Desktop VR Centered Project Based Learning in ET Courses Using a Low-cost Portable VR System

In this paper desktop VR is used as a medium to deliver Project-based Learning (PBL) curricula to Engineering and technology students. Recently, several courses in engineering and technology education seem to be focusing more on proprietary software tools for modeling, visualization, and animation. While learning a software tool surely will add to the skill sets of students, this cannot replace theoretical knowledge. A strong understanding of the fundamental mathematical, geometric, trigonometric, and physics fundamentals plays a crucial role in determining the career-success of students. Students, especially those at the beginner's level, typically tend to associate theoretical knowledge with 'textual information' involving substantial reading. Hence, this paper puts forth a novel PBL-based approach wherein an interactive portable desktop Virtual (pdVR) framework is used to methodically organize and present such foundational information. The application is being built using web-friendly XML-based technologies such as VRML/X3D and Java/JavaScript to facilitate online dissemination. This is presented using a low-cost portable VR system so that the overall system remains cost-effective. This way, technology and engineering schools that would like to implement such a system for teaching fundamental Engineering & Technology (ET) theory to students will not be deterred by the high costs of immersive facilities (e.g. CAVE). This framework can be included in the form of PBL-based exercises or within course curriculum in ET departments/schools. PBL involves efforts on part of the students that involves active learning and solving real-world like problems. The proposed prototype framework can be used for such PBL exercises as demonstrated with examples in this paper.