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1 Introduction

(1)Requirements of Emerging Engineering Education for the Teaching Reform of Mining Engineering Major

Under the background of industrial upgrading, the mining engineering major needs to strengthen the connection between practical teaching and industry needs, and cultivate applied talents with intelligent mining and green mining capabilities.

(2)Practical Dilemmas of the Experimental Teaching of Mining Science

Physical experiments are limited by factors such as venues, equipment, and safety, making it difficult to cover complex scenarios such as underground mines and open-pit mines, resulting in low student participation in practice.

(3)Application Advantages of Virtual Simulation Technology in Engineering Teaching

It can simulate high-risk and complex experimental scenarios, support immersive interactive learning, and become an important supplement to physical experiments.

(4)Application Status of 5E and I-MMLOE Teaching Models

The two models focus on “student performance” and “design level” respectively, and have been applied in single-course teaching, but there are few studies on their integrated application in mining-related virtual simulation teaching(Zhou Y. et al, 2021 ).

(5)Existing Problems

There is a lack of an integrated 5E and I-MMLOE teaching model for the Mining Science course, the virtual simulation content is insufficiently combined with regional industrial characteristics, and the platform evaluation system is not perfect.

(6)Theoretical and Practical Significance

Theoretical significance: Constructing an integrated teaching model of 5E and I-MMLOE enriches the theoretical system of virtual simulation teaching under the background of Emerging Engineering Education and provides theoretical support for multi-model integrated teaching.

(7)Practical Significance

Developing a virtual simulation platform adapted to the Mining Science course solves the limitations of traditional experimental teaching, improves the quality of talent training, and serves the development of the mining industry in Lyuliang area.

2 Theoretical Analysis

2.1 Connotation and Core Characteristics of the 5E Teaching Model

Five-stage process of the 5E teaching model: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation. Core characteristics: Student-centered, emphasizing independent inquiry and knowledge application, and focusing on interaction and feedback in the learning process. Adaptability in mining engineering teaching: It conforms to the talent training logic of “theory-practice-innovation” in the Mining Science course and can guide students to gradually deepen their understanding of mining technology.

2.2 Connotation and Core Characteristics of the I-MMLOE Teaching Model

Core elements of the I-MMLOE teaching model: Interactive, Multimedia, Modular, Learning Object, Environment. Core characteristics: Building a modular learning environment based on multimedia technology, focusing on the visualization and interactivity of learning objects, and supporting personalized learning. Adaptability in mining engineering teaching: It can facilitates the transformation abstract mining theories and complex mining processes into intuitive virtual scenes, reducing learning difficulty.

2.3 Logical Starting Point and Path of the Integration of 5E and I-MMLOE

The 5E model provides a robust pedagogical framework, which is significantly enhanced by the Interactive, Multimedia, Modular, Learning Object, and Environment (I-MMLOE) design principles. This integration allows for a process-driven teaching system that leverages advanced technological capabilities to optimize each stage of the 5E model. Taking the five stages of the 5E model as the main line, the interactive and multimedia elements of I-MMLOE are integrated into each stage to realize the full-process visualization and interactivity of “Engagement-Exploration-Explanation-Elaboration-Evaluation”. It not only ensures students’ independent inquiry process but also improves the intuitiveness of learning through multimedia technology, balancing knowledge transmission and ability training.

3 Design of the Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Content System for Mining Science

3.1 Basic Principles of Content Design

Integrate concepts such as green mining and safe mining to strengthen students’ sense of industry responsibility and environmental protection awareness. Closely combine with the demand of the mining industry in Lyuliang area, highlighting characteristic technologies such as coal and gas co-mining and water-preserving mining. Conduct hierarchical design according to “basic knowledge - interactive application - divergent creative design” to conform to students’ cognitive laws. Support the later update and expansion of content to adapt to the development trend of mining technology.

3.2 Specific Construction of the Three-Layer Experimental Content System

(1) Basic Knowledge Introduction Part

Core content: Basic concepts of mining engineering, mining technology principles, basic rock mechanics, cognition of mining equipment, etc. Presentation form: Adopt multimedia courseware, 3D model display, animation demonstration and other methods to realize the visual transmission of knowledge. Design goal: Help students lay a solid theoretical foundation for subsequent practical learning.

(2) Interactive Application Knowledge Part

Core content: Simulation of underground coal mine mining process, simulation of metal underground mine development system, open-pit mine mining process operation, rock mechanics experiment simulation, etc; Presentation form: Build interactive virtual scenes, and students complete learning tasks by operating virtual equipment and simulating mining processes; Design goal: Cultivate students’ practical operation ability and deepen their understanding of the
application of theoretical knowledge.

(3) Divergent Creative Design and Practice Part

Core content: Creative combination experiment of characteristic mining structures in Lyuliang area, intelligent mining scheme design, optimization of green mining technology, etc; Presentation form: Provide modular design tools to support students to independently design mining schemes and conduct virtual verification; Design goal: Stimulate students’ innovative thinking and improve their ability to solve complex engineering problems.

3.3 Connection Between the Content System and Regional Industrial Needs

(1)Current situation of the mining industry and talent demand in Lyuliang area: Focus on the core technical needs of local coal mining, highlighting the cultivation of intelligent and green mining capabilities.

(2)Characteristic content design: Add regional characteristic modules such as coal and gas co-mining, water-preserving mining, and intelligent coal mine mining to improve the pertinence of talent training.

4 Technical Implementation of the Mining Science Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Platform Under the Integrated Model

4.1 Selection of Core Technologies for Platform Development

Core development tools: Unity3D is used as the virtual scene construction and interactive development tool, and SolidWorks is used for 3D modeling of mining equipment and mining scenes; Auxiliary technologies: Database technology is used to store teaching resources and students’ learning data, and network technology supports the online access and multi-person collaboration of the platform; Basis for technology selection: Unity3D has powerful scene rendering and interactive functions, and SolidWorks has high modeling accuracy. Both are suitable for the development needs of complex mining engineering scenes.

4.2 Overall Architecture Design of the Platform

Hardware architecture: Adopt the “server-client” mode. The server is responsible for resource storage and data management, and the client supports students to access through computers, tablets and other devices; Software architecture: Divided into data layer, business logic layer, and presentation layer. The data layer stores 3D models, teaching resources, learning data, etc.; the business logic layer realizes functions such as teaching model integration, interactive control, and evaluation management; the presentation layer provides students with a visual operation interface(Wang N & Meng L, 2023).

4.3 Development of Core Function Modules of the Platform

(1) Virtual Scene Module

Development content: Build various types of mining scenes such as underground coal mines, metal underground mines, and open-pit mines, restoring mining processes, equipment layouts, geological conditions, etc; Technical points: Use SolidWorks for high-precision modeling, and perform scene rendering and optimization through Unity3D to ensure the authenticity and fluency of the scene.

(2) Interactive Learning Module

Development content: Design interactive tasks based on the five stages of the 5E model, such as adjustment of mining parameters in the exploration stage and scheme design in the elaboration stage; Technical points: Realize functions such as virtual equipment operation, scene switching, and task triggering through Unity3D’s interactive components to support students’ independent inquiry(Fu Y & Chen L, 2022).

(3) Resource Management Module

Development content: Integrate teaching resources such as basic knowledge courseware, 3D models, animation demonstrations, and case analyses to support modular calling and updating; Technical points: Use a database to store resources in categories, design convenient resource retrieval and calling interfaces, and support teachers to upload custom resources.

(4) Learning Evaluation Module

Development content: Record students’ learning progress, operation behavior, and task completion status, and generate preliminary evaluation results; Technical points: Design data collection interfaces to capture students’ learning data in real time, providing support for subsequent comprehensive evaluation.

4.4 Compatibility and Security Design of the Platform

Compatibility design: Support mainstream operating systems such as Windows and Mac, adapt to terminal devices with different resolutions, and ensure smooth access; Security design: Set up a user permission management mechanism to protect the security of teaching resources and students’ data; conduct regular system maintenance and vulnerability repair.

5 Pilot Implementation of Virtual Simulation Teaching Under the Integrated Model

5.1 Pilot Objects and Teaching Arrangements

Pilot objects: 2 classes of the 2023-level Mining Engineering (Coalbed Methane Direction) major of Lyuliang University, with a total of 63 students; Teaching arrangements: Select 2 core chapters of the Mining Science course, “Underground Coal Mine Mining” and “Green Mining Technology”, to carry out virtual simulation teaching pilots, totaling 16 class hours; Comparison design: Set up an experimental class (adopting the integrated model of virtual simulation teaching) and a control class (adopting traditional experimental teaching) for effect comparison.

5.2 Teaching Implementation Process

(1) Engagement Stage

Teaching activities: Display practical application cases of mining engineering through virtual scenes, and put forward inquiry questions such as “How to optimize the underground coal mine mining process” to stimulate students’ interest; Technical support: Rely on the multimedia function of the I-MMLOE model to present high-definition virtual scenes and industry case videos.

(2) Exploration Stage

Teaching activities: Students enter the virtual platform, independently operate the underground coal mine mining virtual system, and explore the impact of different mining parameters on mining efficiency; Technical support: With the help of the interactive function of the I-MMLOE model, realize real-time feedback of virtual equipment operation and data.

(3) Explanation Stage

Teaching activities: Teachers explain mining technology principles and optimization methods combined with students’ exploration results, and answer students’ questions; Technical support: Through the multimedia module of the platform, show the corresponding relationship between theoretical knowledge and virtual operations to strengthen understanding.

(4) Elaboration Stage

Teaching activities: Students complete the task of “Design of Green Mining Scheme for a Coal Mine in Lyuliang Area” in groups, and conduct virtual verification and optimization through the platform; Technical support: Use the modular design tools of the I-MMLOE model to support the custom design and simulation operation of schemes.

(5) Evaluation Stage

Teaching activities: Record students’ operation data and scheme design results through the platform, and form comprehensive evaluation results combined with teacher evaluation and student mutual evaluation; Technical support: Rely on the learning evaluation module of the platform to realize the automatic collection and statistical analysis of evaluation data.

5.3 Organization and Guarantee of the Teaching Pilot

Teacher guarantee: Establish a teaching team composed of mining engineering professional teachers and educational technology experts to carry out teaching design and platform operation guidance; Technical guarantee: Conduct pressure testing and fault investigation on the platform in advance to ensure the smooth progress of the teaching process; provide students with platform operation training; System guarantee: Formulate management methods for virtual simulation teaching, clarify teaching requirements and evaluation standards, and standardize the teaching process.

6 Analysis of the Pilot Teaching Effect Under the Integrated Model

6.1 Design of the Evaluation Index System

Knowledge mastery: Evaluate students’ understanding and application ability of core mining science knowledge through theoretical examinations and experimental operation assessments; Practical operation ability: Evaluate students’ virtual experiment operation level through platform operation data and task completion quality; Innovative design ability: Evaluate students’ innovative thinking and ability to solve complex engineering problems through the innovation and feasibility of scheme design results; Learning attitude and participation: Evaluate students’ learning initiative through data such as platform login times, learning duration, and interaction frequency.

6.2 Collection and Analysis of Effect Data

Quantitative data: Theoretical examination scores, experimental operation assessment scores, innovative design scores, etc. of the experimental class and the control class; Qualitative data: Student questionnaires, teachers’ teaching reflections, industry expert evaluations, etc; Data analysis results: The scores of the experimental class in knowledge mastery, practical operation ability, innovative design ability and other indicators are significantly higher than those of the control class, and the students’ satisfaction with virtual simulation teaching reaches 92%.

6.3 Existing Problems and Improvement Directions

Existing problems: Some students are not proficient in virtual operations, some interactive functions of the platform need to be optimized, and the weight of subjective indicators in the evaluation system needs to be adjusted; Improvement directions: Increase platform operation training links and optimize interactive design; introduce the analytic hierarchy process to refine the weight of evaluation indicators and improve the scientificity of evaluation.

7 Conclusions

An integrated virtual simulation teaching model of 5E and I-MMLOE is constructed, clarifying the integration logic of “process framework + technical support”. A three-layer experimental content system of “basic knowledge - interactive application - divergent creative design” is designed, realizing close connection with regional industrial needs. A Mining Science virtual simulation teaching platform based on Unity3D and SolidWorks is developed, featuring scene visualization, operation interactivity, and content modularization. Teaching pilots show that virtual simulation teaching under the integrated model can effectively improve students’ knowledge application ability, practical operation ability, and innovative design ability.