Student Learning Assessment from a Virtual Field Trip

Abstract

Teaching through field trips has been very effective as students learn more when they see the objects in reality. However, it is not always feasible to take a large class to field trips due to time, safety, and cost limitations. Creating 3D Virtual Reality (VR) models and immersing students in that virtual world could provide an engaging and meaningful experience to both building science and architecture students. The aim of this research was to see if Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) can replace actual field trips in times of need. For that reason, an app was created teaching students about steel connections called the Steel Sculpture App (SSA). The SSA served as VFT and the location of physical steel sculpture model served as the actual field trip. This paper focuses on student learning assessment and experience from of VFT versus the actual field trip. Scope of this study is limited to 3rd year building science and architecture students who have attained basic knowledge of structural systems. The author used controlled group and experimental group method to analyze the learning assessment. The results indicated that the students learning from VFTs scored slightly higher than those learning from actual field trip. Although, students liked learning through the actual field trip but the VFT group was able to score better because they learnt without any distractions.