by Charalampos Georgiadis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Field training is a cornerstone of surveying engineering education. I can speak from experience as a professor in the Polytechnic School at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), where I’ve been teaching for over 20 years. Field visits indeed provide a crucial link between teaching and learning. Because problem-solving abilities are crucial in engineering education, students must be exposed to real-world conditions and inspired to think creatively through active, hands-on experiences on various local sites. Not surprisingly, undergraduate surveying engineering students value field experience, as they are exposed to a variety of activities that improve their learning experience, confidence and cognitive skills.
But, real-world field training is also logistically complex, expensive, may induce safety risks for tutors and students, and is often limited by equipment and lecturers’ availability, site proximity or accessibility, or scheduling. Challenges for training surveyors in the field also relate to the use of training equipment, where, due to environmental conditions, technological limitations, and human errors, might lead to incorrect learning outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic only magnified these challenges. For a time, it became nearly impossible to take our students out into the field. Even now, organising consistent, high-quality field training for large and diverse student groups remains a real challenge.
That’s why I was enthusiastic to be part of the SURE-VFT project, leading AUTh’s research team, which aims to bring the core of those field experiences into the virtual world. Our goal? To help students build real-world skills in photogrammetry and remote sensing—without ever leaving their home or classroom.
SURE-VFT has indirectly received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation action programme, via the XR4ED – Open Call, issued and executed under the XR4ED project, which supports the development of extended reality (XR) applications for education and training.
Led by KIKLO – Geospatial Information Technologies P.C., with key participation from the AUTH- School of Rural and Surveying Engineering and EuroXR, we designed and developed three immersive Virtual Field Trips (VFTs), that could complement training activities for undergraduate surveying students:
- One on close-range photogrammetry,
- One on spectroradiometer usage, and
- One on land use/land cover (LULC) mapping using satellite imagery.
Each VFT places students inside a simulated 3D environment where they interact with multiscale datasets and decision-making tasks—just as they would in a real field setting. They can orient themselves, classify, record and even make mistakes (with feedback) in a safe, repeatable environment.
The simulated 3D environments are designed to be simple but inspiring. One of our design principles- driven by user requirements collected during the early stage of the project- was to avoid using complex graphics or controls within each VFT. Instead, we developed 3D environments that are intuitive and easily accessible—even for those new to XR.
But the real power of this approach isn’t just about replacing traditional fieldwork – but rather about using it in a complementary way that appeals to both tutors and students. It’s about opening up learning opportunities to students who would otherwise never have them. SURE-VFT and similar XR applications offer a way to train learners and tutors all around the world, including those who may be studying remotely, in developing countries, or in institutions without the necessary physical infrastructure. Any student or any other user with a basic computer and internet access can explore these VFTs and build the same foundational skills. Through the XR4ED marketplace, learners can register, select their VFT lessons, and download them for free using the Portal Hopper desktop application provided by Portal United. Alongside the immersive content, we provide clear user manuals and demonstration videos.
But our vision goes even further. We want these tools to be used not just in universities with high-tech labs—but in any learning environment around the world, making surveying education more resilient to disruptions (e.g., pandemics) and more inclusive for diverse learners.
We encourage you to visit the following link to retrieve manuals for accessing the immersive VFTs, as well as the replication guide developed by the SURE-VFT project.
Charalampos Georgiadis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Acknowledgements
The SURE-VFT project has indirectly received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation action programme, via the XR4ED – Open Call issued and executed under the XR4ED project (Grant Agreement no. 101093159).
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