Abstract:

Virtual Reality (VR) has become a major force as a set of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for learning in the last decade. VR exists since end of last century, yet it has experienced a great development of both hardware and software with a device’s cost reduction in the past years in order to become a more frequent tool in educational fields. As per field studies, immersive VR experiences allow better assimilation of the concepts studied.

The main educational goal of ICT technologies such as VR is not to deliver higher end devices but to ensure that anyone with some form compatible device can start the learning process as it could happen in the classroom or engineering university laboratory. Undergraduate university projects are programmed to simulate real scenario where the students have to collaborate with others, investigate and organize information from different sources to provide possible solutions to the proposed problem. Task managing and decision making are crucial to the final result and evaluation of their work.

In this paper, a cooperative virtual reality learning environment (VRLE) is proposed to enhance engineering students experience while working on proposed projects of the Degree. In combination with Problem Based Learning (PBL) methodology, students approach is assisted and evaluated by teacher inside the virtual environment. The VRLE serves as the common location for the project group to work cooperatively.

The project is divided in stages:
(i) Problem detection and analysis.
(ii) Proposal evaluations and discussion.
(iii) Project presentation in VR environment.

Inside the 3D simulation, a workspace is presented where students can show documentation elaborated prior to meetings held periodically: 2D/3D drawings, research notes or audio/video resources. Interactive elements inside the meeting room allows better communication of ideas that helps present students approach to the solution. Organized in groups, teachers review student’s activity on VRLE and provide assistance.

This document objective is to propose a new method to teach and develop engineering projects for undergraduate students either with Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) devices at institutional laboratory when real tools or machinery is not available or either desktop or mobile application with internet connection to a server where the VRLE is located.

The latter is directly in relation with non-face-to-face learning strategies becoming essential as shown in lockdown situations in 2020. Integration of ICT in educational institutions allows a change of paradigm and be prepared to face future pandemics or other situations where conventional methods become obsolete if the classrooms are empty. Teaching with VR more effectively, in order to guarantee better learning experience improving pre-lockdown teaching strategies.

Keywords:

Virtual Reality, Remote Learning, Collaborative Project, Problem-based Learning, ICT Education.