Production of a cognitive virtual reality artefact in the teaching of the History of Structural Engineering

The article analyses the use of virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the teaching of History of Construction at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, during the academic year (AY) 2024/25. The students designed three-dimensional experiences to explore architectural structures and understand their construction characteristics. The project integrated AR/VR as tools for constructing cognitive artefacts, evaluated in itinere. Through a case study and the analysis of a questionnaire, the links between the teaching task and the support of the learning process are explored, in particular: 1) the activation of pre-knowledge; 2) the use of metacognitive strategies, including deliberate practice and self-explanation; 3) the ability to map and verbalize learned knowledge. The results highlight the effectiveness of AR/VR in constructing epistemic representations and promoting meta-reflections in design learning processes.