VIEW: A Virtual Interactive Web-based Learning Environment for Engineering

TL;DR

This paper introduces VIEW, a web-based 3D virtual learning environment for engineering education, demonstrating its effectiveness through an experimental comparison with physical dissection activities.

Contribution

The paper presents recent developments and assessment results of VIEW, a novel web-based 3D interactive learning platform for engineering students.

Findings

Students achieve learning objectives in virtual and physical dissection activities.

Limited difference in student performance between virtual and physical settings.

VIEW enhances student engagement in engineering education.

Abstract

The use of computer-aided and web-based educational technologies such as Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) has increased significantly in the recent past. One example of such a VLE is Virtual Interactive Engineering on the Web (VIEW). VIEW is a 3D virtual, interactive, student centered, framework of web-based modules based on the Extensible 3D standard. These modules are dedicated to the improvement of student success and learning. In this paper, an overview of the recent developments in VIEW along with associated assessment results is presented. An experimental study was also performed to compare the learning experience and performance of students in a physical dissection activity vs. that in a virtual dissection activity using a VIEW module. The results of this study show that students can meet given learning objectives and that there is limited difference in their learning and performance irrespective of a physical or virtual setting.