Examining the effects of virtual reality-based serious games on the applied learning skills of civil engineering students

The insufficiency of practical training provided to civil engineering students results in graduates entering the industry lacking essential hands-on skills. The limitations of traditional methods and the challenges associated with practice-based tools have increased the need for innovative solutions such as virtual reality (VR) in education. This study aims to enhance students' project reading skills and their understanding of the rough construction phases of residential buildings through a VR-based serious game. In this context, survey data were collected from 316 participants, including faculty members, industry professionals, and students. The analysis results indicated that students require further knowledge and skills in structural project interpretation and construction processes. The selected project was modeled in 3D, optimized and a virtual construction site environment was created in Unreal Engine to develop an interactive VR game aligned with the training scenario. The game was tested with 51 students and 11 faculty members. The findings demonstrated that the VR-based serious game developed in this study is an effective tool for improving students' structural project reading skills and understanding of construction phases.