Developing a real-world scenario to foster learning and working 4.0 – on using a digital twin of a jet pump experiment in process engineering laboratory education

ABSTRACT

A newly-developed online laboratory experiment in immersive virtual reality (VR) is used for process engineering students. A digital twin (DT) of a jet pump was realised using the game engine Unreal Engine 4. The chance was taken for an instructional redesign deviating from the conventional cookbook-experiment to better integrate the changing competence demands of the working world 4.0 (W4.0). A real-world scenario (RWS) is used to address the sometimes-vague problem-solving assignments of W4.0: the students found themselves in an ambiguous situation which must be cleared and resolved constructively and autonomously by them. The RWS was evaluated by triangulating qualitative and quantitative methods. Firstly, its Constructive Alignment was evaluated, i.e. whether the intended learning outcomes to be achieved through the novel teaching and learning activities were reflected in the assessment tasks, too. Secondly, students were surveyed regarding their attitudes towards such new forms of laboratory learning. The results show that even if the students initially seem overwhelmed by the unfamiliar type of assignment, they are nevertheless able to solve the work-related engineering problem – at least with varying degrees of assistance from a fictional immediate superior. The students appreciate the opportunity to think creatively and independently develop solutions to the assignment.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital twin
• fluid mechanics
• constructive alignment
• real-world scenario
• virtual reality
• work-integrated learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work is part of the project ‘CrossLab – flexibly combinable cross-reality labs in higher education: future-proof competence development for a learning and working 4.0’ (Aubel et al. 2022, project number FBM2020-VA-182-3-01130), funded by the Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre. The laboratory experiment is part of an ungraded laboratory course. The students can exchange this experiment for another (random) experiment. Participation in the evaluation was not compulsory. The data were anonymous and were used to improve teaching in the laboratory experiments at the university. Even if published, approval by an ethics committee is not customary for non-medical research in Germany.

Notes on contributors

K. Boettcher

K. Boettcher is with the laboratory of equipment design, Faculty Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at TU Dortmund University, Emil-Figge Str. 68, 44227 Dortmund. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and is responsible for laboratory education, and teaching fluid mechanics. He has developed several awarded analog and digital enhancement projects for teaching fluid mechanics. (email: [email protected])

C. Terkowsky

Claudius Terkowsky is with the Center for Higher Education (zhb) at TU Dortmund University in Dortmund, Germany. He holds a PhD in education science and is postdoc researcher in the field of Higher Engineering Education. He is a member of the International Association of Online Engineering (IAOE), of the German Association for educational and academic staff development in Higher Education (dghd), and of the HFD Community Working Group Digital Laboratories in Germany (email: [email protected])

M. Schade

M. Schade is studying Chemical Engineering at TU Dortmund University and engaged in the CrossLab project.

D. Brandner

D. Brandner Studied Chemical Engineering at TU Dortmund University and was highly engaged in developing and conducting the laboratory experiment.

S. Grünendahl

S. Grünendahl Worked as a research assistant during the Corona pandemic at the TU Dortmund University in the Faculty of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and was strongly engaged in improving the teaching of fluid mechanics.

B. Pasaliu

B. Pasaliu Developed the digital twin in his bachelor thesis in the fluid mechanics group and implemented it in VR.