Construction Management Courses Research Articles

Maximizing the Minimum: The Advantages of Repeated Measures in Construction Management Education Research

ABSTRACT Many construction management (CM) courses have low enrollment numbers, making them difficult to study using independent measures research designs. However, repeated measures (RM) research designs, which have historically been underutilized in CM education research, can be used to overcome the deleterious effects of low participation by increasing the number of measurements to achieve sufficient statistical power (i.e. 1-β greater than .80). This paper is the final installment in a research series documenting an RM experiment testing the effectiveness of instructional videos on undergraduate CM students. The emphasis of this paper is on the research method – a within-subject, withdrawal-of-treatment, crossover, RM experimental design – chosen for its ability to increase the statistical power for small sample sizes. The final, actual statistical power of the study was .99. Incongruous with most research testing the pedagogical effectiveness of instructional videos, the study found no statistically significant difference between students who were given instructional videos and the control group. Researchers should consider using RM designs to amplify statistical power in studies with low anticipated participation or to avoid missing clear opportunities to improve the quality and precision of their research findings by increasing the quantity of measurements.

THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS INITIATIVE: PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN AN INTRODUCTORY CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COURSE

Ensuring student engagement throughout their academic journey is crucial for their success. Monitoring early course performance and taking proactive measures can contribute to this engagement. This paper focuses on implementing the First Four Weeks (FFWs) initiative in a Construction Management (CM) course. The FFWs initiative aims to create a positive and inclusive classroom climate, ignite student interest in the subject matter, foster an effective learning environment, and prepare students to excel in high-stakes assignments. The course, where the FFWs initiative was implemented, serves as an introductory first-year course, providing students with fundamental knowledge of the construction industry, including career opportunities and essential skills for project planning and execution. The proactive measures outlined in the initiative include providing timely feedback, offering additional support, encouraging office-hour attendance, and connecting students with campus services. In particular, two strategies implemented in the course are highlighted in this paper because they have proven to enhance student performance in the course. The first strategy involves providing students with a performance and behavior checklist to establish expectations and encourage motivation. The second strategy consists of incorporating low-stakes assignments before the first midterm. Overall, the example strategies discussed in this paper aim to enhance student engagement, motivation, and early performance assessment, leading to a more fruitful learning experience. The FFWs initiative acknowledges the pivotal role of faculty members in supporting students' success and emphasizes the positive impact of intentional efforts in the early weeks of the semester.

Discovery-based approach combined with active learning to improve student learning experiences for STEM students

A combination of discovery-based learning (as a novel instructional approach) and Pro-Con Grids (as an active learning activity) is used to improve long-term retention among STEM students. Students in a required Construction Management course were provided with a course lecture prior to in-class sessions. A quiz was used for each lecture to gain insight into students’ understanding and to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning method. During the in-class sessions, a blank sheet of paper was handed out to students to make a list of the pros and cons/advantages and disadvantages of the topics covered in the lecture. Once the pro-con grid was complete, the students were directed to share their documents with the instructor. This was followed by a summary of key concepts and then a review of the correct answers. Data was collected for this study in two forms; through a student survey and grades. The results showed that discovery-based learning could convince students to find and use information rather than memorizing and repeating concepts and facilitate effective group work. In addition, the grade comparisons for three semesters indicated that the higher the use of discovery learning during the course the higher the course grades were found to be

Field Trips and Their Effect on Student Learning: A Comparison of Knowledge Assessment for Physical versus Virtual Field Trips in a Construction Management Course

Teaching through field trips has been very effective in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) disciplines as it allows students to bridge the gap between theory and practice. However, it is not always feasible to take a large class on field trips due to time, safety, and cost limitations. To adequately prepare future professionals in the AEC industry, it is imperative that institutions adopt innovative methods of providing the field trip experience. One such approach is using virtual reality (VR) technology. Creating 3D VR construction environments and immersing students in that virtual world could provide an engaging and meaningful experience. Although researchers in AEC schools have developed and deployed many virtual field trips (VFTs) in education, little is known about their potential to provide the same knowledge base. For that reason, a VR app was created to teach students about the design and construction of steel structures, called the Steel Sculpture App (SSA). The SSA served as a VFT, and the location of the steel frame structure served as the actual field trip (AFT). The research was conducted in structure-related courses in the spring, summer, and fall of 2021 and the spring and fall of 2022 semesters. Each semester, students were split into groups, one being the control group and the other being the experimental group. The control groups learned through AFTs, whereas the experimental groups learned through VFTs. A knowledge test was administered at the end of each treatment to collect quantitative data on the students’ performance, understanding, and knowledge retention. The results indicated that the students learning from VFTs scored higher than those learning from AFTs. The paper discusses student assessment results and student feedback about replacing AFTs with VFTs in times of need.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality for Project Scheduling in Construction Education

The emergence of immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) headsets, has revolutionized the way we experience the physical world by creating a virtual, interactive environment. In the field of education, this technology has immense potential to provide students with a safe and controlled environment in which to experience real-world scenarios that may be otherwise unfeasible or unsafe. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of integrating immersive technologies into technical education delivery. This research investigated the potential use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in university-level construction management courses, with a focus on integrating IVR technology into traditional education for construction project planning and control. The experiment involved comparing the students’ learning and understanding of the subject matter using a set of two-dimensional construction drawings and a critical path method (CPM)-based construction schedule, with and without the use of an immersive environment. The findings suggested that the use of immersive technology significantly improved the students’ ability to understand technical concepts and identify any errors in the construction sequence when compared to traditional teaching methods. This paper presents the details of the experiment and a comparative analysis of both approaches in terms of students’ learning and understanding of project planning, sequencing, and scheduling.

A systematic review of online learning and teaching strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for the construction management sector

PurposeMost educational institutions worldwide have shifted to online teaching and learning approaches to mitigate risks imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This causes several issues, particularly in delivering the construction management (CM) courses which require site visits, interpreting technical drawings and developing 3D building models. This paper aims to identify the key strategies for online learning and teaching adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the implications for construction management education.Design/methodology/approachThe research approach is twofold. First, the study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) through a synthesis of the existing literature to identify the key strategies and lessons learned about online education during the COVID-19 pandemic in tertiary programs. It also discusses their implications in the context of the construction management (CM) sector in particular. Secondly, the authors shared their hands-on experience as construction management course facilitators – using the autoethnography approach – during the COVID-19 crisis.FindingsIn addition to identifying the key strategies such as online course delivery and assessments, the paper critically discusses the barriers to online learning and teaching, including (1) the technological and infrastructure barriers; (2) required online teaching skills and competencies; (3) issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing; (4) lack of consistency in the online delivery of various courses in a given program (5) difficulties around students' engagement and (6) the course characteristics and requirements.Originality/valueThe study offers some implications and recommendations not only for educational institutions and staff but also for vendors of online course delivery software. To prepare educational institutions for future online course delivery, the paper proposes several strategies. These include developing a set of guidelines for online course delivery, incorporating online teaching training modules into the recruitment process for academic staff, applying agile and resilience teaching and learning methods, wellbeing and mental health support and continuously improving course features to adapt to the online environment.

4B & 5B MODELLEMENİN MİMARLIKTA YAPIM YÖNETİMİ EĞİTİMİNE ENTEGRASYONU: BİR DİJİTALLEŞME ÇERÇEVESİ

In architecture education, the conventional method for construction management subjects is a theoretical approach in general, which is limited to satisfying the emerging needs of Construction 4.0 in the AEC industry. This study aims to develop and integrate a 4D & 5D modelling framework to construction management courses for architecture students to be able to fulfil the AEC industry’s qualification demands, as a part of Construction 4.0. The methodology of this research consists of the establishment of a framework structured upon theoretical background on construction management current industry requirements and its implementation into “construction management and economics” course in architecture education. Additionally, a survey was conducted among the students to evaluate the efficiency of the framework. One of the key findings of the study is the development of a framework to integrate 4D-5D modelling into a construction management course in architecture. It was developed in intersection clusters between BIM, AR, and VR to perform 4D visualization of construction, monitor the whole process, and detect clashes. According to the survey and results, the 4D-5D BIM-based framework is considered beneficial and enhances perception and understanding of cost and time management. This study involves a new digitalization framework that is adaptable to construction management courses employing a systematic approach. Additionally, this framework has the potential to be employed by industry professionals.

Using Large Peer-Teaching Groups to Learn Construction Management Software Packages

ABSTRACT Two large peer-teaching groups were developed in a construction management course in order to self-learn and then subsequently teach two separate construction management software packages. One half of the class was asked to learn and teach Microsoft Project and the other was asked to learn and teach Primavera P6, which are very similar scheduling packages. Milestone deliverables were due throughout the semester, with a final presentation near the end of the 16-week semester. This intervention took place a total of five times and one addition control semester in which the instructor taught both packages in a traditional manner for comparison. Within each peer-teaching group, the teams were asked to nominate a leader and co-leader, who would be responsible for assigning responsibilities to the team and to facilitate learning. This methodology allowed for two layers of peer-teaching; one within the peer-teaching group, and the other from the peer-teaching group to the remaining students. The intervention was validated through in-course questionnaires, and homework, quiz, and exam grade comparisons from the student-led lecture versus the instructor-led lecture. The surveys indicated a preference to the peer-teaching and student-led learning, over instructor-led learning. The grade comparison demonstrated an average 13.2 percentage point improvement.

Using Learning Analytics and Student Perceptions to Explore Student Interactions in an Online Construction Management Course

Using Learning Analytics and Student Perceptions to Explore Student Interactions in an Online Construction Management Course

Advancing Minority STEM Students’ Communication and Presentation Skills through Cocurricular Training Activities

The competency and professional growth of the workforce in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is significantly impacted by the individuals’ ability to master oral communication skills as well as articulate opinions amid large audiences. However, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates spend approximately 4 years learning technical skills, with little to no time devoted to enhancing oral communication skills. Regrettably, minority STEM students usually face additional interpersonal barriers that require targeted training to foster their leadership and oral communication skills, which in turn reinforce their readiness for the competitive job markets. This research addressed such drawbacks by integrating innovative cocurricular communication skills activities with the aim of advancing minority students’ oral communication and presentation skills. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the growth in students’ oral communication and presentation skills within four construction management courses through the implementation of three cocurricular activities: (1) in-class expert training; (2) virtual reality presentation simulation training; and (3) social media–based communication activity. The research assessed the effectiveness of these activities in three ways. A benchmark survey recorded baseline data of 327 STEM students about their cognitive-communication skill knowledge and self-efficacy in presentation skills. Pre- and postcourse evaluation surveys of 102 of the 327 students highlighted overall skill growth compared with their performance at the beginning of the semester. An exit survey of 87 of the 102 students recorded their feedback about their social learning experiences and the effectiveness of each of the three implemented cocurricular activities. The results of the study indicated that minority STEM students benefited tremendously from the innovative oral communication skill training because the proposed three cocurricular activities promoted interpersonal growth and addressed some of their identified presentation skills deficiencies. The findings of this study contribute to the engineering and construction education bodies of knowledge by emphasizing the effectiveness of cocurricular communication training within formal and informal educational settings, which can help students to thrive in their future careers by developing and reinforcing their oral communication and presentation skills.

Teaching generative construction scheduling: Proposed curriculum design and analysis of student learning for the Tri-Constraint Method

Construction management courses are increasingly teaching digital technologies and automation. The default method to teach construction scheduling remains the critical path method, which suffers from lack of automation, lack of dynamic change processes, and wrong assumptions about resource and spatial availability. New methods to automate construction scheduling, sometimes referred to as generative construction scheduling, have been developed but are seldom taught in construction management courses. This paper describes the design of a new curriculum to teach one new approach to construction scheduling called the Tri-Constraint Method. The proposed five-lesson, flipped-classroom curriculum is designed to illustrate limitations of the critical path method, explain the theoretical and computational foundations of a generative scheduling algorithm, and provide practical experience through implementation with state-of-the-art software. To measure the impact of the curriculum on student learning, the paper conducts a descriptive statistical analysis, a paired t-test, and an examination of qualitative feedback. Students who entered the course with either low or high prior knowledge of construction scheduling showed significant improvement in their understanding of the key concepts and the algorithmic approach behind the generative construction scheduling. Overall, this paper demonstrates how curriculum design in engineering informatics can combine theoretical understanding and practical implementation to understand generative construction scheduling. The dissemination of this and similar teaching curricula can ensure that future engineering practitioners avoid “black box” implementations of automation software in their future careers.

Evaluation of Learner vs. Teacher Centered Syllabi in Construction Management Courses: An Initial Investigation

Research indicates that retention and performance of undergraduate students increases when they perceive a cooperative and supportive educational community. The course syllabus is one of the first opportunities to influence student perception on their educational experience. Literature on syllabi suggests that learner-centered syllabi yield more positive student perceptions of teachers and the course as compared to traditional teacher-centered syllabi. Current research on the impacts of different syllabi constructs within construction education is lacking, and no studies could be found on whether these perceptions translate to student grades. This study used action research to better understand the impact of a learner-centered syllabus vs. a teacher-centered syllabus in an undergraduate construction management program. Student perception, faculty perception and student grades were measured between the learner-centered class and the teacher-centered class. The data was collected from four different classes, split among two courses, and taught by two faculty over the spring 2020 semester. Results suggested that the learner-centered syllabi appeared to motivate student engagement as well as impact both, the first impressions of the instructor and teacher-student relationship. However, it showed no difference in student grades.

The impact of a first-year orientation team building exercise

Experience and anecdotal evidence indicate that first-year students experience challenges in terms of adapting to our university construction management course environment. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of a team building event on first-year students’ skills, core competencies, ability to manage themselves, work as a team, interface with each other, strategize, plan, evolve tactics, and take action.. A quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey in a South African university post completion of the event determined the perceptions of the students. Findings include that the team building activities contributed to enhancing participants’ skills, their understanding and appreciation of core competencies and the development thereof, and their ability to communicate with first-year colleagues; built confidence in their abilities including that of completing a task, and enhanced participants’ alternative thought processes, ability to be creative, strategize, evolve tactics, take action, and plan. The students benefited from, enjoyed the team building activities and believed that it contributed to improving their time management skills. Based upon the findings, conclusions are that the one-day first-year orientation team-building event had the desired impact in terms of the development of the first-year students’ abilities. Recommendations are that the one-day first-year orientation team-building event is staged annually, and a study pertaining to the impact of the intervention on student performance be determined following the completion of a full academic year and again post-graduation.

Penerapan Metode Pembelajaran Beerbasis Proyek Untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Pembelajaran Manajemen Konstruksi

The purpose of this study is to improve the learning outcomes of construction management in the psychomotor domain by applying project-based learning methods. The results of construction management learning are knowledge and skills in making project budget plans, project work plans and field plans. The formulation of the problem in this research is how the application of project-based learning methods can improve the learning outcomes of construction management. This study uses a class action research method. The subjects in this study were building engineering education students who contracted construction management courses even semester 2019-2020 semester. The application of the project-based learning model in this study uses the construction project of the Syaloom Karombasan manse building. The evaluation process in this study was carried out in two stages, namely is evaluation of process and evaluation of learning outcomes. The results of this study state that the learnig outcome of construction management learning can be improved by applying project-based learning methods. Improved learning outcomes achieved in the application of project-based learning methods because the learning process created is able to increase learning activities and develop students' creativity so that they work together to optimize the results of construction management learning.Keywords: project based learning method, learning outcomes, construction management course.

Assessment of the Development of Social and Learning Networks in Construction Management Courses Using Social Network Analysis

ABSTRACT Preparing Construction Management (CM) students for their professional lives must include not only training on technical skills, but also a variety of personal interaction skills, from working with diverse teams and solving complex problems to communicating with clients and other project stakeholders. This paper asks the question, “How can CM departments facilitate student learning and interactions that simultaneously develop technical, managerial, communication, and people skills?”. Across disciplines, universities have been encouraging curriculum innovation through High-Impact Learning Activities (HI-Activities) – including hands-on learning, problem-based learning, capstone courses, service-learning, and study abroad experiences – in an effort to develop students’ ability to apply knowledge and prepare them for their careers. The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between classroom teaching strategies in CM courses and the development of social and learning networks among students. The data include results from a social network survey of four courses to understand how using different HI-Activities in the classroom produced different social and learning networks. The results show that service-learning and study abroad classes are more effective than classes involving project-based learning and hands-on learning activities in developing communication and learning networks among CM students.

Integrated Experiential Learning–Based Framework to Facilitate Project Planning in Civil Engineering and Construction Management Courses

The competence of leveraging Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in the early project stages is critical to drive its efficacy throughout the project life cycle. However, a review of the literature indicated a lack of research into upskilling undergraduate students in civil engineering and construction management (CECM) majors, particularly with respect to such competencies as using BIM in design, planning, processing, managing, and communicating complex projects. To better facilitate the skills for undergraduate students, this study formulated an innovative framework using Kolb’s experiential learning (EL) with tailored BIM capstone course activities for project planning and implementations. This framework includes concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. It provides the necessary integration of EL, the BIM planning guide, and pedagogies of capstone courses. It helps instructors to monitor and control learning activities based on the BIM planning guide and to test hypotheses through experiments. The framework includes features of group work involvement, connection with practical information, and student-centered learning. Subsequent surveys of students and teachers provided further evidence of the framework merits, specifically in terms of the improved formation of student cognition of BIM-based project planning (90% improvement), in addition to enhanced capabilities in process mapping (70% improvement), software operation (80% improvement), and information exchange (100% improvement). The proposed framework sets an innovative pedagogical rationale to which university-based BIM education can refer and upskills undergraduate students, expanding their capabilities in information and communication technology in the context of EL.

Implementing work-integrated learning in online construction management courses

Implementing online learning can pose serious pedagogical challenges particularly when programs contain work-integrated learning (WIL) components. One such component is the site visit, where student groups are led by subject matter experts through an authentic environment. These WIL experiences help students relate the theory learnt in classrooms to practice. Construction management students particularly benefit from repeated visits to the same building site to appreciate the spatial and temporal constraints and how they change over the life of the building project. Unfortunately, logistics and occupational health and safety concerns have increasingly limited the inclusion of site visits in school and university curricula. Online construction management students are widely dispersed and therefore it is impractical to include shared physical site visits in the curriculum, although students are able to observe locally-based construction sites and report back their findings. In response, universities have collaborated with construction companies and, using significant federal funding, created an interactive learning environment that follows the construction of an eight-storey building over time. This high quality resource is a type of virtual WIL that has been primarily used in face-to-face teaching. In this case study we implement this resource in a fully online construction management course and create three comparatively low-cost environments that demonstrate the construction of residential, industrial, and multi-storey building construction sites, for implementation in another two online construction courses. As an enhancement, within these new environments are embedded images, explanatory videos and documents which students can interact with to create a virtual tour that can be embedded directly alongside the concepts being studied in their weekly learning materials. In addition, these tours are linked to specific online learning activities designed to motivate students to reflect on and refine their understandings based on the authentic context they are experiencing. To better understand the processes involved in this collaboration between school academics, staff from a central teaching innovation unit, and two construction companies, the business processes employed were modelled using a swimlane diagram. Insights into the practicalities of implementing these virtual tours are shared. The experiential learning outcomes of students using virtual WIL are comparable to traditional site visits. Initial online student feedback of small cohorts of online students has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging for the development of more interactive virtual tours. The implementation of virtual tours and activities, blended with independent face-to-face site visits and assessment, forms an authentic, supported and constructively-aligned WIL experience for students undertaking fully online courses.

Leveraging Vertically Integrated Courses and Problem-Based Learning to Improve Students’ Performance and Skills

Commonly adopted engineering pedagogy tends to be lecture based, and places students in a passive and often secondary role in the classroom. Research in the field of engineering education highlights the ineffectiveness of such strategies and advocates adopting strategies that actively engage learners. Various pedagogical techniques promote student engagement; this paper focuses on two specific techniques: problem-based learning (PBL) and vertical integration. The authors created engaging classroom environments through vertically integrated courses that implemented PBL through shared course projects. Specifically, the authors created a framework for pairing two different student bodies across two disciplines, integrating a graduate civil engineering course (32 students) and an undergraduate construction management course (22 students). Implementation of the Spring 2016 framework improves student performance on course projects and students’ self-reported professional skill level and confidence in said skills, developed in part through participation in the framework. Further, the framework has a positive impact on undergraduate students’ intention to stay in their major and both student bodies report more interest in completing an additional advanced degree after participating in the vertically integrated courses. Finally, students report that the experience teaches professional skills they expect will be required in their own future careers. It is notable that undergraduates recognized more benefits of this implementation, especially that they have more potential for improvement than advanced graduate students. This paper contributes to the engineering education body of knowledge by delivering a proof of concept that PBL through vertical integration of different disciplines across undergraduate and graduate students supports improved performance and encourages professional skill development and confidence. The paper presents the framework itself, as well as evaluative results from framework implementation.

Simulations in Construction and Engineering Management Education to Explore Professional Challenges

AbstractExperiential learning opportunities in construction management courses allow students to explore principles and theories through direct, lived experiences that help them develop understandi...

Using “Choosing by Advantages” and 4D Models to Select the Best Construction-Flow Option in a Residential Building

In Peru, construction planners use 2D drawings and do quantity take-off by hand when scheduling structural work. However, selecting the best construction-flow option is usually point-based and does not follow a comprehensive method. This paper describes a teaching strategy that was used to choose the best construction-flow option for a residential building by means of the Choosing by Advantages (CBA) and 4D models in two Construction Management courses at the School of Civil Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. First, a workshop was held to assess the improvement in understanding of the construction flow when 4D models are used with undergraduate students. A survey, including student perceptions before and after the deployment of 4D models, was conducted. Using a paired T-Test, it was concluded that there is significant improvement in visualization and process-clash detection when 4D models are used. Second, Master's students designed four different construction-flow options during structural work using Takt-time schedules and 4D models. These tools allowed students to visualize the construction flow, identify process clashes, and retrieve information from the BIM model. The workshop simulated a CBA decision-making meeting to choose the most advantageous alternative. The success of the workshop was reflected in the improved collaboration and the transparency of the decision-making process.