Technology-Driven Serious Games and Simulations for Construction Management Education

Abstract

Serious games and simulations differ from other forms of gaming in that their primary goal is education rather than entertainment. The face-to-face, analog format has gained popularity as an effective pedagogical strategy due to its benefits in providing hands-on experience and creating enjoyable moments for learners. In recent years, there has been a call from the construction industry to expand the scalability and geographic reach of education and training programs. To respond to this, there is greater potential for technology-driven serious games and simulations. Several questions need to be addressed regarding technology-driven serious games and simulations: (1) whether they can produce similar or even better learning effectiveness compared to the physical format, (2) whether adopting advanced technologies affects learning, and (3) what design and development attributes are specifically crucial. This research investigated the potential of technology-driven formats as a means to offer significant learning benefits. The marshmallow target value design simulation was selected as a test bed and converted into two variants of technology-driven formats: computer based and virtual reality (VR). The three formats, physical, computer based, and VR, were tested with 38, 32, and 30 participants, respectively. The results indicated that the VR format has similar effectiveness to the physical format, whereas the computer-based format is inferior to these formats. It turns out that ease of use and usability moderate the learning effectiveness of the computer-based format but do not impact the VR format. Also, analyses on design and development attributes indicated that the computer-based format needs additional consideration compared to the VR and physical formats. This research contributes to new knowledge on the quantitative effects of technology-driven serious games and simulations and the efficacy of different design and development aspects for future education game developers, designers, and instructors in the construction industry. Because the construction industry demands a workforce proficient in emerging technologies, construction management education is beginning to integrate advanced technologies into its pedagogy. In this context, serious games and simulations, which incorporate entertainment elements into educational and training contexts, have been transformed into technology-driven formats. This research developed computer-based and VR formats for the marshmallow target value design (TVD) simulation, intended to impart the fundamental principles of target value design. This study conducted comparative analyses of three formats of the marshmallow TVD simulation: physical, computer based, and VR. The objective was to determine how these formats influence learning. The findings revealed that the physical and VR formats outperformed the computer-based format in terms of learning effectiveness, although the physical and VR variants demonstrated comparable levels of effectiveness. The research investigated various design and development attributes to understand the differences across these formats. It was observed that the computer-based format required additional effort and consideration to achieve the intended learning outcomes compared to the physical and VR formats. This research identified significant factors relevant to technology-driven serious games and simulations within the construction industry, providing valuable insights for future designers and developers.