Augmented Reality Technologies in Students Project Activities

Abstract

This study’s relevance is determined by the absence of serious research, science-based, tested and verified programs and training materials related to the use of Augmented Reality (AR) technologies when getting students education in Engineering and Computer Graphics (ECG). The study’s aim was the introduction of AR-technologies in the project activities of first-year students. The study was conducted on the base of St. Petersburg Mining University. 48 first-year students of the Civil Engineering Faculty, pursuing a specialist's degree in “Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures”, participated in the project activity. The students' project activities results showed that at present, AR-technologies have gained popularity not only among designers and planners, but also among schoolteachers, as well as among lecturers and students of technical universities. A student team of St. Petersburg Mining University solved the design problem using AR-technology and created an informational 3-D model of the building structure. The existing methods related to students training have been completed and updated with the method of graphical presentation for the students' project activities results with the help of AR-technologies. As a result of the students’ project activities study, has been revealed the thoroughly obvious need for teaching a new generation of students to use AR-technologies. The aim is implementation of AR-technologies by students in the perspective, with continuous and subsequent self-education, as well as teaching future designers of rational use of AR-technologies to solve educational and practical problems, including areas of engineering and computer graphics. The study had showed that currently there is not enough of scientifically based learning materials for the organization of students' project activities using AR-technologies. Has been revealed the need for further scientific research in the field of AR-technologies implementation in the students’ project activities within the framework of ECG academic discipline. The paper materials can be useful for lecturers of all levels.