2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Sustainability courses often rely on static instruction that struggles to keep students engaged with complex, real-world challenges. There is a growing need for interactive digital environments that allow students to explore, collaborate, and apply sustainability principles in more engaging ways. This study examines how a gamified web-based 3D environment can enhance student engagement in an undergraduate Sustainable Building Practices course and focuses on student perceptions of engagement and collaboration. Eleven engineering technology students participated in several course sessions conducted within an online 3D “classroom,” where they created avatars, moved through the space using keyboard controls, interacted with peers in real time, and located course materials placed around the environment. The platform provided freedom to explore, communicate, and download materials, turning the experience into a game-like challenge that required navigation and teamwork. The intervention was guided by principles from gamification, Self-Determination Theory, and experiential learning. Student reflections were analyzed thematically for engagement, motivation, social presence, and collaboration. Results from qualitative reflections indicate that students perceived the VR-based activities as engaging, socially interactive, and supportive of collaborative design work. Students described increased enjoyment, strong peer communication, and a sense of shared presence during the intervention. Students reported that the exploratory, game-like setting helped them stay focused and connected during the course activities. Analysis suggests the activity aligned with conditions associated with autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which prior theory links to student engagement. These findings highlight the potential of simple, web-based 3D gamified environments to enrich sustainability education. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating similar platforms into engineering courses and directions for future research on scalable, low-barrier digital engagement tools.