Developing Context and Practice-Based Curricula in Construction Engineering and Management
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2022
ABSTRACT
The construction industry is looking for college graduates with leadership, communication skills, business acumen, and practical experience. Hence, a construction-related curriculum must provide students with opportunities to have real-world experience while working on their degree and have a culture of constant innovation in pedagogy to deliver theoretical-practical learning experiences. This paper systematizes the experience of developing a Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) track for the Civil Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Virginia (UVA). The track was developed with subject matter experts and executives from six construction companies and one design firm. With a renewed teaching-learning ecosystem, the track welcomes the missing actors, fits the industry needs, changes the traditional roles of professors and industry experts, and expands the classroom concept. The findings and lessons learned from this experience are relevant to civil and construction engineering programs seeking to improve existing curriculum or develop more context and practice-based curriculum.
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Construction Research Congress 2022
Pages: 10 - 20
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Published online: Mar 7, 2022
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