomes for the majority of students [19]. More and more educational centres around the world are starting to introduce powerful new technology tools that help them to meet the needs of diverse student populations. Traditional books are being replaced by digital instructional content (especially from open educational resources) [20]. Notebooks, tablets or cell phones with dedicated application have replaced classical copybooks [21]. Distance [22] and personalised learning [23] are used to tailor education to each student's academic strengths, weaknesses, preferences and goals.It is well known that the use of information and communication technologies have been found to improve student attitudes towards learning [24][25][26][27]. It is a rapidly growing field of research, continually developing and looking for new technological solutions. Over the last several years, Virtual Reality (VR), which provides an interactive computer-generated environment, has moved from being the purview of the gaming to the professional development such as military, psychology, medicine and teaching applications.In 1987, Jaron Lanier, together with Steve Bryson, formulated the first definition of VR, which they desc...

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“…Besides resolving some of the issues related to traditional in-class methodologies, the primary objective of developing virtual laboratories is to enable a more student-based learning process, which fosters not only initiative and autonomy but also more applied knowledge through a stimulating means of communication [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Virtual laboratories have become more and more interactive, transforming the student from a passive listener to an active participant in the learning process [21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

StreamflowVL: A Virtual Fieldwork Laboratory that Supports Traditional Hydraulics Engineering Learning

2019

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This paper describes an innovative virtual laboratory for students of Hydraulic Engineering at an Italian university that shows water discharge measurement techniques applied in open-channel flows. Such new technology, which supports traditional practical classes, has the potential to increase students’ motivation and improve their skills, as well as simultaneously reducing the costs, time, and possible dangers that continuous field experiments would involve. Thanks to this immersive and interactive experience that is carried out indoors, students learn to move around a fluvial environment, as well as work more safely and with reduced risks of accidents. Besides, the virtual lab can boost learners’ interest by combining education with pleasure and making knowledge more fun. Collaboration with a group of students enrolled in the Master’s degree course of the Civil and Environmental Engineering program at Basilicata University at the early stages of developing the educational tool led to improvements in its performance and features. Also, a preliminary testing procedure carried out on a student sample, verified the achievement of the students’ learning objectives in terms of knowledge and skills. Such analysis indicated that students took more active role in the teaching/learning process and they showed greater interest in the topic dealt with through the new technology compared to the involvement of students observed during traditional lessons in previous years. The architecture and operational modes of the virtual laboratory as well as the results of the preliminary analysis are discussed.

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Development of virtual reality game-based interfaces for civil engineering education

Abstract: Abstract-Virtual

Cited by 33 publications

References 11 publications

Disseminating Civil Engineering through Virtual Reality: An Immersive Interface

Disseminating Civil Engineering through Virtual Reality: An Immersive Interface

Virtual Reality and Its Applications in Education: Survey

StreamflowVL: A Virtual Fieldwork Laboratory that Supports Traditional Hydraulics Engineering Learning

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