Developing an Advanced IT-Based Visualization Classroom for Enhanced Engineering Learning

Interactive learning, critical thinking, creative problem-solving and problem-based learning are all critical elements to enhancing engineering education. Visualization can provide the much needed computer-assisted design and analysis environment to foster problem-based learning, while Virtual Reality (VR) can provide the environment for hands-on manipulation, stimulating interactive learning in the engineering classroom. At the University of California, Irvine a new interactive learning environment, termed VizClass, is being developed. VizClass incorporates a specially designed lecture room and laboratory integrating both 2and 3-dimensional spatial learning by coupling a series of interactive projection display boards (touch sensitive white boards) and a semi-immersive 3D wall display. The use of VizClass, and the accompanying pedagogical and curricular innovation, will allow for the redesign of existing engineering courses, the development of new courses, and the integration of courses and curriculum across engineering disciplines. Test bed verification of VizClass is targeted towards finite element methods applicable to civil and structural engineering problem solving at the graduate education level. Different preand post-processing tools are being developed for an open source finite element software package to assist in smoothly integrating basic visualization concepts into the numerical analysis process. This paper will describe the hardware architecture designed for this new environment as well as the initial visualization framework to be integrated with an open source object-oriented general finite element platform. Example numerical analysis results from a representative model building structure are described, illustrating the integration of simple visual paradigms to provide an enhanced understanding of the physical model. Index Terms  Educational environments, human-computer interaction visualization, and display technologies.