Improving Student Understanding of Complex Spatial Arrangements with Virtual Reality

This study investigates the use of virtual reality tools to aid student comprehension of complex spatial arrangements in structural engineering. The research focuses specifically on structural buckling response because of the breadth of buckling modes that can occur and the traditional difficulty of conveying information about the spatial nature of buckling behavior to students. This mixed-methods study analyzes pretest and posttests covering topics that require spatial visualization skills as well as surveys and interviews of the students using the virtual reality tools. Quantitative results indicate that students are able to identify and visualize buckling modes more accurately after the virtual reality experience. Qualitatively, students express an improved understanding, increased enthusiasm for the topic, and greater desire for other topics to be presented using virtual reality tools. Both instructors and students note the advantages of using virtual reality to explain and understand the complex deformation modes of buckling structural members. Students feel they have a stronger understanding of concepts after the experience and, on average, show a statistically significant improvement on the posttest evaluating their understanding. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.