Mobile Augmented Reality for Teaching PF2501/2102 Structural Systems to Non-Engineering Students

Overview

Importance and Pedagogical Problem
As most non-engineering students (e.g. students enrolled in the undergraduate programme Project and Facilities Management (PFM)) do not have any engineering background, learning structural systems or similar engineering-related modules is a challenging experience for them. To ease the learning load of students, the application integrates virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to engage students in the learning process. The application is designed to motivate students to learn
by themselves, with a more accessible learning mode than conventional learning methods such as reading paper-based materials and solving exercise questions. The innovativeness of VARS is believed to motivate students to learn more proactively.

The solution
This study aims to enable non-engineering students with a limited physics background to better learn and understand structural systems through the use of AR and VR in the application Virtual and Augmented Reality for Structures (VARS). Through the use of a smartphone or a tablet, undergraduate students from Project and Facility Management (PFM) programme will tour SDE 4 and complete the instructed learning activities, which are aimed at enabling students to:
1. Identify different structural elements in a real-life setting
2. Explain the difference between different types of load
3. Comprehend load transfer pathways in structural systems
4. Visualise deformation and failure modes of structural elements under different loading conditions
5. Identify different materials used in structural systems

This project aims to collect data from PFM students to understand the factors influencing the effects of VR and AR in helping students achieve the learning objectives. Here are three research specific objectives:
1. Develop a mobile application that uses VR and AR for teaching structural systems to nonengineering students,
2. Assess the benefits and limitations of using VR and AR as an alternative pedagogical medium for structural systems, and
3. Recommend design considerations to improve the effectiveness of using VR and AR to teach structural engineering concepts.