Future-Ready Workforce Development: Integrating Computational Thinking into Construction Education Using Virtual Reality

The construction industry is rapidly evolving as robotics and automation advance. However, traditional construction education often falls short in equipping students with the computational thinking (CT) skills required to address the challenges of technology-driven workplaces. This study aims to bridge this gap by developing a virtual reality (VR) training environment that centers on CT. Through immersive human–robot interaction (HRI) scenarios in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial construction contexts, the VR environment offers hands-on learning experiences to enhance problem-solving and adaptability through iterative learning with progressively complex tasks. Participants engage in structured pick-and-place tasks targeting CT components: decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, and algorithmic thinking. The study applies a knowledge–skill–attitude framework to assess the training program’s impact on CT competencies and future readiness. A pilot human–subject experiment with five construction management students demonstrated the VR environment’s effectiveness, with results indicating significant improvements in computational thinking and adaptability to novel scenarios.