Mixed Reality for Education (MRE) Implementation and Results in Online Classes for Engineering

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Engineering Education
• Virtual and Mixed Reality

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to online learning, impacting practical education.
• Engineering disciplines require hands-on laboratory experience, which is challenging to replicate online.
• Existing online theoretical lessons may inadequately prepare engineering students for practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a mixed reality system for education (MRE) to support engineering laboratory practices.
• To assess the impact of MRE on student knowledge acquisition in engineering subjects.
• To determine the influence of teacher feedback within MRE on learning effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A mixed reality system for education (MRE) was developed.
• An experiment involving 30 engineering students was conducted.
• Three groups were compared: no MRE, MRE only, and MRE with teacher feedback.

Main Results:

• Students using MRE achieved 10% to 20% higher grades compared to those without MRE.
• The MRE system demonstrated a positive impact on knowledge improvement in engineering subjects.
• Teacher feedback significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the mixed reality learning experience.

Conclusions:

• Mixed reality systems offer a viable solution for delivering practical laboratory experiences in online engineering education.
• MRE integration can lead to substantial improvements in student academic performance.
• The inclusion of teacher feedback is crucial for maximizing the benefits of virtual reality systems in education.