Rethinking Skill Building in Engineering with Munster Technological University

Background

Munster Technological University serves over 18,000 learners across 6 campuses across
Cork and Kerry, Ireland. At the heart of their partnership with Bodyswaps is their innovative and agile BEng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering; designed by the REEdI (Rethinking Engineering Education in Ireland) Project supported by the Irish Higher Education Authorities HCI Pillar 3 fund.

This project is centred around three pillars.

The Three Pillars

  1. Allowing students to pick their path through their studies,
  2. Sending students on two-year long work placements,
  3. And introducing immersive technologies into the curriculum.

 

"Research has repeatedly shown that immersive technologies are a great tool for education, and we are noting this first-hand in the students’ confidence and abilities in public speaking and interview preparation."
Hans Moolman
Research Fellow - Specialising in AR/VR

 

Goals

  • Gauge student reactions to immersive learning technology
  • Validate the effectiveness of immersive learning compared to traditional methods
  • Give students the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skillset - incorporating soft skills alongside their academic prowess

Deployment

VR Headsets

Each student on the REEdI degree is given a Meta Quest 2 headset to keep over the four years of their programme and utilise the software on it to develop their skills.

 

Placement Preparation

Initially implemented to aid first year students develop public speaking skills, it’s now been integrated into the second year Professional Development core module to aid students with job interview skills ahead of applying to work placements with MTU’s industry partners

 

"A cohort of the first years have also been using Bodyswaps and the difference in presentation skills is quite impressive."
Dr. Cathal Geary
REEdI Lecturer

 

Future Plans

Due to the success of the REEdI Framework, MTU plans to roll out immersive learning for soft skill development to further programmes.

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