Enhancing a Comprehensive View of the Infrastructure Life Cycle through Project-Based Learning
Publication: Journal of Civil Engineering Education
Volume 149, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper describes a teaching innovation project that adopts the project-based learning approach to introduce civil engineering students to their future professional roles and tasks throughout the infrastructure life cycle. The successful development of the whole process and completion of the infrastructure in the best technical and sustainable conditions require a comprehensive view of the infrastructure life cycle. Courses on Project Design and Project and Business Management at the B.Sc. in Civil Engineering simulated practical experiences in bidding, design, estimation, preliminary analysis, and construction planning, linking theory to professional practice. This study describes the organization of both courses to implement the simulations. To analyze the experience from the student’s point of view, a survey examined the students’ perceptions of the achievement of higher-order learning and their comprehensive view of the infrastructure life cycle. In addition, the learning results were compared with the students’ perceptions. Results indicated that students are aware of the learning improvement after performing the proposed activities. In addition, this approach helps the students to develop the professional competencies needed for the curricula. The coordination of the courses to align the learning activities with the life cycle phases enables students to deepen their understanding of the phases of the infrastructure life cycle while they acquire a comprehensive view of the process. In addition, this approach has improved the motivation and engagement of the students. This teaching innovation project is easily adaptable to other engineering curricula.
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Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Universitat Politècnica de València (Teaching Innovation Project PIME/18-19/84).
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Published In
Journal of Civil Engineering Education
Volume 149 • Issue 1 • January 2023
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 26, 2021
Accepted: May 26, 2022
Published online: Aug 18, 2022
Published in print: Jan 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jan 18, 2023
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