Assessment of the pilot implementation of a game-based gear design laboratory

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Taking advantage of game technology for offering truly immersive and interactive learning experiences to undergraduate engineering and science students has now become a real possibility. An immersive interactive virtual laboratory environment has been created for the laboratory component of a junior-level undergraduate mechanical engineering course on mechanisms and machine dynamics. For instance, a laboratory system implemented using a multi-player computer game engine provides the students with the flexibility to perform various experiments related to the concepts of the fundamental law of gearing and to the planetary motion of gears. Assessment tools such as pre- and post-experiment tests are an integral part of this game-based laboratory environment and form the basis for providing different levels of support to the students at every step of the laboratory exercise. Furthermore, the game environment can be equipped with functionality for monitoring the students' progress and learning outcomes, thus enabling skill-based assessment. This paper will report on the learning assessment conducted as part of a pilot implementation of this gear design laboratory. The evaluation metrics for the virtual laboratory environment as well as the collected data on learning effectiveness will be presented and the general student feedback will be discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference
Subtitle of host publicationCelebrating 41 Years of Monumental Innovations from Around the World, FIE 2011
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
Event41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Celebrating 41 Years of Monumental Innovations from Around the World, FIE 2011 - Rapid City, SD, United States
Duration: 12 Oct 201115 Nov 2011

Publication series

NameProceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
ISSN (Print)1539-4565

Conference

Conference41st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference: Celebrating 41 Years of Monumental Innovations from Around the World, FIE 2011
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityRapid City, SD
Period12/10/1115/11/11

Keywords

  • Assessment
  • Game engine
  • Game-based laboratory
  • Gear design
  • Virtual experiment

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