Adapting Computer Game Technology to Support Engineering Laboratories
Aziz, E.-S., Chang, Y., Tumkor, S., Esche, S. K. & Chassapis, C.
Proceedings of the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition IMECE'10, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November 12 - 18, 2010.
Abstract
Today’s youth has grown accustomed to and skilled in computer gaming. The potential use of multi-player computer games as a tool for education has drawn significant attention.
Computer games exhibit several features that could benefit the students’ learning experience.
They offer immersive and realistic scenarios with engaging sequences of events that challenge the users to solve problems embedded in the game.
At the same time, they are designed to continually confront the users with problems at a level that is just beyond their scope of expertise.
Furthermore, they deliver the required information on demand and in context and allow the players to make meaningful achievements.
This paper introduces different methodologies for adopting computer game technologies such as the “Source” game engine used in “Half-Life 2” and “Second Life” to develop game-based interactive student laboratory environments.
A number of predefined scenarios can be scripted which exercise the students’ problem solving skills by mimicking typical problems that might occur when carrying out actual hands-on experiments in a traditional student laboratory.
In addition, the experimental scripts imbedded within the laboratory environment allow one to monitor active participation and collaboration by all students of a laboratory group, which are considered to be two crucial factors in improving learning.
The suitability of several gaming platforms for implementing such laboratory environments is discussed.
The article concludes with some observations on the most relevant aspects of game platforms that can help to create engaging and effective digital learning environments to support engineering laboratories.