Evaluating the use of video games in construction management education

The new approach for education calls for more interactive methods to communicate with students. New technologies have found their way into classrooms and have proven to be more effective in delivering material to the students. Video games have been introduced as one of the possible new tools for educating the upcoming generation in many different fields. Specifically, construction management education has attempted to use simulation software to introduce students to various construction related concepts. However, these simulations missed the mark when it came to the fun factor which affected the uptake and therefore the educational impact of such tools. CONVEX is an educational video game that was developed at the University of Florida with the objective of teaching construction management concepts without sacrificing enjoyment. The video game's educational impact was tested in several classrooms. The students in these classes were divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. The control group continued with traditional classroom learning, while the experimental group was exposed to CONVEX in addition to the traditional classroom lectures. Questionnaires that tested students' knowledge of construction management concepts were distributed before and after the experimental group played the game. The collected data indicated that the game helped the experimental group retain more knowledge than the control group.