Kim, S; Mainardi, P; Jeong, H D; Rybkowski, Z K and Seo, J H (2025) Technology-driven serious games and simulations for construction management education. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(1): 04024185, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Serious games and simulations differ from other forms of gaming in that their primary goal is education rather than entertainment. The face-to-face, analog format has gained popularity as an effective pedagogical strategy due to its benefits in providing hands-on experience and creating enjoyable moments for learners. In recent years, there has been a call from the construction industry to expand the scalability and geographic reach of education and training programs. To respond to this, there is greater potential for technology-driven serious games and simulations. Several questions need to be addressed regarding technology-driven serious games and simulations: (1) whether they can produce similar or even better learning effectiveness compared to the physical format, (2) whether adopting advanced technologies affects learning, and (3) what design and development attributes are specifically crucial. This research investigated the potential of technology-driven formats as a means to offer significant learning benefits. The marshmallow target value design simulation was selected as a test bed and converted into two variants of technology-driven formats: computer based and virtual reality (VR). The three formats, physical, computer based, and VR, were tested with 38, 32, and 30 participants, respectively. The results indicated that the VR format has similar effectiveness to the physical format, whereas the computer-based format is inferior to these formats. It turns out that ease of use and usability moderate the learning effectiveness of the computer-based format but do not impact the VR format. Also, analyses on design and development attributes indicated that the computer-based format needs additional consideration compared to the VR and physical formats. This research contributes to new knowledge on the quantitative effects of technology-driven serious games and simulations and the efficacy of different design and development aspects for future education game developers, designers, and instructors in the construction industry.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | design and development, designer, effectiveness, virtual reality, target value design, education and training, construction industry, gaming, instructor, usability, construction management education, strategy, face, program |
| Subjects: | management, performance management, software systems, industry analysis, value management, profession, user-centered design, virtual reality, design process, decision-making and reasoning, professional education, practitioner, psychology |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Cost Management, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Organizational Design, Quality Management, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here