Towards a Digital Era in AEC Higher Education: Combining Theory and Technology to Develop and Deliver Architectural Master Classes

In recent years, technology has been playing a transformative role in the field of built environment, architecture, and construction education. It can be argued that the emergence of digital technologies has revolutionised the approach to teaching and learning in higher education in these fields. Digital technologies, such as Artificial intelligence (AI), additive manufacturing, robotics, 3D laser scanners, and Immersive Realities (IR), have played a crucial role in enhancing sustainability and efficiency in the industry. However, the opportunities provided by the use of these technologies (as a single tool or combined) in higher education and within the field of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) are still relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this work presents a novel pedagogical framework aimed to enhance students’ literacy on emerging technologies, and increase their criticality, and understanding of professional practices along with the related ethical challenges. Furthermore, to assess its effectiveness regarding the integration of immersive VR technologies in the teaching practice, a learner-centred evaluation approach is proposed, based on the collection and correlation of both qualitative and quantitative data. Concerning the former, a dedicated questionnaire is developed to collect students’ subjective feedback. For the latter, a method for tracking their use of space in the virtual environment is discussed. Both the immersive pedagogical framework and evaluation approach presented in this work will be implemented in diverse architecture and civil engineering master classes in Australia and in Italy, and their comparative outcomes and validation will be the object of future joint contributions.