A blended learning approach to understanding construction documentation

Speaker: Mary Hardie

Affiliation: University of Western Sydney

Time: Monday 10/02/2014 from 14:00 to 15:00

Venue: Access Grid UWS. Presented from Penrith (Y239), accessible from Parramatta (EB.1.32) and Campbelltown (26.1.50).

Abstract: Current academics are striving to deliver construction management education in a manner that takes advantage of expanding electronic learning resources and the advent of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The new generation of students are increasingly adapted to learning in ways other than the traditional face to face lectures, tutorials and practicals. Many are techno-savvy and favour interaction through social media. At the same time, the competing pressures of work, life and study have led many students to question their motivation to continue in formal education at all. In this context, the challenge for the academic community is clearly to adapt to the new environment and find inspiring ways of involving students in tertiary study via the use of web-enabled and interactive blended learning. At one university in Sydney this has led to the 2013 iPad initiative where all staff and all first year students have been provided with an iPad and training in how to use these as an education tool. This paper reports on the experience of a first semester, first year cohort of 300 construction management students who participated in the iPad initiative. The initiative is clearly a work in progress but it is apparent that students in the program value flexible electronic delivery. There is also much support for a continuation of some traditional face to face interaction with staff members and with fellow students.

Biography: Dr. Mary Hardie has been a registered architect for more than 30 years since graduating from UNSW in 1979. She has worked in Design and Construct building companies as well as in architectural design practices. She has a particular interest in sustainable construction and in construction innovation. The implementation of Passive Solar Design principles along with green or vegetated roofs, compressed earth block structures and rainwater storage systems for housing developments have all been areas where she has been actively involved. In 2011 she completed a PhD researching technical innovation delivery by small and medium Australian construction enterprises.