How the Design and Assessment of Instruction/Learning Strategies Influence the Academic Performance of Civil Engineering Students at Universidad Industrial De Santander, Colombia
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 140, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper discusses the findings and experiences drawn from a study on the design of content and instruction strategies for an introductory course in construction management at the Universidad Industrial de Santander in Colombia. The research aimed at boosting the students’ performance through the assessment of instruction strategies and course content that can match the education demands needed to support the economical and social development of the country. The study adopted a sequential and exploratory research design with a longitudinal approach. The researchers found that Colombian students prefer courses that combine theory with practice in class, such as workshops, as instruction strategies. In addition, the results showed a degree of improvement in the academic performance of the students. Such improvement was statistically significant with a higher average level of academic achievement and a more consistent achievement of learning outcomes among the enrolled students.
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Acknowledgments
The researchers would like to thank the survey participants, who were students in the Construction I, Construction II, and Project Estimating courses in the Department of Civil Engineering at UIS.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 140 • Issue 4 • April 2014
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 26, 2012
Accepted: Feb 25, 2013
Published online: Jan 27, 2014
Published in print: Apr 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Jun 27, 2014
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