Abstract:
Botswana as a developing country will see an immense growth in the construction industry. A reflection on the construction history of Botswana and a peek into the future
Botswana’s construction industry illustrates a country with a sure growth in the construction industry. Therefore this paper will discuss why and how incorporating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Reality (VR) Technologies into higher education teaching practices can ease the industry towards transitions in the technology era. As the construction industry transitions, adequately qualified students and specialists will become crucial for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. The adoptation and adaptation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Reality (VR) across the world by governments and private industries has made it mandatory to embrace construction technologies in various forms. The introduction of VR and BIM would transform the AEC industry. The use of three-dimensional (3-D) immersive learning can enrich student’s ability to identify various building principles, as well as increase engagement and retention which can make the learning experience meaningful. This paper advocates for implementing VR-BIM into the AEC undergraduate program.
The paper carries out a methodology for implementing the VR-BIM. By reviewing previous literature, making an in-depth analysis of the program and accreditation requirements. This paper illustrates how VR-BIM can be implemented in the curriculum into existing course model. Potential challenges to the VR-BIM implementation are identified and some solutions proposed. From this perspective lab classroom layout suitable for the application is designed and adjusted to various layouts to accommodate different teaching practices, learning styles and objectives. Comparisons between head-mounted displays (HMD) are considered and suitable equipment proposed.