E. Timinskas, R. Džiugaitė-Tumėnienė
This paper presents an innovative approach to teaching Building Information Modelling (BIM) using the Roblox platform in the course "Object-oriented Parametric Modelling BIM 1" at VILNIUS TECH University. The study aims to help engineering students to acquire basic skills in working with Autodesk Revit software and to learn in a more fun, interactive and collaborative way about the benefits of using BIM methodology in a construction project.
The course starts with an introduction to the application of BIM methodology in construction projects and building modelling with Autodesk Revit. Students then start practising in the Roblox environment, working in teams and simulating a construction project. Using Lua programming, they develop simplified BIM-like features such as visualisation of the base area, step-by-step construction sequencing and simplified building lifecycle modelling. These activities allow students to acquire technical and soft skills such as creativity, communication and problem solving.
Integrating a BIM model of a building created with Revit into the Roblox environment poses technical challenges, including file format incompatibility and the need for additional tools. Blender and FBX converters enable the transfer of a 3D geometric building model to the Roblox environment.
Roblox provides an interactive space where students can experiment, interactively solve communication problems that arise within the team, and remain engaged throughout the study process. Gamification elements such as missions and achievements allow for greater engagement among students who are often less active in a traditional work environment.
The combined use of Revit and Roblox tools provides a new and promising integration of BIM methodology into the study process. Although integration poses technical and planning challenges, advantages such as better visualisation, team collaboration, and student engagement make this dual-platform approach valuable in engineering education.
Keywords: Building Information Modelling (BIM), Roblox Gamification, Engineering Education, Game-Based Learning, Virtual Learning Environments.