A Game-Based Assessment Framework for Engineering Education

Abstract

Immersive technologies are gaining a lot of attention in various sectors for teaching and training. In the higher education sector, the interest in and the adoption of these technologies soared following the recent COVID-19 pandemic that limited face-to-face teaching. Engineering students were especially affected by these restrictions due to their inability to use the physical laboratories and workshops on campus. Engineers are trained to acquire both technical and non-technical skills necessary to solve current world issues. For the development of these skills, contextual learning environments are often required. Studies have shown that immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are effective complements to current pedagogical tools due to their potential to enhance the development of complex skills and knowledge. One concern, however, with the use of these technologies for formal education is that educators are still treating them as “black boxes”. Educators lack the skills needed to design assessments for measuring learning in immersive environments. The research presented in this thesis aims to solve this problem by introducing an assessment framework that is underpinned by established pedagogical principles. This thesis also specifies best practices for the use of immersive technologies for higher education. To inform these outcomes, five empirical studies were carried out with engineering students and staff participants. Research designs such as mixed-methods, correlational and design based research were adopted for these studies. The results provide useful insights into the views, behaviours and performance of engineering students in immersive environments. The results of the evaluation of the framework suggest that it is easy to use and useful for the intended purpose. Its application to the design of assessments for a VR application, an AR application and an educational digital game indicates that the framework is robust and could provide a structured basis for the design of assessments for immersive learning