Abstract:

This paper presents a teaching method that encourages students to develop their ability to understand the geometry of 3D objects depicted in 2D representations through virtual construction. Traditional teaching methods that rely on memorizing rules used to create 2D drawings do not necessarily lead to understanding the drawings. This teaching method aims to teach students how to read pictures by experiencing the construction of a virtual building in a 3D computer model.

The teaching method is structured in four steps: presenting students with a building construction goal, teaching basic knowledge about building components, teaching students how to use 3D modeling tools, and guiding them in building in a logical sequence. The method was applied to a three-story office building, and the students were instructed to create a Revit model step-by-step in a construction sequence.

The framework includes a quantitative evaluation of the accuracy of models submitted by students. It provides opportunities for them to check the errors they make, which contributes to improving their drawing interpretation skills. Results indicate that 86.8% of students exposed to the new teaching method reported an improvement in their drawing interpretation skills, with 88.7% of them preferring virtual construction to traditional textbook-based approaches.

The results suggest that the teaching method enabled students to relate what they see on 2D drawings to 3D structural components. Through virtual construction, students gained indirect construction experience, and the process of creating a 3D computer model was equivalent to reading 2D drawings and making decisions as construction practitioners do. This teaching method can provide an alternative to real-world construction experience for developing students' ability to read 2D drawings and understand 3D geometry.

While the presented pedagogy is effective, it faces challenges in implementation, especially in large classrooms. The first challenge is teaching a large number of students to use the Revit application effectively, which requires significant experience since students' abilities vary. The second challenge is detecting errors in the 3D models submitted by students, which can be time-consuming. Therefore, the pedagogy may require automation of error detection.

Keywords:

Virtual Construction, Plan Reading.