3D Virtual Learning Environment for Engineering Students

Virtual Reality and Virtual Learning Environments have become increasingly ambiguous terms in recent years because of essential elements facilitating a consistent environment for learners. Three-dimensional (3D) environments have the potential to position the learner within a meaningful context to a much greater extent than traditional interactive multimedia environments. The term 3D environment has been chosen to focus on a particular type of virtual environment that makes use of a 3D model. 3D models are very useful to make acquainted students with features of different shapes and objects, and can be particularly useful in teaching younger students different procedures and mechanisms for carrying out specific tasks. This chapter explains that 3D Virtual Reality is mature enough to be used for enhancing communication of ideas and concepts and stimulate the interest of students compared to 2D education.

A Diagnostic System Created for Evaluation and Maintenance of Building Constructions

The successful diagnostic activity has an important role in the changes of the repair costs and the efficient elimination of the damages. The aim of the general building diagnostics is to determine the various visible or instrumentally observable alterations, to qualify the constructions from the suitability and personal safety (accidence) points of view. Our diagnostic system is primarily based on a visual examination on the spot, its method is suitable for the examination of almost all important structures and structure changes of the buildings. During the operation of the diagnostic system a large number of data–valuable for the professional practice–was collected and will be collected also in the future, the analysis of which data set is specially suitable for revaluing construction and the practical application of the experiences later during the building maintenance and reconstruction work. For using the system a so-called “morphological box” has been created, that contains the hierarchic system of constructions, which is connected with the construction components’ thesaurus appointed by the correct structure codes of these constructions’ place in the hierarchy. The thesaurus was not only necessary because of the easy surveillance of the system, but to exclude the usage of structure-name synonyms in the interest of unified handling. The analysis of which data set is specially suitable for revaluing earlier built constructions and can help to create knowledge based new constructions for the future.

Web-Based Training

Today, the World Wide Web and Internet technologies are the main support for modern communication. Hence, a vast amount of information is available for students at any level. In this chapter, Web based training (WBT) is described as an efficient tool for engineering education. The benefits of using WBT as a replacement or complementary tool for traditional educational systems and its limitation are discussed. The education process is supposed to shape a professional who possesses not only scientific knowledge, but also exhibits a special set of personal features which includes being curious, innovative, and capable of teamwork. The question is whether distance education is capable of doing that without personal contact. The chapter argues that WBT can provide efficient tools such as forums, discussion boards, and video conference facilities.

Sights Inside the Virtual Engineering Education

Engineering is the area of creation and the creation has to be motivated in engineering education. The development of fast Internet access and Virtual environment have facilitated this field of education. considering time and cost and the critical position of engineer training, this chapter is introducing purpose-oriented small software as a more focused and cost-effective tool that can be implemented in universities and engineering education institutes. The chapter contains some examples of such software in mechanic and material engineering fields.

Effective Design and Delivery of Learning Materials in Learning Management Systems

Learning Management Systems (LMS) enable effective design and delivery of learning materials. They are Web-based software applications used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process. LMSs allow learners to connect to and interact with the educational material through the Internet. They enable tools for authors (instructors) to design learning materials that include text, html, audio, video, etc. They also enable learner activity management in the learning process. Moreover, they provide tools for effective and efficient assessment of the learners. This chapter explores learning management systems and their key components that enable instructors organize and monitor learning activities of the learners. It also introduces the authoring features provided by such systems for preparing learning material. Moreover, it presents assessment methods and tools that enable evaluation of the learners in the learning process. Furthermore, existing challenges and issues in this field are explored.

WIRE

Much research has shown that the blended learning can effectively enhance the motivation, communication skills, and learning achievement compared with teaching in a single form. However, a crucial issue in blended learning is how to integrate each blended format, media and experience into a coherent learning model, and then to keep interaction between teacher and students either in or outside the classroom. This study introduces a highly interactive strategy for blended learning that incorporates web-based and face-to-face learning environments into a semester course through answering the warm-up questions before class, interactive teaching in class, and review and exercise after class. By the empirical study in a ‘Data Structure’ class, most students made progress in learning achievement and gain more motivation and interaction within the class.

Competitive Design of Web-Based Courses in Engineering Education

Developing engineering study programs of high quality, able to satisfy customized needs, with flexible paths of study, with easy and rapid access to the most appropriate educational facilities and lecturers is a critical and challenging issue for the future of engineering education. The latest developments in communication and information technologies facilitate the creation of reliable solutions in this respect. Provision of web-based courses in engineering education represents one of these solutions. However, the absence of physical interactions with the training facilities and the specificity of remote collaboration with lecturers rise up additional challenges in designing a high-quality web-based engineering course. In order to define superior solutions to the complex set of requirements expressed by several stakeholders (e.g. students, lecturers, educational institutions and companies), a comprehensive planning of quality and an innovative approach of potential conflicting problems are required during the design process of web-based engineering courses. In this context, the present chapter introduces a generic roadmap for optimizing the design process of web-based engineering courses when a multitude of requirements and constrains are brought into equation. Advanced tools of quality planning and innovation are considered to handle the complexity of this process. The application of this methodology demonstrates that no unique, best-of-the-world solution exists in developing a web-based engineering course; therefore customized approaches should be considered for each course category to maximize the impact of the web-based educational process.

Designing Animated Simulations and Web-Based Assessments to Improve Electrical Engineering Education

Over the past decade, our research group has uncovered more evidence about the difficulties undergraduate students have understanding electrical circuit behavior. This led to the development of an AC/DC Concept Inventory instrument to assess student understanding of these concepts, and various software tools have been developed to address the identified difficulties students have when learning about electrical circuits. In this chapter two software tools in particular are discussed, a web-based dynamic assessment environment (Inductor) and an animated circuit simulation (Nodicity). Students showed gains over time when using Inductor, and students using the simulation showed significant improvements on half of the questions in the AC/DC Concept Inventory. The chapter concludes by discussing current and future work focused on creating a more complete, well-rounded circuits learning environment suitable for supplementing traditional circuits instruction. This in-progress work includes the use of a contrasting cases strategy that presents pairs of simulated circuit problems, as well as the design of an online learning community in which teachers and students can share their work.

Future Challenges of Mobile Learning in Web-Based Instruction

Mobile learning is becoming an extension of distance learning, providing a channel for students to learn, communicate, and access educational material outside of the traditional classroom environment. Because students are becoming more digitally mobile, understanding how mobile devices can be integrated into existing learning environments is advantageous however, the lack of social cues between professors and students may be an issue. Understanding metrics of usability that address the concern of student connectedness as well as defining and measuring human engagement in mobile learning students is needed to promote the use of mobile devices in educational environments.

Online Automated Essay Grading System as a Web Based Learning (WBL) Tool in Engineering Education

Automated Essay Grading (AEG) or Scoring (AES) systems are not more a myth they are reality. As on today, the human written (not hand written) essays are corrected not only by examiners / teachers also by machines. The TOEFL exam is one of the best examples of this application. The students’ essays are evaluated both by human & web based automated essay grading system. Then the average is taken. Many researchers consider essays as the most useful tool to assess learning outcomes, implying the ability to recall, organize and integrate ideas, the ability to supply merely than identify interpretation and application of data. Automated Writing Evaluation Systems, also known as Automated Essay Assessors, might provide precisely the platform we need to explicate many of the features those characterize good and bad writing and many of the linguistic, cognitive and other skills those underline the human capability for both reading and writing. They can also provide time-to-time feedback to the writers/students by using that the people can improve their writing skill. A meticulous research of last couple of years has helped us to understand the existing systems which are based on AI & Machine Learning techniques, NLP (Natural Language Processing) techniques and finding the loopholes and at the end to propose a system, which will work under Indian context, presently for English language influenced by local languages. Currently most of the essay grading systems is used for grading pure English essays or essays written in pure European languages. No one in today’s world can ignore the use of English in Engineering education. Better to tell in professional courses. All the Engineering branches or streams are normally supported with modern English and sometimes known as English-for-Engineers. This write-up focuses on the existing automated essay grading systems, basic technologies behind them and proposes a new framework to show that how best these AEG systems can be used for Engineering Education. E-learning has created the path of alternate education. Whereas the Web-based-learning (WBL) has made the path much easier. Use of AEG systems in a web based learning environment helps the students to know, use, and understand English much better than they used to do in normal classroom based study. Such kinds of AEG systems are very useful mainly for non-English spoken students, better to say – students whose mother tongue is not English. Normally found that English used by such students are influenced by local languages. Use of a AEG system will not only help students to write better English essay, score better in English and others subjects written in English.