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Studiocode for Learning Module Assessment in the Immersive Construction (ICon) Lab

Video
Time: 10:55 - 11:40
Location: Room 105
Presenters: John Messner, Assistant Professor
George Otto, Manager, Visualization Group
Lingyun Wang, Research Assistant

Over the past year, we have developed several interactive group activities that students in architectural engineering courses perform in the Immersive Construction (ICon) Lab, a facility which contains a large, three-screen display system along with a SMART Board. The students perform small group activities in the ICon Lab, where they develop construction schedules for a project using the SMART Board and then are immediately able to visualize their schedule on the large, immersive display system.

We are performing research to assess the impact of the interactive modules on student learning. In addition to surveys and task result assessment, we are also analyzing the types of communication and group interaction that is occurring using Studiocode video analysis software. We are specifically aiming to determine whether the interactive learning environment is impacting the levels of discussion and learning that is taking place within the student groups.

This presentation will describe the ICon Lab facility, the learning modules, and the assessment being performed using the Studiocode video analysis software.

Comments

April 16, 2007 - 7:14pm — nfh102

Studiocode in the ICon Lab

John Messner and George Otto presented their findings using Studiocode in the iCon lab for students in architectural engineering. Studiocode allows students to work collaboratively in a 4d environment as they experiment with construction plans. You think of the 4D model in architecture like this: traditionally, students (and professionals) would work with 2 dimensional plans, from which 3 dimensional models might be constructed. Once you have 3D models, you have to carefully plan a timeline for the actual construction of the project, adding a 4th dimension, time. It's very difficult with traditional methods to teach students how to visualize and plan their projects. The iCon lab provides a collaborative space for students to create 3 dimensional virtual construction models and to apply different construction schedules to get the job done. Students have the opportunity then to evaluate their plans, see where they might have gone wrong, and revise their schedules.

One attendee had a question about the project's application to professionals in the field. The presenters responded that though industry did have input into the project, and it would be interesting to see how professionals might use it, it really was designed for students to help them along the traditionally very steep learning curve of visualization.

I found this session truly fascinating as it delineated the truly complex nature of planning construction projects. It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall of the iCon lab!