Innovation in Engaging Learning and Global Teamwork Experiences

Our mission is to prepare the next generation of architecture, engineering, construction (AEC) professionals who know how to team up with professionals from other disciplines and leverage the advantages of innovative collaboration technologies to produce higher quality products, faster, more economical, and environmentally friendly. This paper presents recent innovations with examples from the AEC Global Teamwork course established at Stanford in 1993 and offered in collaboration with universities worldwide, in developing and deploying: (1) new engaging learning and global teamwork experiences, e.g., the Fishbowl, (2) interactive learning and work spaces, such as the iRoom for collaborative synchronous project review and decision support, and the Observatory for data collection and analysis of the impact of technology on behavior, learning, and team dynamics, (3) innovative IT infrastructure including networks and devices, (4) innovative collaboration technologies, (5) emerging roles of industry as an active participant in education, and (6) new assessment metrics for cross-disciplinary learning, (7) emerging processes and high performance team skills that develop as a result of efficient and effective use of advanced IT solutions. The paper concludes with observations regarding challenges for the learners, instructors, and institutions in the process of launching and sustaining such engaging learning and global teamwork experiences.