Using Simulated Virtual Interactivity in Construction Education

This paper briefly illustrates the design procedure, implementation and findings of a three year research project. Virtual Interactive Construction Education (VICE) is a project-based pedagogical model that uses a simulated environment to alter traditional subject-based lectures into virtual project-based interactive learning methods in construction education. For this purpose, the context of construction engineering and management curricula were aggregated into six construction project prototypes. VICE-Bridge is the first of these six prototypes that exposes players to experiential problem solving activities toward achieving a goal situation (construct the bridge) from an initial situation (start of construction). It was designed for students with little or no knowledge in construction. The optimal solution to the goal situation is a pre-determined sequence of construction activities. Resource decisions for each construction activity are compiled into actionable solution sets within a range of reasonable options. Each actionable solution set is developed as an animated sequence. Achievement of objectives was measured by increase in construction knowledge gain, level of engagement, and perceived construction knowledge gained as a result of the VICE intervention. The results support development of more construction management education and indicate that this particular simulation is an effective tool for construction education

Investigating Students’ Perception Using Construction Management Simulations

Today, construction programs are incorporating a wide variety of active learning methods in their curricula to improve student learning outcomes and induce a more knowledge retention rate. Simulations and educational games are one of the fast growing and effective active learning methods that have been implemented in many programs. However, there are few instances of such learning methods applied in construction programs and a limited number of research projects have been conducted to investigate short-term and long-term outcomes of these methods and applications. This paper presents construction students’ perceptions of tested simulations with regards to the features, knowledge gained, level interest, and important aspects of simulations in integrating simulations in construction program curricula. Two construction management simulation applications were designed, developed, and tested with students with limited or no previous construction knowledge at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Based on Dale’s Cone of Learning instructional model, this study aims to investigate the same sample group’s perception regarding their experience with simulations after a two-year intervention, when they were juniors or seniors. Construction engineering and management students were selected for this study and a self-evaluation survey was utilized to determine their perceived knowledge and identify the effectiveness of the method. Results indicate the students’ responses in various areas have similar patterns in their corresponding areas right after playing the simulations

Simulation as Supplementary Tool in Construction Management Education

Many academic programs utilize simulation applications to supplement higher education, but there are only a few applications responding to the need in construction curricula, particularly with a focus on project management. Project management is an interdisciplinary area of study, crosscutting multiple fields including the construction, information technology, and business sectors. This paper presents the design, development, and test of a research project entitled Project-oriented Educational Research Fostering Excellence in Cyber-infrastructure Teaching (PERFECT). It investigates the effect of a construction project management simulation on construction management students’ engagement and perceptions at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. The goal of PERFECT was to develop and study the efficacy of a simulation for construction project time management. This is a common knowledge area in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) standard published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PERFECT was a pilot module created in a simulated environment and allowed students to be interactively engaged in time managementrelated processes. Participants played the role of a project manager and were required to make management decisions throughout the simulation. Processes like input, tools and methods, and outputs in PERFECT were designed in accordance with the PMBOK standard. The fully developed application was tested with two groups of 30 construction students: the first group included students with prior project time management knowledge (Group A) whereas the second group consisted of students without any prior knowledge (Group B). The students’ data were captured and retrieved automatically without any human interaction. A quantitative research method was used for analyzing the data and a retrospective post- survey was conducted to obtain participants’ perceptions of the application. The results indicated the effectiveness of PERFECT and supported the expansion and further development of similar simulation applications. This type of evidence-based learning system not only enhances the validity and reliability of the application, but has a potential for incorporation into the academic arena particularly in construction

Simulation as Supplementary Tool in Construction Management Education

Many academic programs utilize simulation applications to supplement higher education, but there are only a few applications responding to the need in construction curricula, particularly with a focus on project management. Project management is an interdisciplinary area of study, crosscutting multiple fields including the construction, information technology, and business sectors. This paper presents the design, development, and test of a research project entitled Project-oriented Educational Research Fostering Excellence in Cyber-infrastructure Teaching (PERFECT). It investigates the effect of a construction project management simulation on construction management students’ engagement and perceptions at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. The goal of PERFECT was to develop and study the efficacy of a simulation for construction project time management. This is a common knowledge area in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) standard published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PERFECT was a pilot module created in a simulated environment and allowed students to be interactively engaged in time managementrelated processes. Participants played the role of a project manager and were required to make management decisions throughout the simulation. Processes like input, tools and methods, and outputs in PERFECT were designed in accordance with the PMBOK standard. The fully developed application was tested with two groups of 30 construction students: the first group included students with prior project time management knowledge (Group A) whereas the second group consisted of students without any prior knowledge (Group B). The students’ data were captured and retrieved automatically without any human interaction. A quantitative research method was used for analyzing the data and a retrospective post- survey was conducted to obtain participants’ perceptions of the application. The results indicated the effectiveness of PERFECT and supported the expansion and further development of similar simulation applications. This type of evidence-based learning system not only enhances the validity and reliability of the application, but has a potential for incorporation into the academic arena particularly in construction

Simulation as Supplementary Tool in Construction Management Education

Many academic programs utilize simulation applications to supplement higher education, but there are only a few applications responding to the need in construction curricula, particularly with a focus on project management. Project management is an interdisciplinary area of study, crosscutting multiple fields including the construction, information technology, and business sectors. This paper presents the design, development, and test of a research project entitled Project-oriented Educational Research Fostering Excellence in Cyber-infrastructure Teaching (PERFECT). It investigates the effect of a construction project management simulation on construction management students’ engagement and perceptions at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. The goal of PERFECT was to develop and study the efficacy of a simulation for construction project time management. This is a common knowledge area in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) standard published by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PERFECT was a pilot module created in a simulated environment and allowed students to be interactively engaged in time managementrelated processes. Participants played the role of a project manager and were required to make management decisions throughout the simulation. Processes like input, tools and methods, and outputs in PERFECT were designed in accordance with the PMBOK standard. The fully developed application was tested with two groups of 30 construction students: the first group included students with prior project time management knowledge (Group A) whereas the second group consisted of students without any prior knowledge (Group B). The students’ data were captured and retrieved automatically without any human interaction. A quantitative research method was used for analyzing the data and a retrospective post- survey was conducted to obtain participants’ perceptions of the application. The results indicated the effectiveness of PERFECT and supported the expansion and further development of similar simulation applications. This type of evidence-based learning system not only enhances the validity and reliability of the application, but has a potential for incorporation into the academic arena particularly in construction

AHP based multi criteria decision analysis of success factors to enhance decision making in infrastructure construction projects

The study presents analytical data-based multi-criteria approach of critical success factors of infrastructure construction projects analyzed in the Ethiopian construction industry. This multi-criteria technique helps to improve the decision capabilities and ultimate performance of construction processes in various low-income countries of the East African region. The aim of this paper is to establish a logical relationship and interdependencies of success-related factors for enhancing decision making for various project teams and identify priorities while taking into account all known construction organizational constraints. A structured hierarchical matrix was developed based on a pre-identified success-related factors, and initially evaluated by experienced professionals as part of a content validation of the survey. Different professionals working in various construction organizations in Ethiopia were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey. All the required data analysis, including sensitivity performance, was conducted through Expert Choice© 11. Further, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was conducted to examine and compare multiple expert responses. Based on the findings, the top success-related factors that affect decision making in construction projects are Adequate Goals/Objectives, Consultant’s Competency, Prior Experience of Consulting Firms, Consulting Firm’s Willingness and Cooperation, and Financial Standing of Contractor. The results are based on their global priority weights in the hierarchical model. The findings highlighted that there is disagreement between the major stakeholders involved in the construction process. The contribution of the study is introducing a bench-marking multi-criteria decision analysis technique to enhance decision making in the Ethiopian infrastructure sector

Key BIM adoption drivers to improve performance of infrastructure projects in the Ethiopian construction sector: a structural equation modeling approach

The aim of this paper is to explore the critical BIM adoption drivers across the Ethiopian public infrastructure construction sector. In this regard, a comprehensive systematic literature review was employed to identify potential BIM implementation attributes in developing countries and validated through a pilot test. Then, quantitative data was collected from experts working in various organizations using a structured questionnaire survey. A structural equation model was then developed based on five key BIM adoption constructs and 14 adoption drivers. Based on the path analysis, Application, Environment, and Project related factors positively affect BIM adoption in infrastructure projects, whereas Organization and Information Management are insignificant and negatively affect BIM adoption in the Ethiopian construction industry. The study highlighted key BIM adoption attributes that are helpful to enhance the overall project management performance in infrastructure projects. The proposed action plan is beneficial to various professionals, government, and stakeholders in an effort to improve the current level of BIM uptake in the horn of Africa. More so, the findings of this paper can be used to facilitate and promote BIM adoption in public infrastructure construction projects across the Ethiopian construction marke

Development of an integrative green building rating system for the Ethiopian public building projects using analytic hierarchy process

The design, construction, and maintenance of public infrastructures have a significant impact on the natural environment, and they are responsible for the degradation of scarce natural resources. In this respect, taking green building measures and initiatives has become a strategic concern for long-term development of nations around the world. Consequently, the study aims to develop a benchmarking green building rating system for public building projects in Ethiopia; investigate the current practice, and identify the key benefits and challenges of implementing green building schemes in the public infrastructure sector. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire survey was employed, and mean score and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) were used to analyse the collected data from various stakeholders including clients, consultants, and contractors. Data was analysed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to conduct descriptive statistics and MS Excel for the AHP. The findings reveal that the top benefits of green building were identified as using renewable natural resources, enhancing and protecting ecosystem and biodiversity, and improving occupant’s health and comfort. Similarly, the top challenges investigated were lack of adequate incentive for the promotion of green building, inadequate education/training about sustainable design and construction, and lack of awareness and readiness from the public. Moreover, the AHP analysis shows that the critical global weights were Site ecology (20.2%), Energy efficiency (23.33%), Water efficiency (24.7%), Indoor environmental quality (11.94%), and Transport (4.43%). The findings are believed to be helpful for various stakeholders and policy-makers in the Ethiopian construction industry.- (undefined

Developing an Impact Model in Construction Companies During Pandemics

The distinctive traits of COVID-19, which were different from other viral pathogens, quickly compelled the World Health Organization (WHO) to announce a pandemic. Many affected countries responded with different approaches to the pandemic. The disease became prevalent in the U.S. with a short delay after Asian and European regions were infected; however, the initial impacts of COVID-19 were massive, and its effects were beyond anyone’s expectations. The pandemic caused new situations for various markets, including the construction industry, and demanded additional health and safety regulations. In addition, the economic effect of COVID-19 on the construction industry became another medium- and long-term challenge for construction managers and executives. In order to examine the initial perceptions of construction professionals about the COVID-19 impacts, a study was conducted during its early appearance in the U.S. during the spring of 2020. The objective of this study was to evaluate the construction professionals’ perceptions of pandemics and further investigate the possibility and characteristics of an impact model during pandemics. A model was developed to highlight areas and aspects that are impacted by COVID-19 related to construction companies. The model examination was followed by a quantitative method to gather data and analyze the responses. An online survey was conducted in 2020 to verify the validity of the proposed model. The model maps out environments, domains, and factors impacting construction companies during pandemics. The implication of this paper is to realize the early perceptions of construction professionals about pandemics and the necessity of an impact model to handle the negative effects of any global disturbances. The results of this paper will help construction managers to recognize potentially affected areas and more effectively manage crisis response plans

Lessons learned From a Simulation Project in Construction Education

Virtual Interactive Construction Education (VICE) is a simulation designed for construction education. The purpose was to provide the traditional lecture-based construction contents along with supplementary instructions in a project-based learning environment. Six modules were proposed as a curriculum delivery guideline including: single span bridge, residential building, light commercial, heavy commercial, highway, and segmental bridge. The single span bridge was the first module used for prototype development providing an opportunity to design, analyze, implement, and test for effectiveness. This paper describes the design steps and results of this three-year research project. VICE-Bridge required participants to sequentially order the construction activities and then select the required resources for each activity such as personnel, equipment and material. The diversity of participants’ responses were represented by an animation or real situation video within the simulation. Different iterations were tested during development and used for analysis, design changes and implementation using feedback from participants to augment development process. The hypothesis of this investigation is that simulations can have a positive effect the participants’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and particularly construction. In addition, the study investigated the participants’ perceptions of simulation on learning and the contrast between project oriented delivery and simulations when compared with traditional teaching methods. VICE was tested three times during the development process by 99 participants that included both high school students and college students. High school students were selected as a sample for two reasons. First, their knowledge and preconceptions about construction would not be tainted as would a student body from a construction program. Secondly, it was important to know what effect the educational game might have on an entry level population. A mixed methodology of both quantitative and qualitative methods was used in this research. The results from the post-survey indicated whether VICE had an influence on participants’ interest in each of the STEM disciplines. Participants also stated to what degree their performance in simulation was impacted by different factors, including prior knowledge from experience, prior knowledge from classroom instruction, instructions within the simulation, ask a consultant feature, instructional videos, and learning from mistakes. In addition, the participants’ beliefs about using simulation-based learning and project-based learning methods as a part of integrated construction program curriculum were analyzed. Moreover, the weaknesses and strengths of VICE, asked as open-ended questions, were categorized and qualitatively analyzed for all participants. These various feedback data were further developed, then, utilized in subsequent iterations. Since the participants’ population consisted of college and high school students, a comparison was used to show any possible difference in each group for aforementioned questions