My undergraduate thesis project (in a team of two) was under the guidance of Professor Pradeep Yammiyavar, head of Centre for Educational Technology, IIT Guwahati. Project aim was to build a tool to enhance students' spatial ability by scaffolding the fundamental course of engineering drawing. We followed the user centered design methodology, and got continuous feedback from students and instructors throughout the project.
We used the methods of contextual inquiry, observation and qualitative interviews in our user research. Our core users were architecture and design students, secondary users were instructors and tutors. In parallel, we conducted literature review on learning and cognition models.
Our key insight was that students’ initiation into architectural graphics is not smooth.In the context of Indian students, up until high school none of the courses requires spatial thinking. Come first semester of college, and students are expected to visualize and orient objects mentally without any prior experience. Thus, a platform which can support their transition into 3D thinking would scaffold their learning, and make the course fundamentals easier to grasp.
Our key insight was that students’ initiation into architectural graphics is not smooth.In the context of Indian students, up until high school none of the courses requires spatial thinking. Come first semester of college, and students are expected to visualize and orient objects mentally without any prior experience. Thus, a platform which can support their transition into 3D thinking would scaffold their learning, and make the course fundamentals easier to grasp.
The design solution had to thus,:
1. Aid in 3D visualization without losing the established rules of the course
2. Link the visualizations to coordinate geometry since students are comfortable with "math of 3D space"
3. Let students "learn by doing" to let them learn best
4. Decrease the conceptual distance between theory and projections
The technology of immersive VR allows users to perceive and interact in manners similar to real world. Given the needs of the solution, it was an apt choice for the platform. For our prototype, we used Vizard, a virtual reality toolkit in Python.
User Research done through contextual inquiry, observation and qualitative interviews.
We simulated 3D objects students commonly encounter in the course - pyramids, cubes, etc. Projections of the simulations are mapped on vertical, horizontal and profile planes. The simulations could be manipulated freely along the three axes of rotations. Changes to the simulations and their projections were updated simultaneously. The conventions of the course were followed in the prototype. We pilot tested the prototype to improve the usability. Video of the initial prototype available here.
Prototyping and pilot of Āyāma to get user feedback and improve the platform
Next, a controlled experiment was conducted to gauge its effectiveness as a learning tool. Results were significant and in favor. We also used technology acceptance model or TAM to model attitudes of users towards using the technology. It showed high inclination towards using the tool.
Results of the controlled experiment
Undergraduate Thesis Presentation
Read more here -
1. Pandey, M., Luthra, V., Yammiyawar, P. G., & Yammiyawar, P. (2014). Role of immersive VR in fostering creativity among architecture students. In 3rd International Conference of Design Creativity.
2. Pandey, M., Luthra, V., Yammiyawar, P. G., & Yammiyawar, A. P. (2014). Virtual Reality Based Learning Aid to Understand Projection and Section of Solids in Architectural Graphics. In HCI International 2014-Posters’ Extended Abstracts (pp. 625-630). Springer International Publishing.
