Augmented reality in architecture and construction education: state of the field and opportunities

Over the past decade, the architecture and construction (AC) industries have been evolving from traditional practices into more current, interdisciplinary and technology integrated methods. Complex and intricate digital technologies and mobile computing such as simulation, computational design and immersive technologies, have been exploited for different purposes such as reducing cost and time, improving design and enhancing overall project efficiency. Immersive technologies and augmented reality (AR), in particular, have proven to be extremely beneficial in this field. However, the application and usage of these technologies and devices in higher education teaching and learning environments are yet to be fully explored and still scarce. More importantly, there is still a significant gap in developing pedagogies and teaching methods that embrace the usage of such technologies in the AC curricula. This study, therefore, aims to critically analyse the current state-of-the-art and present the developed and improved AR approaches in teaching and learning methods of AC, addressing the identified gap in the extant literature, while developing transformational frameworks to link the gaps to their future research agenda. The conducted analysis incorporates the critical role of the AR implications on the AC students’ skillsets, pedagogical philosophies in AC curricula, techno-educational aspects and content domains in the design and implementation of AR environments for AC learning. The outcomes of this comprehensive study prepare trainers, instructors, and the future generation of AC workers for the rapid advancements in this industry

Designing and Developing Interactive Learning Multimedia Using 3D Game Engine

. This study mainly focuses on the process of designing and developing interactive learning media by using Unreal Development Kit, which basically consists of three main parts, i.e., designing 3D objects, designing 2D objects to be used as UI (User Interface), and arranging them into a level in UDK. The next stage is having subjects to test the level and fill out a questionnaire to find out their interest and response towards the use of this new type of learning media. The subjects are randomly-picked, they are 14 ninth-grade students from several junior high schools aged 14 to 15 years old. The results show that: (1) almost all subjects give positive response towards this type of learning media; (2) this new leaning media is rated 76.9 and 64,2 by media and material experts consecutively, meaning that the media is valid to be used; and (3) all subjects would like to use this media in mobile platforms

Teaching Visual Effects for Audiovisual Production using Digital Learning Objects

This Ph.D. research deals with the production of a digital learning object (DLO) to aid teaching activity, more specifically in the execution of practical exercises for the production of visual effects (VFX) in audiovisual in higher education courses. The study performs a literature review on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education, Learning Objects (LOs), Digital Learning Objects (DLOs), and Blended Learning (BL). In the research, it seeks to understand the methods and procedures of design, implementation, evaluation, and validation of such technologies to be able to apply to the prototype to be developed. It presents the stages of development of the prototype and all the challenges faced for its realization. With the fully functional tool already developed and tested, the methodological procedures used for its use and evaluation are demonstrated. The field research is reported and documented, presenting the results achieved. Forms were used with students participating in the research, in addition to blind analysis of the practical work they developed. Such data are analyzed and the reflections and contributions from this whole experimentation process are presented. It was possible to conclude that the tool (DLO) designed managed to achieve its objectives and answer the research questions that fostered it, having been considered by the participants as useful, motivating, and functional in helping the learning process. The blind analysis undertaken did not show significant differences between the control and test groups in the quality of the work performed, however, it evidenced the possibility of using other methodologies in conjunction with those used, to improve future research. It is believed that all the discussion and experimentation carried out and documented reaches its objectives positively and demonstrates its contribution in to assist in the scientific discussion about the pedagogical effectiveness of DLOs, create an unprecedented DLO, in addition to presenting the DLOs production methodologies used.Esta pesquisa de doutoramento trata sobre a produção de um objeto de aprendizagem digital para o auxílio à atividade docente, mais especificamente na execução de exercícios práticos para a produção de efeitos visuais em audiovisual em cursos de nível superior. O estudo realiza uma revisão da literatura sobre o uso de Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação na educação, objetos de aprendizagem, objetos de aprendizagem digitais e aprendizagem combinada. Na investigação, busca compreender os métodos e procedimentos de design, implementação, avaliação e validação de tais tecnologias para aplicar ao protótipo a ser desenvolvido. Apresenta as etapas de desenvolvimento do protótipo e todos os desafios enfrentados para sua concretização. Com a ferramenta totalmente funcional já desenvolvida e testada, são demonstrados os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados para seu uso e avaliação. A pesquisa de campo encontra-se relatada e documentada, apresentando os resultados alcançados. Foram utilizados formulários com os alunos participantes da pesquisa, além de análise cega sobre os trabalhos práticos por eles desenvolvidos. Tais dados são analisados e apresentadas as reflexões e contribuições advindas de todo este processo de experimentação. Foi possível concluir que a ferramenta (objeto de aprendizagem digital) projetada conseguiu atingir seus objetivos e responder às perguntas de pesquisa que o fomentou, tendo sido considerada pelos participantes como útil, motivadora e funcional para o auxílio do processo de aprendizagem. A análise cega empreendida não demonstrou diferenças significativas entre os grupos controle e teste na qualidade dos trabalhos executados, contudo, evidenciou a possibilidade de utilização de outras metodologias em conjunto com as utilizadas, para aprimoramento de pesquisas futuras. Acredita-se que toda a discussão e experimentação realizada e documentada atinge positivamente seus objetivos e demonstra sua contribuição ao auxiliar na discussão científica sobre a efetividade pedagógica dos objetos de aprendizagem digitais, criar um destes objetos/software inédito, além de apresentar as metodologias de produção utilizadas

Developing Design Skills in Teaching 3D Modeling at the Pre-University Level

[EN] The article highlights the importance of introducing students to design skills while teaching them 3D modeling at the pre-university level. Theoretical justification of the approach is offered; the approach uses a step-by-step differentiation of the orienting basis structure of the students’ training-related activities as the principal psychological model of the process of developing the design skills. Three stages of developing the professional skills are distinguished and described: elementary, basic and professional. Types of assignments for each stage are analyzed. A case study of using the approach in question for courses in 3D modeling at Schoolchildren's Computer Center (SCC) of ITMO University (St. Petersburg) is detailed, its efficiency is assessed.http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Lokalov, V.; Klimov, I.; Makhlai, D. (2018). Developing Design Skills in Teaching 3D Modeling at the Pre-University Level. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 743-750. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8077OCS74375

Structure evaluation of computer human animation quality

The University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis work will give a wide survey for various techniques that are present in the field of character computer animation, which concentrates particularly on those techniques and problems involved in the production of realistic character synthesis and motion. A preliminary user study (including Questionnaire, online publishing such as flicker.com, interview, multiple choice questions, publishing on Android mobile phone, and questionnaire analysis, validation, statistical evaluation, design steps and Character Animation Observation) was conducted to explore design questions, identify users' needs, and obtain a "true story" of quality character animation and the effect of using animation as useful tools in Education. The first set of questionnaires were designed to accommodate the evaluation of animation from candidates from different walks of life, ranging from animators, gamers, teacher assistances (TA), students, teaches, professionals and researchers using and evaluating pre-prepared animated character videos scenarios, and the study outcomes has reviewed the recent advances techniques of character animation, motion editing that enable the control of complex animations by interactively blending, improving and tuning artificial or captured motions. The goal of this work was to augment the students learning intuition by providing ways to make education and learning more interesting, useful and fun objectively, in order to improve students’ respond and understanding to any subject area through the use of animation also by producing the required high quality motion, reaction, interaction and story board to viewers of the motion. We present a variety of different evaluation to the motion quality by measuring user sensitivity, observations to any noticeable artefact, usability, usefulness etc. to derive clear useful guidelines from the results, and discuss several interesting systematic trends we have uncovered in the experimental data. We also present an efficient technique for evaluating the capability of animation influence on education to fulfil the requirements of a given scenario, along with the advantages and the effect on those deficiencies of some methods commonly used to improve animation quality to serve the learning process. Finally, we propose a wide range of extensions and statistical calculation enabled by these evaluation tools, such as Wilcoxon, F-test, T-test, Wondershare Quiz creator (WQC), Chi square and many others explained with full details