Evaluating Learning Approaches of Construction Students in Hong Kong through a Matrix Framework
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 130, Issue 3
Abstract
Learning is a process of acquiring knowledge, and students may adopt different learning approaches to achieving their learning goals. While educationalists can draw up what they believe is a good construction curriculum for students, students’ learning would depend on their own learning approaches and attitudes. Acknowledging a lack of research on the learning attitudes of construction students, a matrix framework of learning approaches (MFLA) based on the relationships between three learning motives and three learning strategies is proposed in this paper. The MFLA enabled a major empirical survey to be carried out in Hong Kong to examine the learning characteristics of construction students. A questionnaire based on Biggs’s study process questionnaire was distributed to five groups of construction-related students in three universities in Hong Kong. The results of the survey indicate that seven of the nine hypothetical learning approaches exist in construction education in Hong Kong. The assortment of learning approaches used varied across the five student groups. As a result, different teaching and learning factors should be adopted by educators of construction students to meet the distinctive characteristics of students in various universities.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Arditi, D.(1984). “Graduate education in construction management.” Constr. Manage. Econom., 2(3), 193–199.
Atkinson, J. W.(1957). “Motivational determinants of risk-taking behavior.” Psychol. Rev., 64, 359–372.
Atkinson, J. W. (1958). “Towards experimental analysis of human motivation in terms of motives, expectancies, and incentives.” Motives in fantasy, action and society, J. W. Atkinson, ed., Van Nostrand, Canada, 288–305.
Betts, M., Liow, S. J. Rickard, and Pollock, R. W.(1993). “Different perceptions of the importance of educational objectives.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 119(3), 317–327.
Biggs, J. B.(1978). “Individual and group differences in study processes.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 48(3), 266–279.
Biggs, J. B.(1979). “Individual differences in study processes and the quality of learning outcomes.” J. Higher Educ., 8, 381–34.
Biggs, J. B. (1987a). Student approaches to learning and studying, Australian Council for Educational Research, Hawthorn, Australia.
Biggs, J. B. (1987b). Study process questionnaire manual, Australian Council for Educational Research, Melbourne, Australia.
Biggs, J. B. (1992). Why and how do Hong Kong students learn? Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Biggs, J. B., and Moore, P. J. (1993). Process of learning, 3rd Ed., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Cornell, N. (1986). “The effects of an intervention programme on the learning processes and writing competence of year 11 students.” Masters of psychology (educational) thesis, Univ. of Newcastle, U.K.
Ditcher, A. K.(2001). “Effective teaching and learning in higher education, with particular reference to the undergraduate education of professional engineers.” Int. J. Eng. Educ., 17(1), 24–29.
Edwards, J. (1986). “The effects of metacognitive training in study skills on student approaches to learning examination performance.” Masters of psychology (educational) thesis, University of Newcastle, U.K.
Egbu, C. O.(1999). “Skills, knowledge and competencies for managing construction refurbishment works.” Constr. Manage. Econom., 17(1), 29–43.
Entwistle, N. J. (1981). Styles of learning and teaching, Wiley, Chichester, England.
Entwistle, N. J., and Ramsden, P. (1983). Understanding student learning, Croom Helm, London.
Entwistle, N. J., Tait, H., and Speth, C. (1996). “Identifying and advising students with deficient study skills: An integrated computer-based package for staff and students.” Alternatives in assessment of achievements, learning processes and prior knowledge, M. Birenbaum and P. J. R. C. Dochy, eds., Kluwer Academic, Boston, 365–380.
Faulkner, A. C., Sargent, J. H., and Wearne, S. H.(1989). “Civil engineers’ managerial roles and needs: Report and survey.” Constr. Manage. Econom., 7(2), 155–174.
Fraser, C.(2000). “The influence of personal characteristics on the effectiveness of construction site managers.” Constr. Manage. Econom., 18(1), 29–36.
Greasley, K. (1998). “Does gender affect students’ approaches to learning?” Motivating students, Kogan Page, Staff and Educational Development Association, London, 105–112.
Jester, G. E.(1989). “Curriculum for future civil engineers: Practitioner’s viewpoint.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 115(4), 357–362.
Jinks, R.(1994). “Developing experimental skills in engineering undergraduates.” Eng. Sci. Educ. J., 3(6), 287–290.
Karbhari, V. M.(1989). “Quality undergraduate engineering education: A critical perspective.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 115(3), 241–251.
Kember, D.(1996). “The intention to both memorise and understand: Another approach to learning?” J. Higher Educ., 31(3), 341–354.
Kember, D.(2000). “Misconceptions about the learning approaches, motivation and study practices of Asian students.” J. Higher Educ., 40(1), 99–121.
Kember, D., Jamieson, Q. W., Pomfret, M., and Wong, E. T. T.(1995). “Learning approaches, study time and academic performance.” J. Higher Educ., 29(3), 329–343.
Laufer, A.(1987). “Educating civil engineers in construction methods.” J. Prof. Issues Eng., 113(1), 32–45.
Laukkanen, T.(1999). “Construction work and education: Occupational health and safety reviewed.” Constr. Manage. Econom., 17(1), 53–62.
Leary, M. R. (1991). Introduction to behavioral research methods, Sage, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Leathwood, C., and Phillips, D.(2000). “Developing curriculum evaluation research in higher education: Process, politics and practicalities.” J. Higher Educ., 40(3), 313–330.
Lewin, K., Dembo, T., Festinger, L., and Sears, P. S.(1944). “Level of aspiration.” Personality and the behavior disorders, J. McV. Hunt, ed., Ronald Press, 1, 333–378.
Marton, F., and Säljö, R.(1976). “On qualitative differences in learning—Outcome and process.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 46(1), 4–11.
O’Neil, M. J., and Child, D.(1984). “Biggs’ SPQ: A British study of its internal structure.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 54(2), 228–234.
Popescu, C.(1987). “Construction engineering graduate education survey.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 113(4), 664–668.
Pramling, I. (1983). The child’s conception of learning, Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, Goteborg, Sweden.
Ramsden, P.(1979). “Student learning and perceptions of the academic environment.” J. Higher Educ., 8, 411–427.
Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in higher education, Kogan Page, London.
Ramsden, P., and Entwistle, N. J.(1981). “Effects of academic departments on students’ approaches to studying.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 51(3), 368–383.
Ramsden, P., et al. (1993). “Phenomenographic research and the measurement of understanding: An investigation of students’ conceptions of speed, distance and time.” Int. J. Educ. Res., 19(3), 301–316.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). (1963). Higher education and the quantity surveyor, Quantity Surveying Division, London.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). (1971). The future role of the quantity surveyor, Quantity Surveying Division, London.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). (1983). The future role of the chartered quantity surveyor, Quantity Surveying Division, London.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). (1989). Future education and training policies, Quantity Surveying Division, London.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, (RICS). (1991). The future role of the chartered quantity surveyor—QS 2000, Quantity Surveying Division, London.
Sparkes, J. J. (1993). “Quality in engineering education.” Engineering Professors’ Conf. Occasional Paper No. 1.
Svensson, L.(1977). “On qualitative differences in learning. III: Study skill and learning.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 47(3), 233–243.
Thomas, P. R., and Bain, J. D.(1984). “Contextual dependence of learning approaches: The effects of assessments.” Human Learning, 3, 227–240.
Watkins, D.(1982). “Identifying the study process dimensions of Australian university students.” Aust. J. Eng. Educ., 26, 76–85.
Watkins, D., and Hattie, J.(1981). “The learning processes of Australian university students: Investigations of contextual and personological factors.” Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 51(3), 384–393.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 130 • Issue 3 • July 2004
Pages: 189 - 196
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 17, 2002
Accepted: Jul 11, 2003
Published online: Jun 15, 2004
Published in print: Jul 2004
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.