Propuesta de uso de last planner como sistema para la enseñanza de gestión del proceso constructivo en el grado en Arquitectura Técnica en la Universidad de Alicante

La enseñanza de Gestión del Proceso Constructivo en el grado de Arquitectura Técnica se realiza actualmente siguiendo un esquema teórico-práctico. A través de clases magistrales se define el proceso constructivo de una edificación y la relación e interdependencia entre los oficios. Estos contenidos se refuerzan en las sesiones prácticas a través de la herramienta gráfica diagrama de Gantt, donde el alumno se enfrenta de manera individual a la planificación de la obra siguiendo los criterios estipulados en la asignatura. Esta metodología no permite a los estudiantes enfrentarse a los problemas frecuentes de re-planificación y gestión de imprevistos en el entorno de la construcción. Como consecuencia, se plantea una propuesta para la implementación de la herramienta Last Planner en la asignatura como sistema de planificación colaborativa basado en la filosofía Lean Construction. A través del uso de Last Planner como técnica de Gamificación se pretende dotar de dinamismo a las sesiones teórico-prácticas. En cada sesión se simularán diferentes escenarios que requieran procesos constructivos variados, favoreciendo la motivación del alumnado, su capacidad para aprender y proponer soluciones justificadas huyendo de soluciones rígidas y estándar, y el trabajo en equipo de forma colaborativa

BIM Methodology. A Tool for Improving the Learning of Construction Systems

The construction sector is currently undergoing a process of change. For years, its methods of design and execution have been constant, without hardly modifications. Today, BIM technology (Building Information Modeling), has meant a conceptual revolution in how to manage the entire construction process. It is not a question of learning to use a specific software, it is a change of roles, of working methodology. BIM technology seeks to centralize information in order to reduce duplicities leading to errors of execution and consequently to an unnecessary economic loss and an increase of the expected time frames. The solution of problems is now handled jointly by the different professionals who are part of the design and execution of a building: architects, calculation engineers, constructors and of course building engineers. There is no longer an individual work but a group work. Faced with this reality, professional change must be years before in the learning stage. In the Architectural Technology Degree there are several subjects where the application of BIM technology would be an incentive for the student. The student would be in contact with the latest software used in the construction sector as well as BIM technology will provide him the understanding of the subject. As a particular case, the present paper focuses on the subject of "Fundamentals of Construction", compulsory subject of first year of the Architectural Technology Degree at the University of Alicante. This subject is a first contact of the student with the execution of structural elements, with materials such as reinforced concrete and / or steel. Traditionally, the process of teaching and learning in subjects related to building systems has been carried out following a theoretical and practical framework, where the student had to draw constructive solutions in two dimensions about foundations, slabs, flat covers... The first year, student has specific deficiencies in this subject. Firstly, he does not have a previous knowledge about the subject, so even the vocabulary is a problem. Secondly, the top-floor or elevations views of constructive details in two dimensions do not give them the real vision of what is being proposed. In conclusion, it is intended to improve the learning of this subject with BIM technology. The introduction of basic BIM concepts that allow students to improve their attitude and aptitude to the subject, is proposed for the next academic year. Three dimensions virtual model is done with BIM technology, from the begining, modified and adapted with the inclusion of data, before and during the building construction. With specialist teachers in this technology, the Technical Architecture Degree provides the student not only the knowledge traditionally established, but a differentiating contribution among others universities, by introducing the latest technologies in teaching that will have its immediate reflection in their near professional activity

The Need for Defence in the Alicante Coast in the 16th Century: the Rejas Tower

The military architecture is one of the most interesting constructive aspects of the 16th century in Alicante. During this period, the Berber pirates devastated the Mediterranean coasts. The defence of the territory was organized from the construction of watchtowers. The watchtowers mission was to alert the nearest workhouses to the continuous sieges. These towers were built next to the sea and had a military nature. In Alicante, in the rural area named as La Condomina, several fortified houses appeared scattered among the rural paths with their square or rectangular towers. They are known as Torres de la Huerta, and they had civil nature because these constructions were built next to hamlets and surrounded by walls that protected them. The enemy could be seen from the watchtowers on the coast; meanwhile those towers placed in the interior were used as refuge to the local inhabitants. A greater number of these last towers were built during the reign of Felipe II. This article focuses on the constructive aspects and original materials used in Rejas Tower, one of the most outstanding and best preserved towers in this territory. This building is an important exponent in the defensive architecture in Alicante during this period due to the construction techniques and original materials used

New Methodologies of Teaching Based on Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) is a new educational approach that modifies how the student receives the information. The learning becomes totally dynamic. Augmented Reality is totally useful for the practical part of the subjects. Especially in technical Degrees. In the first year of these Degrees there are very specific subjects that are totally new for the students. The subject "Fundamentals of Construction" of the first year of the Degree in Technical Architecture is one of them. Augmented Reality is a technology that combines digital information (virtual) and physical information (material), in real time thanks to different technological devices (tablets, smartphones, glasses ...). The use of new technologies in the classroom is a great success. The current student profile is familiar with all technical advances. This reality is the way of change in Spanish higher education. The lecture class should not disappear because it is demanded by the student, but now it is not the only way of learning and it is not the most important as it has been demonstrated in recent years. This paper is related to the Augmented Reality (AR) as a resource to take into account in the teaching of building structures. Students have better space vision with Augmented Reality and for that reason it is used as a new resource in the subject “Fundamentals of Construction”.This work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante and the Office of the Vice President for Studies Planning and Training Actions within the Project Networks of research in High Education teaching 2017-2018

Communication, Teamwork, Motivation and Resolution of Conflicts in the New University Teaching Methodology

In the last years of university education, especially in technical degrees, the university faculty finds a profile of students whose attitude is far from being a professional in a short space of time. The present research focuses on the role of the professor as a connector between the university and the business world of the 21st century job market which demands new skills from students, not just knowledge. Nowadays companies look for motivated people, able to resolve conflicts and work as a team ... that is, leaders who made flow communication in the company. Social skills are learned behaviours, so therefore, can be taught. Here is the importance of changing the learning model. Then, this paper focus on the importance of teaching the following disciplines: communication, leadership, teamwork, motivation and conflict resolution. These skills must be acquired during the formative years. The methodology presented here has been carried out in the subject "Construction Equipment, Installation and Auxiliary Resources" of the third year of the Degree in Technical Architecture at the University of Alicante. Traditionally, the teaching of this subject has been theoretical, with lecture classes. During the last years, as a transition, after bad academics results obtained from this perspective, its conception has completely changed, becoming a totally practical subject. Nowadays, students have the necessary didactic resources, to become the manager of their learning. This new methodology highlights the team work among the students, by searching information related to the topics previously explained. The methodology includes students as an active participant in the session where they have to expose to their classmates the results of their work, fostering leadership, motivation and self-esteem, and breaking the barrier of speak in public. With this methodology, after years of decline, academic results have improved again. Students are now motivated, and they have a greater optimization of the class time so they can easily reach the objectives marked by the subject. Another relevant improvement is their change of attitude towards their future business life. This innovative didactic approach addresses teaching in conflict resolution, where the issue is not about eliminating or preventing the conflict but to assume those situations and leave enriched of them. The present study had positive results for both teachers and students and the proposed methodology can be applied to many branches of knowledge, hence the importance of their disclosure

An Initial Approach Using Audience Response Systems as a Strategy for Improving the Learning Process

The current downturn in the Spanish construction sector has indirectly and negatively affected motivation levels of Technical Architecture Degree students. This has resulted in a reluctance among students to study technical degrees in this sector. Faced with this predicament, the question arises as to the relevance of the traditional model of university teaching. Traditionally, the process of teaching and learning in subjects related to building systems has been carried out following a theoretical and practical framework. This teaching methodology is based on a traditional learning model, with theoretical and practical classes, where tasks related to the theoretical contents are solved. A new methodology based on dynamic strategies, promoting discussion, reflection, teamwork, and collaborative decision-making is proposed. Professors were asked what and how they want their students to learn, and considering the generally positive student attitudes towards the use of new technologies, they were implemented in the new learning method. The goal is to recover lost motivation, encourage self-learning as well as a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach using new technologies, and last but not least, break the participation barrier that normally exists in lectures which typically deal with completely new subjects. Completing an individual post-lecture test followed by a class debate on the results enables each student to build a sense of self-confidence in the knowledge area. The tests include questions that simulate everyday scenarios, such as the management of a building. This encourages a highly dynamic and interactive lecture, which in turn stimulates confidence and motivation. Each student accesses the test via the Socrative mobile application where short tests become available at the end of each lecture. This paper presents a new methodology based on active learning using the Audience Responce Systems (ARS), in several modules of the Architectural Technology Degree.This work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante and the Office of the Vice President for Studies Planning and Training Actions within the Project Networks of research in High Education teaching 2015-2016

Adaptation of the Lean Culture to Collaborative Work

In a global world characterized by competitiveness and speed, agility of change represents a key element of success in any organization. Versatility and the capacity of re-adaptation in changing contexts require an acceptance of the reality of the moment and an optimization of the processes within organizations. Given this situation, within the context of Higher Education we asked ourselves if education is adapted to changes, and if students were prepared for market reality. In previous researches we identified that specifically the students of the Degree in Architectural Technology face mixed feelings at the end of their academic stage, specifically during the development of their Final Grade Work. Instead of facing this last phase of the degree with attitude for learning, entrepreneurship, ambition and satisfaction for what has been achieved –that is, attitudes and characteristics of success in the 21st century- we have noticed that a high percentage of this students shows individualism, demotivation, insecurity and fear. According to this situation, as a continuation of previous work this work focuses on the application of business tools that foster the development of attitudes and aptitudes in students of Architectural Technology during the development of the Final Grade Work, bringing them closer to the competitive reality of the current global market. The work is based on the application of tools for improving performance that come from the business sector under the lean manufacturing paradigm applied to the project management and people management and the measurement of these performance indicators. This implementation will allow students to obtain better attitudes and aptitudes in order to achieve the proposed objectives. This application is validated through a case study of a final grade study group. This case study consists of the analysis of behaviours and the evolution of the projects and goals of all the participants during a specific period of time and its variation after the implementation of improvement tools for the project and team management. This evolution is analysed through specific key performance indicators.This work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante and the Office of the Vice President for Studies Planning and Training Actions within the Project Networks of research in High Education teaching 2016-2017

Skills and Abilities Aligned with the Current Market Context

The European Commission -through the Communication Rethinking Education: investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes- establishes in 2012 the new guidelines of education systems aligned with current labour markets, i.e. patterns for adaptation of qualifications in line with the new demands of the 21st century. One of the main lines of action proposed in the reform focuses on the development of skills as a strategic asset for growth. Within the framework of skills development, vocational skills are considered as a fundamental pillar that allows the development of skills, both basic and transverse, to shorten distances between universities and companies, i.e., they allow bringing high education students closer to the reality of working environments. Likewise, it is considered the development of entrepreneurial skills among the students. This fact contributes not only to the future creation of new organisations, but also to the employability of young people. Parallel to this new paradigm of academic restructuring, the students of the Architectural Technologist Degree face the Final Grade Work at their final academic stage. However, paradoxically instead of facing this last phase of the degree with concern for learning, entrepreneurship, ambition and satisfaction for what has been achieved up to that time, a high percentage of these students show individualism, demotivation, insecurity and fear of the development of Final Grade Work. As a consequence, the main objective of this research is focused on how can be promoted the development of vocational skills and entrepreneurial skills in these students who approach the work environment through the completion of Final Grade Work. Therefore, the present work is based on the identification and analysis of causes that encourage such demotivation, individualism, insecurity and fear in the subject of Final Grade Work through a case study. Specifically, the case study focuses on a group of students with same opportunities and similar characteristics, that is, with the same thematic area of Final Grade Work, the same tutor and identical deadlines. From the results obtained in the above analysis, it is presented a solution based on coaching strategies. Coaching is a tool whose success has been widely validated in other fields such as business or sports, which acts as a motor of change allowing the optimal performance and improvement of professional results - both individual and group - through techniques of analysis and motivation. In order to carry out the experimentation, we had the support of a professional coach of great experience and with training in the program of Success Unlimited Network. Through coaching sessions as a motivational tool, it was possible to integrate the Being/Doing of each participant – including not only students but also teachers - in an individual way to improve the attitude of the students to challenge the Final Grade Work, and therefore, to achieve the monthly goals set in each meeting. In addition, Team Building sessions were included in order to reinforce the collaboration among the participants, thus improving the team's overall performance, bringing them closer to the new cooperative and collaborative work methodologies that mark the current market conditions

The Participation of the University Student in his Evaluation: A Collaborative Work Teaching Experience

During the academic years 2016-17 and 2017-18, an experience based on collaborative work has been carried out by the students and this activity has been evaluated by themselves. It has been tried to involve the student in his evaluation process because his work has been valued by his classmates. The student makes an individual evaluation of the work presented and defended in class by his classmates. This presented work deals with one of the eight lessons of the compulsory subject “Construction Equipment, Installation and Auxiliary Resources” of the third year of the Degree in Technical Architecture at the University of Alicante. The evaluated task has been a poster about the chosen topic. This poster has been explained by the students in class. As soon has the activity finished, a brief questionnaire must be answered. Each student must valued the work that their classmates have just presented. This questionnaire is designed by the teachers and unknown by the students. During this experience the student becomes aware of their own progress and perhaps the most important, he or she knows how their progress is valued by the rest of their classmates. The poster allowed them to work as a team, develop the ability to speak in public, synthesize constructive techniques and adopt a critical attitude to real situations related with the construction sector.This work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante and the Office of the Vice President for Studies Planning and Training Actions within the Project Networks of research in High Education teaching 2017-2018

Workshops in Architectural Technology: A New Collaborative Approach

Traditional university teaching based solely on the lecture is increasingly being recognized as ineffective. The classic lecture, where all the attention is focused on the professor, is widely considered to be an insufficient method of learning. Student needs require a change in their learning role –from passive to active– in the acquisition of knowledge. University teaching should facilitate self-directed learning, where the teacher sets standards and the student becomes a problem solver. This new paradigm has been put into practice through the running of workshops in several modules of the Architectural Technology Degree at the University of Alicante. Thus, the student becomes active in the learning process by solving new problems, by interacting with peers and, at times, in the case of Erasmus students, is able to contribute a view from a different cultural perspective. These workshops highlight the need to have a global vision as they have been enriched by workshop visits from specialist teaching staff of other universities in Spain and abroad. This paper demonstrates the advantages of active learning, such as, developing teamwork skills whereby students become more resourceful, able to cooperate, exchange knowledge, and when required, communicate in different languages. The final goal is to train building engineers who can solve problems effectively as part of a team.This work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences of the University of Alicante and the Office of the Vice President for Studies Planning and Training Actions within the Project Networks of research in High Education teaching 2015-2016