Implementation and Assessment of an Integrated Extended Reality Renewable Energy Laboratory for Enhanced Learning

Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu; Richard Y Chiou; Md Fashiar Rahman

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Energy Conversion, Conservation and Nuclear Engineering Division (ECCNE) Technical Session 4
Tagged Divisions: Energy Conversion and Conservation and Nuclear Engineering Division (ECCNE)
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43511
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43511
Download Count: 172

Paper Authors

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Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu Drexel University orcid.org/0009-0005-2006-1972

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Irina N. Ciobanescu –Husanu, PhD, is Associate Clinical Professor with the Department of Engineering, Leadership, and Society at College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. She received her PhD degree in mechanical engineering from College of Engineering at Drexel University and her BS/MS in Aeronautical Engineering from Aerospace Engineering College at Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Romania. Dr. Husanu’s educational background is in propulsion systems and combustion. Dr. Husanu has more than a decade of industrial experience in aerospace engineering that encompasses extensive experimental investigations related to energy projects such as development of a novel method of shale natural gas extraction using repurposed aircraft engines powered on natural gas. She also has extended experience in curriculum development in her area of expertise. As chair of the Engineering Technology Curriculum Committee, she is actively engaged in aligning the curricular changes and SLO to the industry driven student competencies.
Her main current research interest is in engineering pedagogy, focusing on development of integrated mechanical engineering technology curricula for enhanced student learning experience. While her expertise encompasses thermo-fluid sciences with applications in micro-combined heat and power systems, recently, her research included educational investigations in Virtual and Extended Reality for engineering systems, renewable energy systems and energy conversion, social and sustainable engineering. During the past 8 years she led several overarching educational projects in green energy and sustainability in manufacturing environment and experiential learning modules for manufacturing related courses. She led the development of the Green Energy and Sustainability minor.

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Richard Y Chiou Drexel University

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Dr. Richard Chiou is Associate Professor within the Engineering Technology Department at Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA. He received his Ph.D. degree in the G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His educa

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Md Fashiar Rahman The University of Texas at El Paso orcid.org/0000-0002-0437-2587

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Dr. Md Fashiar Rahman is an Assistant Professor of the Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering (IMSE) Department at The University of Texas at El Paso. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Computational Science Program. He has years of research experience in different projects in the field of image data mining, machine learning, deep learning, and computer simulation for industrial and healthcare applications. In addition, Dr. Rahman has taught various engineering courses in industrial and manufacturing engineering. His research area covers advanced quality technology, AI application in smart manufacturing, health care applications, computational intelligence/data analytics, and decision support systems.

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Abstract

In fulfilling its role of promotor of critical thinking and of cultivating students as students as problem solvers, undergraduate engineering education needs to answer modern educational demands tailored to meet industry and career demands and student learning styles. Extended Reality technology, including virtual and mixed reality may enable educators create tools for multisensory teaching, enhancing learning through guided imagery and haptics. The end-goal of these transformative teaching tools is to represent and study concepts and notions, offering students a broader perspective over systems integration while exploring fundamental notions of the topics studied. Through undergraduate research, two co-op students explored the VR technology (engine) and developed the framework for a learning module that will present fundamental notions in renewable energy sources, using scenarios based on physical experiments. We developed a virtual reality learning platform and the modeling of the VR framework as applied to several experimental modules: wind turbine, solar cell (PV) module, a water decomposition and fuel cell module. Students explore concepts as parametric characterization of the system as well as thermochemical characterization. The module is packed in an executable app, downloadable and usable in both VR STEAM immersive environment as well as in a desktop format. Students will follow similar procedures as for physical experiments, using the interactive features of the VR experiments. Each module is depicting the physical laboratory module and it is fully interactive. Students will perform simulated experiments, with data generated on MATLAB/C# simulations of the modules. A comprehensive assessment and evaluation plan will be presented. The assessment had a two prong approach: (1) measurement of the overall experience with a XR virtual experiment in contrast with a similar on-site experiment and (2) measurement of the learning efficacy and skill development while using this novel learning technology. Several quantitative and qualitative measurements were used as feeders for necessary calibration and adjustment of the different components of the project. A pragmatic (mixed-methods) approach to educational evaluation, with an implementation of both quantitative and qualitative methods when appropriate, yields a more holistic methodology amenable to evaluate these novel pedagogical approaches. The formative assessment incorporated reflected the students’ awareness of their learning performance and the need for corrective instructional facilitation for individuals or groups of students. Summative and cognitive assessments in the form of final exams, projects and student portfolios will be used as exit competency tests or end-of-course assessments. The questionnaires along with randomly selected interviews ask students to evaluate their overall experience about the XR experiments, adequacy of virtual laboratory setups, and their suggestions for improvement. In exams for all course offerings, an entering cognitive knowledge test will measure what students are expected to know prior to taking the course, while the final exam will reflect content objectives and expected student knowledge acquisition from the course. VR technology will enable students to explore new ways to implement their knowledge in a practical manner, enhancing information retention and promoting critical thinking.

Citation
Format

Ciobanescu Husanu, I. N., & Chiou, R. Y., & Rahman, M. F. (2023, June), Implementation and Assessment of an Integrated Extended Reality Renewable Energy Laboratory for Enhanced Learning Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43511

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - In fulfilling its role of promotor of critical thinking and of cultivating students as students as problem solvers, undergraduate engineering education needs to answer modern educational demands tailored to meet industry and career demands and student learning styles. Extended Reality technology, including virtual and mixed reality may enable educators create tools for multisensory teaching, enhancing learning through guided imagery and haptics. The end-goal of these transformative teaching tools is to represent and study concepts and notions, offering students a broader perspective over systems integration while exploring fundamental notions of the topics studied. 
Through undergraduate research, two co-op students explored the VR technology (engine) and developed the framework for a learning module that will present fundamental notions in renewable energy sources, using scenarios based on physical experiments. We developed a virtual reality learning platform and the modeling of the VR framework as applied to several experimental modules: wind turbine, solar cell (PV) module, a water decomposition and fuel cell module. Students explore concepts as parametric characterization of the system as well as thermochemical characterization. The module is packed in an executable app, downloadable and usable in both VR STEAM immersive environment as well as in a desktop format. Students will follow similar procedures as for physical experiments, using the interactive features of the VR experiments. Each module is depicting the physical laboratory module and it is fully interactive. Students will perform simulated experiments, with data generated on MATLAB/C# simulations of the modules.
A comprehensive assessment and evaluation plan will be presented. The assessment had a two prong approach: (1) measurement of the overall experience with a XR virtual experiment in contrast with a similar on-site experiment and (2) measurement of the learning efficacy and skill development while using this novel learning technology. Several quantitative and qualitative measurements were used as feeders for necessary calibration and adjustment of the different components of the project. A pragmatic (mixed-methods) approach to educational evaluation, with an implementation of both quantitative and qualitative methods when appropriate, yields a more holistic methodology amenable to evaluate these novel pedagogical approaches. The formative assessment incorporated reflected the students’ awareness of their learning performance and the need for corrective instructional facilitation for individuals or groups of students. Summative and cognitive assessments in the form of final exams, projects and student portfolios will be used as exit competency tests or end-of-course assessments. The questionnaires along with randomly selected interviews ask students to evaluate their overall experience about the XR experiments, adequacy of virtual laboratory setups, and their suggestions for improvement. In exams for all course offerings, an entering cognitive knowledge test will measure what students are expected to know prior to taking the course, while the final exam will reflect content objectives and expected student knowledge acquisition from the course.
VR technology will enable students to explore new ways to implement their knowledge in a practical manner, enhancing information retention and promoting critical thinking.

AU  - Irina Nicoleta Ciobanescu Husanu
AU  - Richard Y Chiou
AU  - Md Fashiar Rahman
CY  - Baltimore , Maryland
DA  - 2023/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Implementation and Assessment of an Integrated Extended Reality Renewable Energy Laboratory for Enhanced Learning
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/43511
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--43511
ER  -