Communication Lab – Simulation Environment Creation Programme

Participants of partnership universities met up at Riga Technical University in Riga, Latvia to take part in Communication Lab – Simulation Environment Creation Programme from 6th to 10th of November, 2023.

This innovative activity employed a hands-on approach to practicing communication skills across diverse scenarios, providing participants with a supportive environment in which to refine their abilities. The program was distinguished by the introduction of a demo version of the virtual simulation application, developed collaboratively by RTU’s IT professionals, students, and academic staff. This five-day program served as a pioneering platform for engineering students to assess their current skill set and cultivate a wide array of soft skills critical for their professional development. It served as a platform for engineering students to assess their current skill set and develop a variety of soft skills. As a result, the audience was represented by an AR-mediated avatar, and visitors had to overcome challenging tasks including having difficult coaching sessions, settling team disputes, communicating change, negotiating, etc. Students were able to enhance their digital, social, and personal competencies as well as their presentation abilities with the use of augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Participants worked collaboratively to examine the platform’s functionality, providing detailed usability feedback and assessing the reliability and effectiveness of the virtual lab. Specific focus was given to areas such as user privacy, task realism, and the overall usability of the simulation. This collective evaluation process facilitated the identification of strengths and areas for improvement, leading to valuable recommendations for refining the platform. The employment of creative, inventive, intelligent, and digital learning methods has been encouraged by this event. The Communication Lab was created and enhanced as a result of this program. The "Communication Lab" represented a significant step forward in the integration of digital learning tools into engineering education. By providing
participants with a unique opportunity to experience augmented reality mediated scenarios, the program promoted the development of digital, social, and communication skills in an innovative and immersive setting.
The event also served as a platform for advancing creative, intelligent, and digital learning methods, setting a precedent for similar initiatives in engineering education. Feedback from participants and instructors played a crucial role in enhancing the lab, ensuring its continued development as an effective educational tool.