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The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology and greatly transformed the way humans communicate. Since the start of the pandemic, the delivery of lectures and workshops shifted from face-to-face to online. However, this shift in the mode of teaching may or may not suit learners. This study was conducted to determine the students' perception of the mode of teaching, their learning experience after attending the online classes throughout the semester, and the major challenges they faced during the classes. The participants were Year 1 students from an AutoCAD workshop, Year 3 students from a Traffic Engineering Course, and Year 4 students from a Highway and Pavement Design course. The results show that prerecorded classes with the addition of live-streaming classes were more preferred in computing classes because students can learn at their own pace, especially when learning the new software. For lecture-based courses, physical classes or a mix of physical and online classes were favored by students because physical classes can be more interactive. There were also challenges encountered by the students during online classes such as poor internet connection and distractions at home. Thus, instructors need to personally communicate with the students to understand their learning preference so that the necessary adjustments can be made to the mode of teaching, particularly with the use of hybrid teaching.

Due to its positive results, active learning has spread to most areas of knowledge of Civil Engineering. Many of these studies used only one technique, which is limiting given the diverse learning styles that the students may have. The road geometric design is the area that has been the least explored in Civil engineering. Therefore, the objective of this study is to show the implementation of multiple different active learning techniques in online road geometric design courses. The study shows an iterative implementation of multiple active learning techniques throughout the sequence of the three undergraduate courses in Ecuador. As a result, positive student perception was found from the combination of several active techniques. Each technique, called 'learning moment', was distributed weekly and separated from the others. The students gave the courses an average score between 8.34 to 9.06/10. At each learning moment, there were many positive comments and some easily resolved negative ones. The combination of multiple different active learning techniques, shown in this study, can be used in other courses of Civil Engineering, Engineering, or in similar areas of knowledge.

The application of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in a Reinforced Concrete course through the development of a real-life civil engineering project from its conception, as a coursework, is a challenged experience for students. As long as the coursework evolves, students develop real ways to think as an engineer and they work in an environment similar to that of daily engineering practice. The effect of the PBL implementation on learning and acquisition of knowledge and skills in a Reinforced Concrete subject from the [University] in [Country] has been analyzed through some evidences such as the partial and final grades, the results of a survey and the perceptions drawn from students' interviews. As observed, thanks to the application of the PBL strategy, learning and motivation of students has increased, in addition to the final summative assessment, without a significant increase on the workload. This methodology improves not only the acquisition of knowledge and engineering skills, but also transversal skills such as entrepreneurship, leadership, communication, time management, teamwork and other social abilities directly related to those required by the current market for their future professional life.

This study aimed to identify students' learning needs related to integrating mobile device technology and creative thinking skills in learning land surveying. This was done by looking at students' responses based on media use, opportunities for media development, and supporting facilities for developing learning media. The participants of this study were 155 second-year students of the building engineering study program at Vocational High Schools. Mobile learning needs analysis indicators were prepared as a questionnaire instrument to achieve research objectives. This study used a quantitative approach, and the results of student responses were analyzed descriptively and presented in percentages. The findings revealed that 59.7% of respondents "agreed" and 40.3% "strongly agreed" to support the development of learning media that integrated cellular technology and creative thinking into the learning process of land surveying and was supported by the availability of learning support facilities. The conclusion is that the use of cellular technology in the learning process is directly proportional to students' abilities in operating and owning a smartphone, and that in the development of mobile learning as an alternative learning medium for land surveying has enormous opportunities. This study recommends the product of learning media using mobile learning methods and creative problem-solving approaches to train students to get used to creative thinking skills in developing their life skills.

The ability to assess oneself is important in higher education, on the job, and throughout all aspects of life. Knowledge surveys (KS) are a self-assessment tool where students rate their ability to answer a knowledge question or perform a skills task. Previous research has shown that students are accurate self-assessors compared to instructor assessments when KS questions are specific and well-aligned with learning objectives and course content. Although it has been suggested as a use of KS in the literature, there are few data on the specific use of KS as a part of a continuous improvement process for program assessment. In this case study, KS were implemented in a Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam review course at an undergraduate-only civil engineering program in the western U.S. The paper will outline several components of our continuous improvement process, then compare KS with FE exam results from a cohort of students. The comparison demonstrates the utility of student self-assessment data as one artifact that helps to paint a more complete picture for program assessment. In addition, we will present several assessment benefits to implementing KS in courses and throughout an undergraduate program.

This study documents how hegemonic masculinity is experienced through the lens of five female students registered in an engineering course using a single instrumental case study research contextualised in a national university in Mauritius. It analyses how these relations and interactions are interpreted and integrated in the ways the participants are choosing to 'do gender' reflecting critically on what this reveals about acceptance of and resistance to these gendered cultural norms by aspiring women engineers. Interpreted from the lens of gender regimes (Connell 2002), the findings indicate how male students legitimised their power by foregrounding the physical inadequacy of their female classmates, the cultural barriers associated with the rough vocabulary of builders which are certain to cause discomfort to female engineers, and the physically strenuous working environments, all of which are designed to assert a male reading of what engineering work is about. What is, however, also evident is the acceptance of these views by some female participants who feel compelled, to accept 'male help' designed to enforce some form of control and superiority. 'Beating the boys' on their own preferred terrain of abstract thinking appears to be a way for some participants to level the field despite against attempts to represent engineering knowledge as 'male', and only allowing privileged female students to access such understandings is a common gatekeeping exercise endorsed by male classmates. Contribution: This study shows the deep transformations that need to be brought about in higher education settings, particularly in small island contexts where the dominant culture is often silently resistant to progressive equality agenda.

Laboratory experience is an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum in most engineering courses. When physical learning is not feasible, and when the demand cannot be met through actual hands-on laboratory sessions, as has been during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual laboratory courses can be considered as an alternative education medium. This study focuses on developing a generic modular virtual laboratory framework that allows engineers, game designers, and developers to build lab experiments as serious games--games with ulterior motives rather than only entertainment--without writing additional code. A virtual lab serious game for civil engineering's soil mechanics course was created in Unity3D as a WebGL game, and it was tested within the framework by 24 students (12 from the Civil Engineering Department, the rest from computer science-related degrees). Seven faculty members evaluated if the serious game met the learning outcomes. In addition, nine engineers and designers assessed the framework's capabilities and analyzed its flexibility and reuse aspects. To analyze the usability and acceptability of the created game, standard questionnaires such as the technology acceptance model, system usability scale, and presence were employed. The study was done in two phases: participants tested the first version of the game, and the second version was built based on their feedback on the first version. The findings indicate that the modular structure has significant potential for use in a variety of fields and laboratory courses. The proposed game has received very positive feedback and can be considered a use case for the potential of games in interactive virtual laboratories.

This study investigates the question of how Engineering education in the Nordic region responds to the challenge of educating future engineers who are ready for professional practice in a digital world. Particular interest is put on identifying who is responsible for the implementation of digital knowledge and what and how subject content is addressed. Our study draws on Bernstein's pedagogical device model (Bernstein, B. 2002. "Editorial: Basil Bernstein's Theory of Social Class, Educational Codes and Social Control." "British Journal of Sociology of Education" 23 (4): 525-526). The study focuses on the questions of if/how digital transformation leads to change of engineering education content and/or pedagogical approaches. Narratives of 20 university teachers have been collected and analysed. Findings reveal three areas of consideration; there is a connection between how digital knowledge is valued and how the subject is introduced in engineering education, differences in digital knowledge can be linked to the generation gap and, universities are seldom seen as the driving force for digital innovation. It is concluded that education must reflect on the purpose for which digitalisation takes place, continuous training targeting digital transformation should be offered to senior teachers and, universities need to provide increased focus and dedicated time for educational development.

Purpose: The built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of the world's energy consumption, 30% of raw material use, 25% of solid waste, 25% of water use, 12% of land use and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, environmental improvement and decarbonization are becoming increasingly critical objectives for the construction industry. Sustainable construction can be achieved through several practices, including: considering life-cycle assessment, circular construction, resource efficiency and waste management and providing eco-efficient materials, reducing energy demands and consumption and incorporating low-carbon technologies and renewable energy sources. To achieve sustainable construction goals, it is critical to educate the future workforce about decarbonization, circular construction and how to overcome the challenges involved in transitioning to sustainable construction. This study aims to understand the gap in student knowledge related to decarbonization and circular construction and the importance of incorporating these topics in civil engineering and construction management curricula. Design/methodology/approach: This study surveyed 120 undergraduate and graduate students at one of the largest minority-serving institutions in the USA to understand the gap in student knowledge related to decarbonization and circular construction as well as the importance of incorporating these topics in civil engineering and construction management curricula. The authors conducted several statistical measures to assess the consistency, reliability and adequacy of the sample size, including the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy, the normality test to evaluate the appropriateness of using an ordered probit regression analysis and a multicollinearity test to observe the correlation between independent variables. The data was analyzed using ordered probit regression analysis to investigate the need for a curriculum that serves in educating students about decarbonization and circular construction. Findings: The results of this research highlight the gaps in students' knowledge pertaining to sustainable practices and the importance of providing future construction workforce with such knowledge to tackle global inevitable challenges. Originality/value: The findings of this study contribute to sustainable construction bodies of knowledge by advocating for a reformed curriculum to prepare the future workforce and adopt less carbonized, more circular approaches within the engineering and construction industry.

To respond to construction industry-specific requirements for civil engineers, university teachers need to provide opportunities for students to develop their generic and professional skills. This article describes the use of a novel intervention of project-based learning -- PjBL with the consultative approach -- to teach Lean Construction and the influence of this method on the development of students' generic and professional skills. In this Lean course, teams of students carried out projects, in a consultative manner, to manage the real-life challenges that local companies were facing. Data on students' perceptions were collected through reflection documents written by students. Findings indicated that introducing students to an intervention of PjBL did expose students, especially, to learning to express themselves verbally and in writing, working as a team and focusing on the current problem. Particularly, project work, team work, meetings, and seminars were perceived as effective methods for advancing these skills.

An undergraduate degree in engineering requires students to not only be proficient in engineering knowledge but also acquire comprehensive skills such as independent learning ability, strong communication skills, social knowledge, and innovative thinking. Therefore, problem-based learning (PBL), which is a student-centered approach, is getting wide recognition among academicians in institutions of higher education. PBL is one of the learning strategies in which students are guided by instructors through problem solving and develop additional generic skills and attributes, apart from the content-specific knowledge and skills that they require. This paper presents a case study of PBL in the subject of Structural Analysis and evaluates its effectiveness and acceptance by students. The main objective was to see how students evaluate this initiative and its learning potential to achieve the educational goals set for the course. For this, a closed-ended questionnaire survey was distributed among current students of civil engineering focusing on different aspects of PBL in the Structural Analysis course. The results of the questionnaire survey indicated that PBL, though time-consuming, is seen as effective, relevant, and motivating, which promotes independent learning among engineering students. Therefore, it is recommended that the implementation of similar PBL techniques be promoted by academicians for students' lifelong learning.

Traditionally, civil engineering infrastructures have been represented through two-dimensional (2D) drawings, which can lead to interpretation errors and jeopardize engineers' understanding of complex projects. However, with the development of building information modeling (BIM) methodology, civil engineering projects can now be virtually modeled in three-dimensional (3D), offering a more accurate representation. Augmented reality (AR) tools can be linked to BIM models for educational purposes, allowing for a more immersive and interactive learning experience. While previous studies have focused on improving the visualization of mechanical and civil engineering drawings, this study presents the development of a low-cost AR tool for visualizing BIM models and its application in civil engineering courses. To achieve this, the main state-of-the-art AR software was compared for their characteristics and functionalities, and the software, Unity, was selected to develop an AR visualization tool. The application of this tool was then presented, along with an analysis of its benefits when introduced into two civil engineering courses at the University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM) in Spain: Descriptive geometry, and Design work of a structure. Overall, the results of the study suggest that the integration of AR tools into civil engineering education can enhance students' learning experience and improve their understanding of complex projects.

The transition from face-to-face classes to fully online learning (OL) during the spring semester of 2020 occurred almost globally because of the imposed COVID-19 lockdown. The present study investigated the perception and experiences of undergraduate students and faculty members of the Civil Engineering program at the United Arab Emirates University concerning switching to OL during COVID-19. Quantitative questionnaires were distributed to faculty members and students following the end of the spring semester of 2020. Students and faculty members identified student engagement and online exams as major areas that require improvement. Online exams were challenging for students and difficult to prepare, control, and administer for faculty. Providing technical support is critical for the successful streaming of online courses. Initially, half of the surveyed students began the transition with a positive attitude toward OL, and this percentage increased during the transition. The capacity to continue learning during the COVID-19 crisis and the availability of recorded materials were perceived by the students as the main advantages of OL while challenging online examinations and the lack of social interaction were the main disadvantages.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a true challenge to students and educators in the teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) of the psychomotor domain integral in laboratory experiment and design work. The pandemic has opened venues for open distance learning (ODL) with a completely new outlook for educators. The objective of this paper is to examine the suitability of the alternative TLA methods adopted in laboratory courses in ODL during the pandemic. Document review was carried out on various laboratory courses for a civil engineering programme in Universiti Teknologi MARA. The findings show that the assessment methods commonly used during ODL are individual and group reports, lab demonstration, video presentation, laboratory projects, online tests, individual online interviews, home-based mini projects, peer evaluation, and simulation using various software. Each alternative assessment was evaluated based on three (3) criteria which are the relevancy of knowledge, TLA activities, and suitability of the TLA activities to address the respective learning domain of the courses. Overall, the alternative assessment methods used during ODL were found to be relevant in imparting knowledge in laboratory courses, except for the development of specialist knowledge (WK4) as students are not able to utilize the equipment in the laboratory. Meanwhile, alternative activities are found less suitable to address the psychomotor domain imparted in the learning outcomes that involve specified equipment or machinery. Finally, the alternative assessments are found to effectively capture the cognitive skills and the programme outcomes related to knowledge application (PO1) and analysis (PO2) but are less effective in capturing investigation skills (PO4) addressing the psychomotor domain.

In civil and construction engineering education research, a focus has been on using 3D models to support students' design comprehension. Despite this trend, the predominant mode of design communication in the industry relies on 2D plans and specifications, which typically supersede other modes of communication. Rather than focusing on the presentation of less common 3D content as an input to support students' understanding of a design, this paper explores more common 2D inputs, but compares different visualization formats of student output in two educational interventions. In the first intervention, students document a construction sequence for wood-framed elements in a 2D worksheet format. In the second, students work with the same wood-framed design, but document their sequence through an augmented reality (AR) format where their physical interactions move full-scale virtual elements as if they were physically constructing the wood frame. Student approaches and performance were analyzed using qualitative attribute coding of video, audio, and written documentation of the student experience. Overall, results showed that the 2D worksheet format was simple to implement and was not mentally demanding to complete, but often corresponded with a lack of critical checks and a lack of mistake recognition from the students. The AR approach challenged students more in terms of cognitive load and completion rates but showed the potential for facilitating mistake recognition and self-remediation through visualization. These results suggest that when students are tasked with conceptualizing construction sequences from 2D documentation, the cognitive challenges associated with documenting a sequence in AR may support their recognition of their own mistakes in ways that may not be effectively supported through 2D documentation as an output for documenting and planning a construction sequence. The results presented in this paper provide insights on student tendencies, behaviors, and perceptions related to defining construction sequences from 2D documentation in order for educators to make informed decisions regarding the use of similar learning activities to prepare their students for understanding the 2D design documents used in industry.

More than a half century has passed since the first integration of problem-based learning (PBL) in higher education teaching. Despite the extensive investigation focused on this pedagogy, rigorous research on the impact of PBL in civil engineering is limited. Thus, this study aims to provide a thorough evaluation of students' perceptions of PBL in a civil engineering course. The course was designed based on best practices from the literature while addressing, with the intent to minimize, the inhibitors of PBL success indicated in past research. The semester-long project was focused on creating an artifact to demonstrate geological phenomena chosen by the students, to then be displayed in an exhibition. The course included formative and summative assessments of students' performance throughout the semester. Data was collected and analyzed methodically from over 150 students from two cohorts, one with a one-year post-course perspective, using a survey. The results indicate high satisfaction with several aspects of the course, including the perception of soft skill development. The analysis also showed that students from an ethnic minority group had significantly higher satisfaction and perceived benefit from the course. These findings demonstrate the possibility of turning a theoretical civil engineering course into a valuable PBL course, suggesting that PBL may promote greater equality for ethnic minority groups.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) enables the Civil engineers professional to accomplish the digital requirements and also the integration and collaboration on the elaboration of projects and maintenance of buildings. BIM methodology is currently the main subject of investigation and application in the construction industry and the education have been exploring the introduction of this issue in curricular programs. The students of civil engineering and architecture, as future professionals, must updated their skills with the most recent innovative technology and knowledge. Several academies better classified within the architecture and engineer sector, were selected and its curricular programs were analyzed: the didactic strategies of inserting BIM teachings are similar in the main concept and practice, but depending of the expertize of the school, the aspects related to architecture, structures, construction or planning are deeper taught; the level cycles of introduction BIM (bachelor, master or postgraduate), the professional courses offered to architects and engineers and the main subjects were discussed. The principal aim of the curricular research is the characterization of BIM education in distinct academies. A resume of actions and organization of topics that promotes an adequate updating of the students skills was achieved, helping BIM educators in their activity.

English-medium instruction (EMI) is gaining popularity among EFL higher education institutions. However, not all EMI programs provide the same English immersion as those in the Anglosphere. The researcher targeted English medium university textbooks as a research focus, since they are first and foremost learning material of specialist knowledge and offer EFL non-English-major students a channel for exposure to English. A 6-million-token textbook corpus of civil engineering (CE) compulsory courses was compiled and the vocabulary level thereof along the word frequency scale of the British National Corpus and the Corpus of Contemporary American English was measured. Then the researcher sought to estimate how many new words CE majors with EMI can encounter often enough to have an opportunity of learning them. Results show that CE textbooks reached the 5th 1000-word-family level at 95% text coverage and stretched to the 10th 1000 at 98% coverage. Beyond the first 3000 word families, only 3,433 word families occurred 12+ times. This frequency was assumed as a benchmark for incidental learning to occur. For EMI practitioners who are concerned with their students' vocabulary development, the results can serve as a reference for future investigations into other disciplines.

The use of educational digital games as supplemental tools to course instruction materials has increased over the last several decades and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Though these types of instructional games have been employed in the majority of STEM disciplines, less is known about how diverse populations of students interpret and define the value of these games towards achieving academic and professional pursuits. A mixed-method sequential exploratory research design method that was framed on the Technology Acceptance Model, Game-Based Learning Theory and Expectancy Value Theory was used to examine how 201 students perceived the "usefulness" of an intuitive education game that was designed to teach engineering mechanics used in designing civil structures. We found that students had different expectations of educational digital games than games designed for entertainment used outside of classroom environments. Several students thought that the ability to design their own structures and observe structure failure in real-time was a valuable asset in understanding how truss structures responded to physical loading conditions. However, few students thought the educational game would be useful for exam (14/26) or job interview (19/26) preparation. Students associated more value with engineering games that illustrate course content and mathematical calculations used in STEM courses than those that do not include these elements.

This study aims to examine the level of employer satisfaction towards industrial training students of the UiTM Pahang Civil Engineering Diploma Program and identify employer satisfaction factors for industrial training students from aspects of knowledge, personality, generic skills, and soft skills. This study is focused on semester four students undergoing industrial training. This study was conducted on 158 respondents from various organizations. Using the important relative index (RII), the level of important factors was ranked through the value of the index. Findings show the highest employer satisfaction is towards the student mastering their knowledge, adhering to the working hours, improving their skills and knowledge, and communicating well with co-workers. Besides, it also shows a good correlation between knowledge and personality among industrial training students. This study found that industrial training students of the Civil Engineering Diploma Program had a good level of control over all four domains. Overall findings showed that employers are satisfied with the industrial training students of the UiTM Pahang Civil Engineering Diploma Program. This study is important to measure the effectiveness of the industrial training syllabus in terms of achieving the program outcomes addressed in the syllabus.

English-medium instruction (EMI) has become a nationwide trend in Taiwan's higher education institutions. Behind this rapid growth is the widespread belief that EMI provides English immersion, which facilitates incidental learning of the target language. However, not all EMI programs in EFL contexts provide the same immersion as those in the Anglosphere. English-medium university textbooks were therefore targeted as a research focus in that they offer non-English subject majors a sustainable channel for exposure to English in the EFL context. The researcher compiled two 4- million-token accounting and civil engineering textbook corpora and measured the vocabulary levels and amounts along the BNC/COCA word-frequency scale. Results show that accounting textbooks reached the 5th 1000-word-family level at 98% text coverage while civil engineering textbooks stretched to the 9th-10th 1000 level. Twelve repetitions were used as a benchmark for incidental learning. Only 1,479 word families beyond the first 3000 occurred 12+ times in the accounting corpus versus 3,397 word families in the civil engineering corpus. For EMI practitioners who are concerned with their students' vocabulary development, the results may serve as a reference for future investigations into other disciplines.

Learning from experience approach has been widely adopted in the academic cluster of Built Environment including Civil Engineering field. To further strengthen this aspect, a study in exploring construction site visit as an aid to educational component in teaching and learning method is significant. This provides a platform which helps civil engineering students to enhance their safety knowledge and understanding by experiencing the real time situation at the construction site. The objectives of this study are to: (1) determine the effectiveness of site visit approach in teaching and learning of construction site safety; (2) measure the performance between students who acquire knowledge related to safety by experiencing one site visit compared to students with zero site visit; and (3) compare the achievement and understanding between male and female students if site visit is adopted in the teaching and learning process. A set of questions is designed as an instrument and participating students are required to answer the questions nonverbally to show their knowledge on the construction site safety. Based on the scoring marks, a statistical analysis has been conducted. The result indicates that students with one site visit have better achievement and understanding compared to students with zero site visit. In addition, the result also shows that with one site visit, female students have better performance in the score marks compared to male students.

This paper presents the assessment of a continuous assessment in a project for the Dynamics subject using an analytic rubric. Dynamics subject should improve the ability of students to evaluate and solve problems using well-understood basic concepts implemented in a simple logical manner. It focuses on the proper interpretation and application of the concepts of mechanics to the solution of engineering problems. To achieve the objective of being able to examine the issue of mechanics, students were asked to prepare a poster that must consist of the real-life application of dynamics, which they must incorporate in the sense of their poster the definition plus the use of basic fundamental principles. An analytic rubric was used as a scaffold in the evaluation of the continuous assessment of undergraduate students of civil engineering in the Dynamics subject. The continuous assessment referred to was the evaluation of a project called 'Poster Dynamics in Life.' Using analytic rubrics, lecturers in this engineering subject (Dynamics) may specifically list evaluation criteria to improve the synchronization of learning, instruction, and assessment. Besides, students may then use the rubric to organize their assigned project, describe goals, define and concentrate efforts where appropriate, identify concerns relevant to the project, and control the process in an attempt to construct a high-quality project. The results from this assessment show that most of the students achieved all the performance criteria at an acceptable level.

The intersection of modeling and STEM practices offers a promising avenue for creating an integrated STEM curriculum. However, research on designing modeling-based STEM (m-STEM) curricula is limited, particularly concerning how the curriculum affects the learning of students with different spatial abilities. This study developed a four-round modeling cycle using highway route selection as the topic to support the development of modeling practices for learners with diverse spatial abilities. Using a mixed-method research approach, this study collected and analyzed the modeling practices of 24 Taiwanese upper elementary school students with different spatial abilities by modeling practice worksheets. Further analysis of the modeling practices was conducted on students in the top third and bottom third of spatial abilities. Qualitative data, including interviews, classroom observations, and teacher reflections, were also analyzed to identify the curriculum factors influencing learning in students with different spatial abilities. Results revealed that all students increased their modeling practices from level 1 (single factor) to level 3 (relation) as the model complexity increased, indicating the effectiveness of the m-STEM curriculum. Additionally, the curriculum improved the equity of spatial ability in modeling practices. Low-spatial ability students benefited from hands-on practices and digital tools during the modeling selection phase. In contrast, high-spatial ability students benefited from analogies and experimental thinking during the model construction phase. This study highlights the potential for m-STEM curricula to promote learning equity and provides insights into effective and inclusive design practices for STEM educators.

Background: Civil engineers design systems that have the potential to impact existing oppressive societal conditions. Critical action--the ability to recognize and act against oppressive conditions--is an obligation for civil engineers committed to building a more just world. Purpose/Hypothesis: History reveals that civil engineers often do not take critical action and accrediting bodies (e.g., ABET) have responded by creating requirements to consider social factors and contexts. Considering these endeavors, we ask: To what extent do civil engineering students demonstrate critical action attitudes when prompted by engineering problem-solving? In what ways does culturally relevant problem-solving influence critical action attitudes? Design/Method: Employing transformative action as a theoretical framework, we assessed students' responses to a design question on three levels that perpetuate or disrupt oppression (avoidant, destructive, and critical action). The empirical study used qualitative and quantitative analysis to examine survey responses of 375 civil engineering undergraduate students across 12 US universities. Results: The results showed that engineering students largely avoided discussing taking critical action, remaining focused on technical and nontechnical factors that evaded acknowledgement of sociopolitical factors. Nevertheless, when exposed to culturally relevant problem-solving, students showed a statistically significant increase in both critical and destructive action responses. Conclusions: We posit that students' exposure to culturally relevant problem-solving can enhance students' critical action attitudes. The results call on the need for civil engineering educators to cultivate culturally relevant problem-solving in civil engineering curriculum.

In ensuring the quality of the offered programs in Malaysia, it is crucial to comply with the long chain of Quality Management processes in obtaining and maintaining accreditation of undergraduate engineering programs. One of the processes is to continually and effectively measure the students' attainment of program outcomes amid the implementation of Outcome-Based Education. This paper focuses on MyCOPO system, the evaluation of undergraduate bachelor degree engineering students' attainment measurement system in the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam. A quantitative survey has been conducted to measure academic staff and students' satisfaction level of MyCOPO implementation in the faculty. This survey has been conducted in line with the university strategy in promoting organisation operational excellence via MyCOPO system, where 47 and 227 respondents were recorded for academic staff and students, respectively. Two sets of questionnaires were designed to determine the impact of the system, the effectiveness on delivery and quality of the system and users' happiness index. This system is found to be impactful in ease the work, increase the quality and provide satisfaction to related parties. The usage of MyCOPO system is effective and the average rating of happiness index for academic staff and students are 8.2 and 7.2 out of 10 for happiness index, respectively.

The attainment of program outcomes for Solid Mechanic course offered to the Diploma in Civil Engineering students is evaluated. It was found that most of the students were incapable to demonstrate graduate attributes which applying knowledge of mathematics, natural science and engineering fundamentals and the ability to analyse engineering problems. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of physics and maths scores on the students' performance of solid mechanics. Analysis of the previous results in physics and maths shows that there is a clear link between students' fundamentals knowledge and the understanding of solid mechanics. Meanwhile, this study also aims to find out the root causes that led to the high failure rate of solid mechanics. A quantitative method was employed and a total of 180 students responded to the survey. Results of survey indicate that most of the students perceived that they had limited time to gain deep understanding of the course and they could not visualise the complex problems in solid mechanics. Majority of the students admitted that they did not manage to solve all questions during their final exam, and they were indeed not well prepared for it. Hence, the problem of high failure rate is feasible to be solved provided both lecturers and students making efforts in striving the success of this course.

Computing technology is reshaping the way in which professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries conduct their business. The execution of construction tasks is changing from traditional 2D to 3D building information modeling (BIM)-based concepts. The use of BIM is expanded and enriched by the introduction of advanced computing technologies. At the same time, the demands for graduates in construction management with basic computing technology skills are on the rise. One of the challenges of construction management (CM) programs is how to incorporate computing knowledge so that future graduates can gain more experience with it during their undergraduate education. This paper presents a case study on this topic from an undergraduate construction management course at Purdue University. The in-class exercises and project required the use of computing technologies (e.g., quantity takeoff software, scheduling software, and Python programming) in this case study. The performance of students was evaluated before and after the project and the exercises. The findings showed the benefits of incorporating computing into a construction management curriculum as follows: (1) introducing the students to the efficiency and accuracy of computing technologies in CM; and (2) improving students' knowledge and skills in computing technologies and professional software applications. Based on students' feedback, short-term (one-class-long) programming training during the semester and more detailed instructions for a project are needed improvements in this course. The practice in this study provides insights for other instructors seeking to include more computing technologies into CM courses.

Civil engineers and project managers must control and manage the project management discourse with the client and other stakeholders or risk slippages to time, cost, and programs. This paper explores how communicative choices and the representation of project requirements and engineering issues are intrinsic to effective civil engineering work. Using a social semiotic framework, the paper contributes to civil engineering learning by revealing how various engineering communications (e.g., schematic drawings, visual images) function in civil engineering contexts. The research builds upon civil engineering communication scholarship, highlighting the significance of representational choices for affecting engineering work. The social semiotic and multimodal-informed analysis clarifies processes of cognition, interpretation, and understanding at play when civil engineers interact with project stakeholders. The findings inform civil engineering education and the teaching of communication skills: communication composition being intrinsic to effective civil engineering work.

Civil engineering students in the United States rarely receive instruction about how their work affects social inequities. Indeed, research reveals that most engineering students lack critical consciousness and fail to recognize and analyze real social inequity challenges as they arise in engineering contexts. As history demonstrates, this can lead to engineering projects that exacerbate inequality, ignore community questions and concerns, or fail to consider the consequences of communities when assessing project success. A key component to addressing these issues includes educators' ability to evaluate the critical consciousness (CC) of civil engineering students using survey approaches. Toward this goal, this research tested a critical consciousness scale for civil engineers (CCSCE). The CCSCE scale summarizes and factorizes 46 items that capture systems of oppression in civil engineering. The instrument included three indicators measuring critical consciousness (i.e., Critical Reflection: Perceived Inequality; Critical Reflection: Egalitarianism; and Critical Action: Sociopolitical Perception). The CCSCE scale was tested with 150 students at two universities in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a set of 15 items measuring critical reflection and action items. This study supports the development of concise measures of CC for civil engineers that is valid and reliable. The development of a CCSCE scale is vital for civil engineering education as it provides educators with an instrument to assess whether any educational interventions aimed at enhancing CC are indeed efficacious. The instrument can also be used to assess Accreditation Board of Engineering & Technology (ABET) learning Outcomes 2 and 4.

Civil engineering education must be updated to keep pace with the profession and move past a culture of disengagement where technical work is considered separate from societal impact. Civil engineering students need to engage with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) so they can understand the differential impacts of engineering on individuals from different groups within society. We aim to encourage the transformation of civil engineering education to produce engineers who will be prepared to meaningfully engage with society and advance justice in their future professional roles by providing examples of pedagogical change and analyzing student responses. In this study, we implemented new course assignments in an introductory civil engineering course and a Civil Engineering Materials course. In the introductory assignment, students were taught to draw systems models and asked to consider social and technical factors contributing to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. In the materials course, students completed preclass readings about a regional highway reconstruction project, including articles about neighborhood opposition to the project, and participated in an in-class discussion. We analyzed student submissions using qualitative content analysis. Students in both courses (33% introductory, 60% materials) described learning about the impact engineering designs had on the community. In the materials class, students were asked specifically about the impact of race and wealth on infrastructure decision making. Student responses showed a wide range in how students understood the history of the situation and dynamics of power and privilege. Errors and limitations in student responses point to specific ways the instructors can improve student learning. Our results demonstrate that the integration of activities about societal impact is possible in technical engineering courses, emphasize the importance of integrating social context and related DEIJ content into technical courses, and provide insights into what students perceived they learned from the activities.

As a consequence of the global health emergency in early 2020, universities had to tackle a sudden shift in their teaching--learning strategies so that the preset competences could be fulfilled. This study presents the learning outcomes of the implemented tasks, student experiences, and feedback, as well as some reflections from the instructors with a holistic perspective of the courses due to the adopted measures and adaptations. Six courses taught at civil engineering degrees of three universities, two from Spain and one from Peru, were analyzed. The teaching and evaluation strategies are described, and some reflections are made by comparing the student's performance with the previous course. Though the shift to online learning had to be made from day to day, with no time for preparation, the experience has proved that online learning can be beneficial in some aspects and has probably come to stay, although some other aspects are difficult to replace with respect to face-to-face learning, especially students' engagement and motivation. The significance of this study relies on a description of the challenges that arose due to the global public health and an assessment of the results of the implemented strategies to account for both teaching and evaluation in modules of civil engineering. After the acquired experience, new questions have arisen, e.g., what type of content is (and what is not) adequate or suitable for online exams? What features have come to stay? Has higher education taken a step forward to tomorrow's education?

With the unprecedented crisis created by the Coronavirus pandemic, online teaching and learning became a global solution - embraced by the whole world - that tried to cover, at least in part, in part the problems encountered by the educational systems. An exclusively online format of teaching and learning proved to be a challenge for both the didactic and the learning process. Although the extant research during the pandemic is very abundant, there are few approaches addressing the different perceptions reported by university students enrolled in various programs. This research aims to explore the usefulness of online learning as perceived by civil engineering students, from a multidimensional perspective. A multidimensional model has been developed that manifests on four dimensions: social usefulness of online lectures, the usefulness of online learning platform, learning effectiveness, and, usefulness for school performance. The results show a relatively low perception of the online learning usefulness in an exclusively online educational context, which disables active learning through hands-on experience in laboratory and real-life building sites (considering the regular study process). The model has been cross-validated on a sample of students enrolled in various educational programs then the differences between samples have been analyzed and discussed.

This paper shows a teaching experience related to the use of computed tomography in the teaching of concrete for undergraduate students of the civil engineering degree. This experience reveals that computed tomography is a powerful tool to facilitate the understanding of all those aspects related to the microstructure of concrete, thus facilitating comprehension of the correlation between the microstructure and its macroscopic response. In addition, students showed a greater motivation and interest in the subject, which promotes better academic learning. A pilot test was carried out to evaluate the viability of these practices and to analyze the teaching impact of this activity. The results show that students were very interested in the use of new technologies in teaching and, more particularly, in the use of computed tomography. The students satisfactorily received the project. A greater motivation of the students in the subject was also observed, which resulted in better grades when compared with those of previous courses. The results reveal that the average grade of the students rose by around 8%, and a higher percentage of students achieved higher scores when compared to the previous five years.

Due to the efficiency, sustainability, and advances in firefighting technologies, the allowable height for wood buildings was increased from 4 to 6 storeys in 2015 and will be further increased to 12 storeys in the 2020 edition of the National Building Code of Canada, as a result of the advent and application of mass timber products. To match the development in the industry and the increasing need in the market for highly skilled timber engineers, structural timber design curricula at the university level must evolve to train the next generation of practitioners. At most Canadian universities, structural timber design courses are mainly provided in civil engineering departments. In this study, 31 accredited civil engineering programs in Canada were reviewed for structural wood design content at undergraduate and graduate levels based on two surveys conducted in 2018 and 2020. In the 2018 survey, the percentage of structural timber design content was estimated and compared with other engineering materials (e.g., steel, concrete, and masonry), and a similar survey was repeated in 2020 to determine if any significant changes had occurred. In early 2021, two complementary questionnaires were sent to the instructors of timber-related courses across the country to collect quantitative information, including enrollment statistics, percentage dedicated to timber design in combined material courses, and potential topics deemed critical to support the design of modern timber structures. Based on the responses provided, and also on the availability of resources and the research ongoing, the content for five advanced-level courses is proposed to address the needs of the timber design community. The findings presented in this paper will assist the timber industry, government agencies, and educational institutions in effecting potential changes to university curricula to educate the next generation of timber design professionals who will possess the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the challenges in designing modern mass timber structures.

This research aims to find out the process of implementing field practices in Building Education Program of Faculty of Engineering at Medan State University. The implementation of field practice is one of the implementation of vocational education. Field practice activities for building education programs are conducted through observation and analysis of various problems in building and civil construction observation and analysis of various problems in building and civil construction work. The subjects of the study were students of Building Education Program of Faculty of Engineering at Medan State University who had conducted field practice as many as 34 people in 2019. Based on the results of research and discussion of the implementation of field practice in building education, it is necessary to improve, namely: (1) acceleration of completion, because the average length of field practice is 6.88 months; (2) acceleration of administration process such as correspondence; (3) implementation of field practice conducted during college holidays to be more efficient; (4) the focus of field practice report is quickly determined when guidance with each student; and (5) field practice exam materials around the student's written report. Overall, the results show that the implementation of field practice can improve competence and attitude towards the world of work especially in the field of construction. The implementation of field practice in Building Education Program still needs attention to prepare more competent graduates in the field of building and civil construction.

This study aimed to determine the views of thirty preservice preschool teachers recruited using convenience sampling on STEM education and engineering. Phenomenology was the design of choice. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Participants offered different definitions of STEM education and thought that it could have contributions in numerous aspects. They also remarked that preschool STEM education on civil and computer engineering skills made teachers better equipped. They mentioned designs and projects for preschool STEM education as well. However, they had the stereotypical image of engineering as a dirty job for men working in construction sites and carrying sand. Results suggest that preschool undergraduate education should integrate STEM activities and offer workshops and trainings to change preservice preschool teachers' misconceptions about engineering.

In the context of the man-made burden on the natural environment, the issues of developing civil engineering students' environmental awareness are important and particularly relevant to low environmental security countries, which include Ukraine. The authors emphasize the need for broad implementation of the Concept of Sustainable Development in professional training of civil engineering students, determine the level of their environmental awareness, compare the levels of formation of environmental awareness components, and pursue to identify effective ways to environmentalize engineering training. The study involved the students of Donbas National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture. The authors selected the semi-structured questionnaire method combining rating, Likert and importance scales, alternative and unstructured questions, as well as elements of the Azapagic and the Naturafil techniques. The results did not prove the formation level of the civil engineering students' environmental awareness to be unsatisfactory. It was also found that the civil engineering students have steady environmental beliefs and are willing to comply with environmental norms in their activities. This fact brought the authors to the conclusion that the current practice of higher technical education in Ukraine takes account of sustainable development. The level of the civil engineering students' environmental knowledge was also determined as sufficient, while their environmental activity and environmental management skills were seen as low. According to the authors, the use of integrated and practice-oriented approaches to teaching professional subjects and the introduction of environmental topics into general education subjects will contribute to strengthened environmentalization of professional training of civil engineers.

The usage of videos in undergraduate students' engineering education has gained importance in recent years. Videos, which are used as a supportive tool in traditional engineering education, have become a source of information in online learning environments. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of educational videos on engineering undergraduate students' laboratory applications and its examination of opinions developed within the scope of e-learning. For this purpose, the sample consisting of 50 undergraduate students from the civil engineering department has been used for this research. Pre-test and post-test process conducted within the scope of in this research were resulted in a meaningful difference after the analyses of Paired Samples t-Test (p=0.02) was made. This result shows that online learning platforms in engineering education and educational videos positively affect the students' attitude. In addition, it is found out that educational videos affect the learning process as a useful educational source. Moreover, the instructors' educational videos, which are Digital Learning Materials, positively impact the students' motivation during the courses.

This paper discusses recent updates and developments of computing-based courses in the civil engineering discipline. Competency in computing is one of the most important capabilities for university graduates to obtain given the rapid development of computer technology in professional work. Civil engineering is no exception. In fact, many contemporary civil engineering projects require a high degree of computing skills, ranging from performing basic office work to programming for decision support system application in controlling flood water gates to executing construction automation via digital printing technology. However, the curriculum content for computing in civil engineering has been developmentally stagnant in the past several decades. This could be partly due to learning outcomes for civil engineering graduates, which do not explicitly mention a certain degree of achievement with respect to computing skills. Several computing-based courses offered in various civil engineering programs across Saudi Arabia and the US were examined, and their contents were compared to recent survey results administered by the American Society of Civil Engineering Technical Committee on Computing and Information Technology. The discussion is extended by examining technical courses offered in the Civil Engineering Program in Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University with respect to computing skills. The outcomes of this study are expected to give input and suggestions for future upgrades of computing-based courses offered within the civil engineering curriculum.

This paper presents the experience of a group of Construction and Building Materials lecturers following the introduction of a new contest-based gamification activity aimed at improving interest and learning outcomes in the course. Students' motivation is of key importance in utilizing educational activities for study and learning in the subject. Evaluation is essential and, therefore, the proposed action makes it possible to earn an extra point in the continuous evaluation that contributes to passing the subject. The outcomes obtained in the first academic year in which this learning contest was implemented allow us to conclude that the activity had positive effects on motivation and the learning process, as well as on the number of students passing the subject. The students' opinion about the activity was very positive.

Conventional methods of teaching structural engineering topics focus on face-to-face delivery of course materials. This study shows that using video-based e-learning in delivering an undergraduate Structural Steel Design course satisfactorily achieved most of the course learning outcomes. Video-based e-learning with animations and simulations gives students a profound understanding of the course intricate design materials. To gauge the effectiveness of video-based e-learning of the course, an online evaluation was conducted by sixty-eight undergraduate students at the United Arab Emirates University using Blackboard. The evaluation consisted of an online survey that was accessible by students who took the structural steel design course in the academic year 2019 using instructional videos provided to them as Quick Response (QR)-codes. The structural steel design course has six learning outcomes (CLOs), and the performance of students in the six CLOs was compared with that of students who took the same course in the academic year 2018 using the traditional face-to-face lecturing method. The survey data was statistically analyzed, and the results revealed that students' performance improved, and most of the CLOs were attained. Video-based e-learning with animations resulted in better learning outcomes compared to face-to-face lecturing. Accessing the course instruction videos anytime and anywhere is one of the remarkable benefits to the students studying through the e-learning approach.

This paper presents the implementation of a learning methodology following a student-centred approach. The methodology is based on the use of project based and cooperative learning and mainly consists of commissioning students to prepare a presentation on a topic of their subject. Students work in groups, and later must deliver a real lecture to their colleagues. The proposed methodology was applied across 7 years and its implementation was monitored via day-to-day observations, annual surveys, the gathering of direct feedback as well as by analysing the students' academic performance. Results show the ability of the proposed learning methodology to enhance motivation and engagement of students, facilitate the improvement of four soft skills (team-working, practical thinking, effective communication and critical thinking), eliminate absenteeism and facilitate long-term retention of the knowledge and skills acquired in a subject.

This research aimed to develop the World Englishes instructional model to enhance students' listening comprehension of varieties of English. The student's needs analysis was conducted in the first step of the study to gather data concerning the needs, problems, and opinions on teaching and learning English listening. Thirty students participated in the needs assessment questionnaire data collection by answering alternative and open-ended questions. Three experts evaluated the model's quality was evaluated in terms of the consistency of its components and the appropriateness of its component descriptions. Based on the results of the needs assessment questionnaire and expert evaluation, three main elements--students' needs analysis, theoretical concepts, and course components of the World Englishes instructional model--were developed as instructional components comprising course objectives, course contents, media and materials, teaching strategies, and learning activities, as presented in this paper.

Engineering plays a crucial role in everyday life and is the backbone of growth and development of the world including Mauritius. To embrace development, higher education institutions have to ensure that students are equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the country. Unfortunately, data shows that there is an underlying gender disparity in civil engineering training in higher education. It is imperative to understand the causes of gender inequity in engineering in higher education. This paper summarises the findings obtained from in-depth critical individual conversations with three participants, which explored the under-representation of undergraduate female students in a civil engineering degree in a higher education institution in Mauritius. The aim was to find ways in which the recruitment of female students in higher education and advancement of women in the field of civil engineering can be achieved. The findings support the 'non-visibility' of civil engineering as a field to study by women and the need to fit in as an engineer by women. As a result of the research, recommendations were made to assist policy and decision makers to develop evidence-based policies to address gender inequity in engineering in higher education.

The demand for the Dongfeng Highway connecting Dongshi and Fengyuan, Taiwan, originates from a 7.3 ML earthquake disaster affecting residents' medical treatment and material transportation. The Dongfeng Highway route selection was identified as the socioscientific issues (SSI) and the Decision Factors Table and SageModeler (two representational modelling tools) were used to design a teaching module with two Generation-Evaluation-Modification modelling cycles. This study aims to explore the impacts of the Modelling-based SSI (M-SSI) teaching module on 23 preservice teachers' (PSTs) plans, factor dimensions, and quality of decision making. The results indicated that the PSTs focused on the original purpose of constructing the Dongfeng Highway; therefore, the Fengshi plan, which has advantages in safety, economy, and ecology, was chosen by most participants. Initially, PSTs focused only on 'relevance to the topic' factor and few relationships among other factors. However, they improved their decision quality by focusing on 'comparability and measurement' and 'sufficient evidence or justification' factors and more vertical relationships among factors after completing the module. Although the PSTs' horizontal relationships among factors still need to be strengthened, they demonstrated significant increases in factor, relationship, and overall scores with large effect sizes, indicating that the M-SSI teaching module can improve decision quality.