The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $380,000 Project Grant to The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070), for a 3-year collaborative research project focused on developing an extended reality (XR) factory simulation to investigate the impact of technological advances on adaptive problem-solving skills and personalized learning in manufacturing education.
The project will design and develop a virtual factory with physical sensors to create realistic problem-solving scenarios related to past, present, and future manufacturing challenges. The XR environment will integrate eye and motion tracking to monitor learning behavior and dynamics, and analytical models will be created to enhance the proficiency of adaptive problem-solving abilities. The research aims to characterize multiple problem-solving pathways and the factors driving them, in order to provide practical XR simulation tools to complement classroom instruction and help educators tailor learning to students' needs. Project outcomes are expected to improve teaching and learning of adaptive problem-solving skills and better prepare diverse learners, including undergraduate and graduate students, for the next industrial revolution.