Smart technologies and applications for visualisation in higher science and Engineering education: Issues of knowledge integration and virtual experimentation

Smart (ICT based) technologies and applications are increasingly used as teaching/learning aids in various fields of engineering and science capable of supporting both classroom taught courses and hands-on laboratory work as they can potentially encourage creativity and learning in individuals when properly based on adequate learning theories, styles and approaches. This paper presents several smart (mixed reality) technologies and applications for learning in Engineering education and discusses some issues such as knowledge integration and virtual experimentation in the context of applying smart technologies for visualisation in higher science and engineering education along with results from a study carried out at two academic institutions. The contributions of this paper includes a measurable cost-effective use of smart technologies and applications for visualisation based on adequate learning theories, styles and approaches with knowledge integration suitable for engineering disciplines also in developing countries.