Exploring Mechanical Engineering Equipment at TVET Colleges in South Africa, Towards Integrating Virtual and Cyber-Physical Learning

Abstract

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges are career-focused educational institutions designed to equip students with lifelong technical skills thereby contributing significantly to economic growth. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanical engineering equipment in three TVET colleges in three South African provinces. The three provinces included in the study were Gauteng, Limpopo, and Free State. The equipment was investigated in an effort to integrate virtual and cyber-physical learning. The research utilized interviews with campus managers and senior lectures on Engineering and Related Design (ERD) to acquire data. A structured questionnaire was also distributed to former ERD students who are currently employed in the mining industry. The equipment of TVET colleges was contrasted to that of the mining industry. According to the research, TVET college equipment is outdated and inadequate, and their practical assessments are not routinely updated. The colleges do not yet have a virtual and cyber-physical learning system in existence, but preparations have been made. However, no intentions for the practical portion of the studies using virtual systems have been considered. The study affirms the need for virtual learning, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to help students learn about current technology equipment used in the mining industry, as well as to provide sufficient time for practical learning.