Experiential Learning through Virtual Reality: Safety Instruction for Engineering Technology Students

Adult learners acquire knowledge and skills better when they participate in a workshop and get their hands around a piece of machinery. Such interactive methods have been cited as essential elements to improve learning, specifically in the field of safety and health. As students in engineering technology are required to take an occupational safety course, it is important for academic institutions to provide an experiential learning environment. To assist this effort, we developed 3D virtual safety exercises to enhance a safety course in an engineering technology program. Based on suggestions from academic advisory board members, we selected for this study a pedestal grinder and surrounding equipment in a mechanical laboratory; photographs were converted using 3D modeling soft. ware, animation, and game-creation software. In the resulting game engine,. students could interact within the virtual environment and operate the virtual pedestal grinder safely. The interactivity between a user and the equipment within the 3D virtual environment was implemented using a visual programming tool inside the game engine. A pilot study was conducted to assess the students' learning about pedestal grinder safety using three groups: lecture only, lecture with physical laboratory, and lecture with the 3D virtual environment. The results indicated that, in a 3D virtual environment, students learned more than did their peers in the "lecture only" group. Furthermore, virtual laboratory exercises allowed students to retain as much information as did the "lecture with physical laboratory" delivery method.