Developing And Delivering An Online Course In Construction Estimating
- Conference
- Location
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Austin, Texas
- Publication Date
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June 14, 2009
- Start Date
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June 14, 2009
- End Date
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June 17, 2009
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Continuing Professional Development
- Page Count
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10
- Page Numbers
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14.453.1 - 14.453.10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--5806
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/5806
- Download Count
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497
Paper Authors
Zhili (Jerry) Gao North Dakota State University
Dr. Gao is an Assistant Professor of Construction Management & Engineering at North Dakota State University. He can be reached at the Department of Construction Management & Engineering, P.O. Box 6050, Dept 2475
Fargo, ND 58108-6050, 701-231-8857,
jerry.gao@ndsu.edu.
Zhi GE North Dakota State University
Dr. Ge is an Assistant Professor of Construction Management & Engineering at North Dakota State University. He can be reached at the Department of Construction Management & Engineering, P.O. Box 6050, Dept 2475
Fargo, ND 58108-6050, 701-231-8822,
zhi.ge@ndsu.edu.
Charles McIntyre North Dakota State University
Charles McIntyre is on the faculty of the Department of Construction
Management and Engineering at North Dakota State University. He
received his Ph.D. from Penn State in 1996. As an active member of the
North Midwest Section of ASEE, Dr. McIntyre is currently the Chair of
the North Midwest Section and the Campus Representative at NDSU, as well
as, the Chair Elect of ASEE Zone III. As a Campus Rep he has won number
awards for recruiting and retaining faculty for membership in ASEE. He
has several ASEE publications in the areas of active and cooperative
learning. At NDSU he is very active in a number of pedagogical
programs, including the Teaching Academy, the Mentor Program, and the
Peer Review of Teaching Program. He is the recipient of the "Robert
Odney Excellence in Teaching Award" and the "Peltier Award for
Innovative Teaching."
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Developing and Delivering an Online Course in Construction Estimating
Abstract
Because of an increase in demand from students for online courses in construction management and engineering, North Dakota State University has recently launched a fully online Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Construction Management. While an online program can expand opportunities for faculty to use new course delivery methods, the benefits are primarily for the students. It allows nontraditional students to take classes at their convenience while retaining their full-time jobs and maintaining their commitments to family and community. This paper reports the process and results of the development and delivery of an online construction estimating course. The major components of this paper include the hardware and software used to develop and deliver an online estimating course as well as the lessons learned. Some snapshots of the course delivery are included in the paper. The student rating responses for this course are discussed, in general, as well. It is expected that this paper can provide some useful information for construction education programs which are migrating toward the distance education environment.
Introduction
In the past several years, the enrollment in the construction management program has significantly increased at North Dakota State University (NDSU). The class size and faculty teaching loads have exceeded acceptable limits. The growth of facilities and resources has lagged behind the growth of student numbers. On the other hand, more and more students, who have full/part time jobs, are expecting a more flexible class schedule that can complement their schedules. Having noticed the above situation and student demands, a group of faculty members have been trying to shift from an instructor-centered to a student-centered teaching philosophy. One of the most important tools for implementing this philosophy is use of innovative technology. Gradually, although controversy does exists (some senior faculty members choose to stay with their traditional in-class lecture delivery), web-based online teaching becomes an integrated part of the program. Research showed that the online teaching is one of most interesting teaching methods that is growing rapidly.1, 2, 3
Based on the previously noted issues, NDSU has recently launched a fully online M. S. degree in Construction Management. Meanwhile, some undergraduate courses were selected, as well, for online lecture delivery in order to best utilize the online teaching resources in conjunction with the Master program. An online program allows nontraditional students to take classes at their convenience while retaining their full-time jobs and maintaining their commitments to family and community. Among a set of courses required by curriculum, construction estimating was one of the most challenging courses for online delivery due to its complexity, hands-on approach of learning, and group work requirements. This paper reports the process, results, and lessons learned from developing and delivering an online construction estimating course during summer and fall semesters in 2008.
Gao, Z. J., & GE, Z., & McIntyre, C. (2009, June), Developing And Delivering An Online Course In Construction Estimating Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5806
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