Collaborative Construction Research Articles

From Collaborative Construction, Through Whole-Class Presentation, to a Posteriori Reflection: Proof Progression in a Topology Classroom

Coming from a social perspective, we introduce a classroom organizational frame, where students’ proofs progress from collaborative construction in small groups, through whole-class presentation at the board by one of the constructors, to a posteriori reflection. This design is informed by a view on proofs as successive social processes in the mathematics community. To illustrate opportunities for mathematics learning of proof progressions, we present a commognitive analysis of a single proof from a small course in topology. The analysis illuminates the processes through which students’ proof was restructured, developed previously unarticulated elements, and became more formal and elaborate. Within this progression, the provers developed their mathematical discourses and the course teacher seized valuable teachable moments. The findings are discussed in relation to key themes within the social perspective on proof.

Integrating lean construction with BIM and sustainability: a comparative study of challenges, enablers, techniques, and benefits

PurposeThe construction industry has considerably evolved in the recent two decades due to the emergence of sustainability, lean construction (LC) and building information modelling (BIM). Despite previous research efforts, there is still a gap concerning the multidimensional nature of their integration. Hence, this study aims to fill the mentioned knowledge gap through exploring and comparing the challenges, enablers, techniques as well as benefits of integrating LC with BIM and sustainability in building construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted to fulfill the purpose of this study.FindingsThe findings reveal and compare the challenges, enablers, techniques and benefits of integrating LC with BIM and sustainability in building construction projects. The results suggest that there are eight common challenges for integrating LC with BIM and sustainability, including high initial cost, lack of collaboration, lack of professionals and lack of compatible contractual framework. The discovered challenges, enablers, techniques and benefits seem to be mostly routed in people. The findings also suggest that the synergistic benefits of integrating LC with BIM and sustainability can overcome the common challenges (safety, reliability, productivity, collaboration and quality) in construction projects.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to the literature and practice concerning the integration of LC with BIM and sustainability by exploring, comparing and discussing the relevant challenges, enablers, techniques as well as benefits. Moreover, the findings reveal the significance of the development of people in construction industry, besides processes and technology, as people are always subject of activities in construction while processes and technology are always objects.

Analysis of a Soil Structure Interaction Technique Considering Lateral Load Effect Using Analysis Tool: A Review

Presently a day the human existence and the climate have regularly been imperiled by the normal dangers like seismic tremor, wave, flood, tornado and avalanches. As a result of which the human culture and the country's economy get hampered following the event of a catastrophic event. In emerging nations like India, where the populace is extremely enormous and is expanding step by step, the social and financial variables force individuals to reside in weak regions, because of which the impacts of these cataclysmic events are disastrous. Among this large number of dangers, liquefaction of soil can be called attention to as perhaps of the most appalling seismic peril. Consequently assessment of liquefaction vulnerability is a significant part of geotechnical designing. Soil-structure communication impact in the examination and plan of RC outline structures is progressively perceived yet at the same time not entered to the grass root level inferable from different intricacies included. It is deeply grounded reality that the dirt construction collaboration impact significantly impact the plan of multi-story structures exposed to parallel seismic burdens. Key Word: Analysis, Structure, Stress, Soil, Lateral Load.

The dynamics of union-management collaboration during postmerger integration

Collaboration between unions and management may facilitate postmerger integration, however collaboration can also be time-consuming and challenging. Using a qualitative case study, we examined union–management collaboration in the integration of two Norwegian firms. The integration was split into two processes, involving different business units. While both processes were designed according to similar principles of collaboration, we observed the emergence of two diverging integration trajectories. Whereas the first process was characterized by a virtuous cycle of trust and constructive collaboration that facilitated integration, the second process turned into a vicious cycle of mistrust and conflict, causing disruption, and impeding integration. Based on our inductive analysis, we identify four distinctive features characterizing the emerging mode of collaboration. We develop a model to illustrate the dynamics of union-management collaboration in postmerger integration. These findings expand the current understanding of merger and acquisition (M&A) dynamics to include a broader set of actors and potential conflict factors in the integration process. Furthermore, our study suggests that collaborative integration processes require careful management while also potentially posing challenges for unions, particularly in the context of historical conflicts.

Facilitating cognitive presence in online professional doctoral education: implications for practice-based programs

ABSTRACT This study employs the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to examine strategies that foster cognitive presence in a specific discipline context – the professional education doctorate (EdD). The article presents the results of a qualitative inquiry revealing how a cohort of doctoral students (n = 15) developed cognitive presence in an online Practicum course that aimed to move students through the dissertation process. We analyse participants’ perceptions of how instructional strategies impacted their skills in conducting practitioner research and to what extent they were able to apply the new learnings to practice. The findings indicate that engaging students in an authentic, dissertation-focused pilot study, as well as regular discussions of progress with peers enhanced cognitive presence related to practitioner inquiry. Although teaching presence was key in building a community of inquiry, instructors need to also be purposeful in course design to develop cognitive presence to support students’ dissertation progress. The study underlines approaches for using CoI in online EdD education to design spaces for collaborative construction of knowledge, development of practitioner-research skills, and the application of solutions to problems of practice as key tenets of scholarly practitioner preparation.

Role of the interaction space in shaping innovation for sustainable agriculture: Empirical insights from African case studies

The challenges of climate change, food insecurity and land degradation have all led to a push for ‘scaling’ innovation for sustainable agriculture. For this purpose, international agricultural development projects often use farm trials or farmer field schools as a way for farmers to engage with technically-constructed knowledge and empirical evidence. However, the role of such trials in the socio-political construction of knowledge is often overlooked. This study conceptualises agricultural development interventions as taking place within an interaction space between researchers and farmers. Unpacking the processes and dynamics of the interaction space from four case studies across Malawi and mainland Tanzania, we present findings which evaluate: 1) how agricultural innovation takes place in the context of funded agricultural development projects, and 2) how space for technical and social knowledge construction can be opened up or closed down in these contexts.Results show that farm trials provide a basis for interaction, but that knowledge exchange in these contexts also require knowledge brokers for successful implementation and scaling. Both knowledge brokers, and the trials themselves shape social dynamics, often simultaneously facilitating social learning for some, but contributing to social exclusions for others. A strong connection was identified between the design of the interaction space and social dynamics evident within it, indicative of the close interconnection between the processes of socio-political and technical construction of knowledge. Key factors open or close the interaction space, such as the continuity of knowledge brokers and the complexity of technologies. Improving the effectiveness of innovation for sustainable agriculture, requires opening up the interaction space to enable more effective and sustained co-creation of technologies, social learning and the collaborative construction of shared knowledge.

Digital Cognitive Maps for Scientific Knowledge Construction in Initial Teacher Education

Interactive technology offers new opportunities to design dialogic learning spaces and scaffolds with the aid of visual icons. These technological environments can support the construction of open-ended visual cognitive digital maps, which portray an external representation of scientific knowledge that could foster the meaningful resolution of socio-scientific challenges. In this context, this research aims to study the impact of digital cognitive maps on: a) meaningful learning of scientific concepts and b) complex representation of scientific concepts in teacher education. A case study with multi-method analysis was designed. The cognitive maps of 47 teacher education students are analysed, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and before-after their participation in an educational experience that enhances the collaborative construction of digital cognitive maps in order to solve a socio-scientific challenge. The results show that the overall educational experience and, specifically, the scientific inquiry visual scaffolds embedded into the technological environment have a positive impact on learning scientific knowledge and inquiry skills. Furthermore, outcomes also indicate that the experience enriches the students’ representation strategies of complex scientific knowledge and that the construction of cognitive maps with a network architecture increases after the educational experience. Finally, educational implications on the use of interactive technology and cognitive maps for promoting significant learning of content knowledge in pre-service teachers are discussed.

Critical thinking in primary science through a guided inquiry pedagogy: A semiotic perspective

ABSTRACT Although education research in critical thinking is a rapidly emerging field, how teachers can facilitate, monitor, and support critical thinking in primary science remains a challenge. This paper builds on recent semiotics mediated scientific reasoning research to present a fresh perspective of critical thinking in primary science. Analysis of student and teacher interactions in an innovated semiotics grounded learning design and pedagogy demonstrates a recursive process of collaborative construction, reviewing and refinement of representational systems and models. The multimodal epistemic practices of the discipline, involving the generation, evaluation and refinement of the semiotic systems that frame scientific ideas and practices are presented to both stimulate and support generative critical thinking. How semiotic systems in primary science can provide a focus, stimulus, and tool, for not only students’ generative critical thinking but also teacher monitoring and support is presented.

A Novel Multifunctional Photocatalytic Separation Membrane Based on Single‐Component Seaweed‐Like g‐C3N4

AbstractMultifunctional separation membrane is usually realized by multi‐component collaborative construction, which makes the membrane preparation method complicated and uncontrollable. Herein, a novel multifunctional photocatalytic separation membrane is prepared by vacuum self‐assembly of single seaweed‐like g‐C3N4 photocatalyst. The seaweed‐like g‐C3N4 gives membrane certain roughness, large specific surface area, excellent hydrophilicity and abundant transport channels. Through a systematic study, the membrane exhibits excellent separation of five oil‐in‐water emulsions with a maximum flux of 3114.0 ± 113.0 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 for 1, 2‐dichloroethane‐in‐water (Dc/W) emulsion and a maximum efficiency of 97.4 ± 0.1% for chloroform‐in‐water (C/W) emulsion. In addition, the seaweed‐like g‐C3N4 with large specific surface area and narrow bandgap render excellent visible light absorption characteristics and accelerate e−‐h+ pairs transport rate, giving the membrane excellent photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial properties. The membrane shows good degradation for eight different pollutants, among which the degradation effect for rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), and crystal violet (CV) were ≈100%. The antibacterial efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus is also close to 100%. After 35 consecutive separations of C/W emulsion and 10 consecutive degradations of RhB, the membrane still maintains excellent separation performance. This long‐lasting multifunctional separation membrane exhibits broad application prospects in complex wastewater purification.

From Industry 4.0 to Construction 5.0: Exploring the Path towards Human–Robot Collaboration in Construction

Industry 4.0 is a recent trend representing the vision for the integration of information, objects and people in cyber-physical scenarios in order to transform factories into intelligent environments. Although this transition is still ongoing, the corresponding vision of Industry 5.0 has already emerged. Industry 5.0 aims to bring the human factor back into the production system, with the collaborative work paradigm of human–robot collaboration (HRC) at its core. This paper first discusses how Industry 4.0 has conceptually evolved and is being implemented in the context of construction, through the lens of a literature review and bibliometric analysis. Additionally, it clarifies the scope of Industry 5.0 and assesses its momentum as a literature trend, drawing on bibliometric comparisons with the Industry 4.0/Construction 4.0 vision. Furthermore, it makes a realistic assessment of the potential of the Industry 5.0 paradigm to evolve into Construction 5.0. In this context, it reviews the prospects of HRC use in construction, highlights its distinct challenges and proposes new directions. This paper is, to the author’s best knowledge, the first consideration of ‘Construction 5.0’ and the first bibliometric analysis comparing data from Industry 4.0, Construction 4.0 and Industry 5.0 literature.

An Analytical Dashboard of Collaborative Activities for the Knowledge Building

AbstractKnowledge building (KB) is an educatioanl theory framework that shows interest in the benefits that the technology offers to teaching and evaluation. In this study, a dashboard that facilitates the reflective assessment of KB communities supported by the knowlege forum platform was evaluated. The design-based research study was conducted with 126 undergraduate students enrolled in an educational research course at the University of (Name, country). Using a survey methodology, data was collected on the students’ perception regarding epistemic collective agency, research skills, and dashboard assessment. The conclusions about the value of the dashboard are broken down into two axes. On the one hand, the students state that they are satisfied with the dashboard, although they indicate that there is room for improvement. On the other hand, according to the KB reflective assessment, the dahsboard provided students with educational experiences that have empowered them in the collaborative construction of knowledge and promoted the development of their specific educational research skills. Future technological improvements and implementations of the Knowledge Building are discussed.

DFMA-oriented modular and parametric design and secondary splitting of vertical PC components

The design and production of assembled buildings are difficult to standardise, which limits their extensive application. In this paper, the design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) concept is applied to the design of vertical precast concrete (PC) components for assembled buildings. Taking vertical PC components as an example, the rapid modelling and whole life-cycle application of DFMA-oriented PC components for assembled buildings are investigated. Firstly, the modular design method is introduced. By combining parametric design and building information modelling (BIM), we propose a modular, parametric design method and process of PC components based on DFMA. Secondly, the design of standard modules after secondary splitting is introduced for a better DFMA-oriented parametric design of PC components. We explored the secondary development process of DFMA and BIM and the module creation process of the parametric standard based on family templates and DFMA. Thirdly, based on the parametric standard module, the application of the optimised whole life cycle of design, manufacture and assembly of PC components is introduced. Finally, the feasibility of this method is verified by practical cases. The design process for PC components is fast, accurate and standardised. The integrated application of BIM is accelerated, and digital collaboration in assembly construction is strengthened. The study results are conducive to establishing a standardised design and production system for PC components, reducing design costs, improving design efficiency and the comprehensive benefits of assembled buildings.

The Excessive Rainfall Outlook at the Weather Prediction Center: Operational Definition, Construction, and Real-Time Collaboration

Abstract The Excessive Rainfall Outlook (ERO), issued operationally from the Weather Prediction Center (WPC), serves the Weather and Water Enterprise and decision-makers with probabilistic guidance and messaging context out to 3 days for excessive rainfall leading to impacts, including flash flooding. Eighty-three percent of all flood-related damages and 39% of all flood-related fatalities reported in Storm Data from 2010 to 2020 occurred in or near an ERO High Risk. Given that a High Risk is issued on only 4% of days, the presence of such risk can serve as an important step in raising situational awareness of a greater likelihood of a damaging and deadly flash flood day. This paper details the operational construction of the ERO at WPC and discusses the role of the ERO in the National Weather Service collaborative forecast process for heavy rainfall. Case studies where the ERO achieved a High Risk are presented for the deadly Montecito, California, flash flood and debris flow (2018) and Hurricane Harvey (2017). More broadly, challenges are highlighted which could be overcome by research to further improve ERO utility.

Creating Joyful Experiences for Enhancing Meaningful Learning and Integrating 21st Century Skills

As the twentieth century gives way to the twenty-first, the world is undergoing a profound transformation that may be described as a paradigm shift on a global scale. The way we view student learning has evolved. As a result of this shift in perspective, many countries have revised their curricula to become more learner-centered, incorporating elements of formal, non-formal, and informal instruction. Teaching and learning strategies that emphasize the three types of skills—learning skills, literacy skills, and life skills—are the most effective way to give students a head start on the 21st-century abilities they’ll need to succeed in school and in the workplace. Meaningful learning will result when learners engage in knowledge construction conversation, articulation, collaboration, and reflection. The students learn meaningfully when they are will-fully engaged in a joyful task. Joyful Learning enables the learners to improve their 21stcentury skills as it helps students feel like they’re making progress as they’re studying, which is reassuring for a child. In the present research, the investigator has engaged learners (primary class students) in ‘Classroom shows’ related to subject-oriented presentations. Teacher instructor created a joyful learning environment for the learners to perform in a plethora of activities in the form of role plays, stories, songs, dance, recitation, games, puzzles etc. The Performance of learners was based on the assigned task integrating-communication, collaboration, critical-thinking and creativity skills. All the approaches be it Activity oriented, Experiential learning, Art Integrated learning were showcased. In the process, a student acquires the skills necessary for success in the real world through learning or some other method. The joyful experience leads to better understanding and engagement of learners. The intrinsic force is the joy which makes learning a joyful experience.

Development levels of stakeholder relationships in collaborative projects: challenges and preconditions

PurposeThis article aims to address the confusion related to the meanings of interorganisational cooperation, control, coordination and collaboration in collaborative projects by developing a conceptual framework. From this, the authors aim to describe the links among these concepts in terms of development levels of stakeholder relationships. In addition, the authors aim to identify challenges and preconditions in relation to developing relationships at different levels.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have adopted the directed approach of qualitative content analysis method to validate and extend the conceptual framework of this study. The context of this study is a large hospital construction project located in northern Finland.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that collaboration is a multilevel process of active engagement of multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders must have a high degree of shared understanding in terms of cooperation, control and coordination to achieve the mutually desired outcomes. This study also identifies the challenges that project stakeholders could face in developing collaborative relationships and propose preconditions for the same.Practical implicationsThis study provides a better understanding for project managers to manage interorganisational collaborative construction projects successfully. The outcome of this research would be beneficial to project management team to deliver dispute-free construction projects.Originality/valueExisting practical research on the development of relationships at different levels in collaborative construction projects is limited. This study offers a framework for the same which is validated in a real-life project.

Risk Factors for the Mental Health of Adolescents from the Parental Perspective: Photo-Voice in Rural Communities of Ecuador.

Mental health in adolescence is a very important topic worldwide, especially in rural areas. The implementation of Participatory Action Research (PAR) through the photo-voice method was a way to encourage adults to recognize problematic situations (at personal, family or community levels) that threaten the well-being of adolescents, but that in everyday life may go unnoticed by parents and caregivers. Our study aimed to identify risk factors for mental health in adolescents living in rural communities of Ecuador from the parental perspective through photographs and focus group discussions. The study sought to raise awareness of this issue at the family and community levels. The photo-voice method was conducted with the participation of 29 parents. The photographs and the collaborative construction of meanings allowed parents to have a better understanding about the importance of mental health and its benefit for adolescents. The principal risk factors mentioned by parents were stress, sleep deprivation, tiredness, poverty, difficulties in continuing education and alcohol consumption. In conclusion, we point out the importance of this intervention to explore the knowledge and understanding of the topic by parents as well as to communicate information that demystifies false beliefs around mental health.

Situated learning in CALL teacher preparation programs: an ecological perspective to student-teachers’ agency

This study draws on an ecological perspective on teacher agency to examine the role of the situated learning CALL environment in developing EFL student-teachers’ agency. The data were collected from eight student-teachers’ autobiographical narratives and the recoded class discussions. The deductive thematic analysis of the data showed that situated learning has a constructive role in developing the three dimensions of teacher agency, including iterational, practical-evaluative, and projective. The findings indicated that authentic context had various co-occurrences with teacher agency dimensions, showing the critical role of authentic context in developing student-teachers’ agency. Moreover, other situated learning components, including supplying authentic activities, having access to experts’ performances, developing multiple roles and perspectives, supporting collaborative construction of knowledge, promoting reflection, promoting articulation, and administrating coaching and scaffolding, had constructive roles in developing student-teachers’ agency. It is concluded that the components of the situated learning CALL environment can be beneficial to help student-teachers find an alternative context to practice their agency.

Expanding Narrative Medicine through the Collaborative Construction and Compelling Performance of Stories.

This essay proposes an expansion of the concept of narrative competence, beyond close reading, to include two more skills: the collaborative construction and compelling performance of stories. To show how this enhanced form of narrative competence can be attained, the essay describes Off Script, a cocurricular medical storytelling program with three phases: 1) creative writing workshop, 2) dress rehearsal, and 3) public performance of stories. In these phases, Off Script combines literary studies, creative writing, reflective practice, collegial feedback, and drama. With increased narrative competence, Off Script participants are likely better equipped to engage in more impactful health advocacy and partner with patients more effectively.

Grounding the compact city

In our article, ‘Diversifying the compact city’ (2023), we aimed to open a dialogue in human geography and beyond on how to broaden the scope of how we examine and critique compact urbanism. The insightful and constructive commentaries we received generated further reflection on the lived experiences of compact urbanism and the mutual benefits of constructive interdisciplinary collaboration on the compact city agenda. In this author response, we elaborate on the need to ground compact city research in actual practices and experiences, and on how planners and geographers can advance the commoning of the compact city.

Health-Related Social Control and Perceived Stress Among High-Risk Latina Mothers with Type 2 Diabetes and Their At-Risk Adult Daughters

BackgroundDiabetes-related multi-morbidity and cultural factors place Latinas with diabetes at increased risk for stress, which can threaten illness management. Families provide an ideal focus for interventions that seek to strengthen interpersonal resources for illness management and, in the process, to reduce stress. The current study sought to examine whether participating in a dyadic intervention was associated with reduced perceived stress and, furthermore, whether this association was mediated by persuasion and pressure, two forms of health-related social control.MethodLatina mothers with diabetes and their at-risk adult daughters participated in either (1) a dyadic intervention that encouraged constructive collaboration to improve health behaviors and reduce stress, or (2) a usual-care minimal control condition. Actor-partner interdependence model analysis was used to estimate the effect of the intervention on dyads’ perceived stress, and mother-daughter ratings of health-related social control as potential mediators.ResultsResults revealed that participating in the intervention was associated with significantly reduced perceived stress for daughters, but not for mothers (β = − 3.00, p = 0.02; β = − 0.57, p = 0.67, respectively). Analyses also indicated that the association between the intervention and perceived stress was mediated by persuasion, such that mothers’ who experienced more health-related persuasion exhibited significantly less post-intervention perceived stress (indirect effect = − 1.52, 95% CI = [− 3.12, − 0.39]). Pressure exerted by others, however, did not evidence a mediating mechanism for either mothers or daughters.ConclusionThese findings buttress existing research suggesting that persuasion, or others’ attempts to increase participants’ healthy behaviors in an uncritical way, may be a driving force in reducing perceived stress levels.