Using immersive video technology for construction management content delivery: a pilot study

Construction management is considered a hands-on field of study which requires good spatial and visual cognitive ability. Virtual reality and other innovative immersive technologies have been used to facilitate experiential learning and to improve students’ spatial cognitive abilities. Virtual environments have been criticized due to the gamified look of the environment. Static panorama pictures have been previously used to bring a better sense of reality and immersion at the same time in construction education. However, they cannot provide a continuous experience, and the sense of presence (immersion) is not ideal either. Immersive videos such as 360-degree videos can address this shortfall by providing a continuous experience and a better sense of presence. The use of this technology in construction education field is very limited. As a result, this study investigated a pilot experiment where a combination of 360, 180 3D, and flat videos was incorporated as an educational instrument in delivering construction management content. The content was recorded using different configurations from different body postures to further investigate the optimal way of utilizing this technology for content delivery. The content of the videos was focused on construction means and methods. Students reviewed the content using head-mounted display devices and laptop screens and answered a survey designed to capture their perception and experience of using this technology as an educational tool in the construction management field. The results show a positive perception toward using immersive videos in construction education. Furthermore, the students preferred the head-mounted display as their favorite delivery method. As a result, the prospect of incorporating immersive videos to enhance construction management education is promising.