An e-tool for undergraduate surveying education: design and evaluation

Abstract

We describe an innovative e-tool for Surveying Education, report the results of a pilot study with a group of undergraduate students, and discuss lessons learned and future work. The e-tool consists of two parts: a student's component and an instructor's component. The students' component is a 2D Virtual Learning Environment that can be used by students to review surveying concepts and practices and get feedback on their understanding of the subject. The instructor's component is a summative assessment tool that measures the individual student's cognitive and practical abilities with accuracy. Results of the pilot study show that students perceived the application as easy to use, useful for reviewing class content, and effective at providing immediate and accurate feedback on their performance. A comparison between the grades obtained by manually grading the field exercise and the grades generated by the e-tool showed a significant disagreement between the two sets of data, with the electronically generated grades being much lower. The study revealed the limitations of the current tool due to its dimensionality (i.e. 2D) and suggested the need for a more realistic 3D learning environment.

Surveying Education in Construction Programs: A Systematic Review

“…For instance, Tingerthal & Kaoni (2021) observed that students in virtual labs reported enhanced learning benefits. However, in Dib & Adamo's (2011) study, the grades generated by the e-assessment tool (i.e., a digital tool to track student assessment in a virtual learning context) were significantly lower compared to those obtained through traditional manual grading. These findings collectively suggest that while blended learning tools are innovative, they also bring forth challenges in uniformly assessing student learning.…”

“…Table 1 shows the key focus areas discovered under this theme. For example, the Virtual Learning Environment encompasses a broader digital platform (e.g., interactive simulations, video tools) that enhances understanding of surveying concepts (Dib et al, 2013;El-Mowafy et al, 2013;Dib & Adamo, 2011). Virtual Labs enable students to engage in practical exercises remotely, ensuring accessibility and continuity of learning (Tingerthal & Kaoni, 2021;Kist & Basnet, 2013).…”