EAGER: US Ignite: A Cloud Enabled Virtual Reality Based Pedagogical Ecosystem for Green Energy and Environmental Engineering Education

该项目将开发，实施和评估一种新颖的，可扩展的和可转移的基于虚拟现实（VR）的教学生态系统，为学习者提供相关的技能培训，以解决绿色能源和环境工程领域现有的技术工人短缺问题。这将有助于增加新的就业机会，并为该部门的初级职位提供培训机会。具体而言，该生态系统将使用云服务（如亚马逊网络服务（AWS））进行后端技术和3D游戏引擎（如Unity3d）进行前端渲染，以创建沉浸式教育模块，涵盖绿色能源和环境工程的技术主题。该生态系统将在课堂内外引入并维持：1）来自环境工程STEM领域的基于云的独立VR模块的独特混合，其特点是学生可交付成果，如虚拟可再生能源装置（风力发电场，太阳能发电场等）。最佳的能源生产，以及能源自动化系统的虚拟设计沿着以最佳容量运行的策略2）基于云的技术框架，以提供VR教育模块，以及3）基于游戏的学习教学模型游戏-课程活动-反思和讨论（PCaRD），评估学生的应用？独立的思考过程，沿着设计和操作技能，以创建这些可交付成果。在特定的绿色能源主题背景下创建基于VR的教学生态系统将为使用计算和带宽作为选定的物理实验室和实地考察的替代品提供机会。 VR模块的仪器将提供有关网络带宽和延迟对教育体验影响的数据。 这些数据将直接用于设计和提供更大规模的美国校园VR教育项目。我们与伯灵顿县学院，高中通过积极的GK-12赠款，并在德雷克塞尔大学本科课程的合作伙伴关系？美国工程学院。实施计划，课程材料和相关技术将定期更新，并通过一个高度互动的门户网站提供给公众，其格式很容易适应其他大学的实施。 这项工作产生的结果将通过教育研究会议、期刊和场地分享，并将有助于1）美国IGNITE社区了解使用拟议的教学生态系统的好处和局限性，以及2）正在进行的基于云的VR教育全国对话，从而帮助所有利益相关者更好地协调他们的教育工作。

This project will develop, implement, and evaluate a novel, scalable and transferable virtual reality (VR) based pedagogical ecosystem that provides learners with the relevant skill training to address existing skilled worker shortage in the area of green energy and environmental engineering. This will facilitate the growth of new jobs and training opportunities for entry-level positions in this sector. Specifically, the ecosystem will use cloud services such as the Amazon Web Services (AWS) for backend technology and 3-D gaming engines such as Unity3d for front-end rendering to create immersive educational modules that cover technical topics on green energy and environmental engineering. The ecosystem will introduce and sustain inside and outside the classroom: 1) a unique blend of cloud-based self-contained VR modules from STEM areas of environmental engineering that feature student deliverables such as virtual renewable energy installations (wind-farms, solar-farms, etc.) for optimal energy generation, and virtual designs for energy automation systems along with strategies to operate them at optimal capacity 2) a cloud-based technological framework to deliver VR educational modules, and 3) a play-based learning pedagogical model Play-Curricular activity-Reflection and Discussion (PCaRD) that assess the application of students? independent thought processes, along with design and operational skills in creating these deliverables. The creation of a VR-based pedagogical ecosystem in the context of the specific green energy themes will provide insight into the opportunities for using computation and bandwidth as a replacement for selected physical laboratories and field trips. The instrumentation of the VR modules will provide data on the impact of network bandwidth and latency on the educational experience. This data will be directly useful for designing and provisioning larger scale US Ignite VR-based education projects.The pathways to the classroom include community college level of education via Drexel?s partnership with Burlington County College, high schools via an active GK-12 grant, and undergraduate courses at Drexel?s College of Engineering. The implementation plan, course materials, and associated technology will be regularly updated and made available to the public via a highly interactive web portal in a format that is easily adaptable for implementation in other universities. The results generated from this effort will be shared via education research conferences, journals and venues, and will help inform 1) the US IGNITE community of the benefits and limitations of using the proposed pedagogical ecosystem, and 2) the ongoing national dialogue on cloud-based VR education, thereby helping all stakeholders better align their educational efforts.