The Development of Virtual Reality Environment for Laboratory Classes and Machine Deployment Simulation Phase 2

This project aims to create remote learning technology that allows learners to be trained in laboratory work in 3D virtual reality environment.  The main focus is within civil engineering disciplines, Water Resource Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering.  Learning computer programs will be developed in a way that learners can learn, perform and be assessed on specific laboratory works by themselves.  Realistic 3D virtual reality environment, and interactive tools and apparatus will be created.  Many of these 3D virtual reality objects are developed using images from scanners to enhance the feeling of authenticity.  Thus, learners would feel as if they were in a real laboratory.

Furthermore, the program can be connected via internet connection.  This capacity allows learners other style of learning apart from being on their own.  Learners can formed teams and work together as well as make appointment with instructors to join in and advise.

With remote learning is on the rise, this type of learning programs can be the solution of learning and training practical work.  In many fields of study, the use of objects can enhance understanding of the knowledge significantly.  This is specially true with most fields of engineering education.

This program can also reduce the problems of machine scarcity and costs, especially heavy machine.  Moreover, it can reduce chances of accidents from mishandling equipments and machines as learners would have had virtual experiences beforehands.  With safety being gauranteed, learners can experiment more to observe larger array of results without fear of danger ot damages to the equipments and machines.

The program will be designed in a way that learners' activities, results and progresses can be recorded individually.  This data is useful for both learners and instructors alike.  Learners can track their own progress and decide the next step of learning.  Similarly, instructors can revisit learners' activities to assess their competences and areas for improvement.  Thus, we can provide much more beneficial consultation for our learners.

The target group of this project are learners and insructors involving in laboratory classes in Water Resource Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering.  Learning units will be developed in 3 phases across 3 continuous years; 8 units in the first year and 9 units per year in the 2nd and 3rd years.  For the purpose of comparison, learning units will be designed in same way the laboratory work is conducted with current lessons being taught.

The evaluation of the project success will be separated into 2 parts.  In the first part, we will assess the feeling of authentthicity of the program.  This includes the looks of tools, equipments and machine and the their interactive behaviours.  The first part of evaluation will be based on users with experience such as instructors and past learners.  In the second part, we will assess the effectiveness of this VR learning units.  This will be based on the result of outcome asssessment in comparison with normall on-site laboratory classes.