Assessment, Learning & Teaching Reflections |
Tueday 20th December
Why choose a career in construction? Some students are influenced by family or friends who work in the industry, whilst many others, quite simply, are fascinated by the busy day-to-day goings on that characterise a typical construction site. Hence it comes as little surprise that students and teachers recognise the benefits to be gained by visiting buildings at various stages of completion during the academic year. But there are drawbacks: too much activity and it is difficult to focus on specific issues; too little (or operations not running to programme) and the visit is wasted. Moreover, the need to comply with health and safety imperatives can prevent tutors from taking their students on site visits.
Virtualsite, a National Teaching Fellowship project, uses novel virtual reality systems to simulate construction activity and offer students the opportunity to explore a variety of building sites on-line. Emphasis is placed on interactivity and photo-realism, as students navigate through linked construction scenes and browse a range of learning objects on their travels. Student feedback suggests that these resources maintain student interest, complement other learning materials and reinforce understanding. Lessons learned from this project will be invaluable as these new technologies are applied in educational contexts.
Robert Ellis, National Teaching Fellow and Leeds Met Teaching Fellow
School of Built Environment
