Teamwork Assessment in Construction Undergraduate Courses

Behnam Shadravan

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Construction Engineering Division (CONST) Technical Session 2
Tagged Division: Construction Engineering Division (CONST)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 19
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44031
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/44031
Download Count: 135

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Behnam Shadravan Florida A&M University

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Dr. Behnam Shadravan is an Associate Professor in the Division of Engineering Technology under the School of Architecture and Engineering Technology (SAET) at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). He serves as the Program Area Coordinator for the Construction Engineering Technology program. He earned his Bachelor's and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the Sharif University of Technology and a Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa, Canada. His background includes engineering, research, and teaching experience in Construction Management, Materials and Methods, and Structural, Civil, and Geotechnical Engineering. His research areas are Structural Resilience, Sustainable Construction Methods and Materials, Sustainable Development, Structural Retrofitting, Damage and Collapse Patterns, Soil Improvement Methods, and engineering education. He has a broad engineering experience in large and small-scale projects, including large dams, bridges, and buildings in different fields of Construction, geotechnical and structural engineering.

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Abstract

Teamwork skills are crucial for construction engineers and managers. So, undergraduate construction students need to gain high teamwork skills for their future job success. When the instructors assign teamwork activities to the students, assessing and evaluating the individual involvement and commitment to the group projects is a challenge. Generally, the students who are more dedicated and more concerned about their grades work harder, and the group work is not distributed justly among the group members. On the other hand, the individual whose background is weaker in one or more aspects of the project may not be permitted or not guided by the teammates to perform in the project. Indeed, the teammates believe that it takes longer for a weaker student to finalize the project. So, the project sometimes does not improve the students' weak abilities, knowledge, and teamwork capabilities. Teamwork skills are crucial for construction engineers and managers. So, undergraduate construction students must gain high teamwork skills for future job success. When the instructors assign teamwork activities to the students, assessing and evaluating the individual involvement and commitment to the group projects is challenging. Generally, the students who are more dedicated and concerned about their grades work harder, and the group work is not distributed justly among the group members. On the other hand, the individual whose background is weaker in one or more aspects of the project may not be permitted or not guided by the teammates to perform in the project. Indeed, the teammates believe that it takes longer for a weaker student to finalize the project. So, the project sometimes does not improve the students' weak abilities, knowledge, and teamwork capabilities. This research investigates the educator's methods at the undergraduate level for construction engineering technology to analyze, assess, evaluate, and resolve teamwork problems. In addition to a literature review of the experienced and reported methods, the author shares the teamwork assessment methods practiced for classes with an average number of more than sixteen students for junior and senior courses of Reinforced concrete I and II group projects, Surveying lab, and Soil Mechanics and labs courses. Peer assessment is discussed. The practice of making teams more inclusive is also explained. The strength and weaknesses of different methods are shared. The teamwork engagement methods are also investigated. This paper concludes with suggestions, methods, and challenges of the teamwork assessment. These methods can be helpful for the students and the teamwork assessment, particularly in the construction industry.

Citation
Format

Shadravan, B. (2023, June), Teamwork Assessment in Construction Undergraduate Courses Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44031

TY - CPAPER
AB - Teamwork skills are crucial for construction engineers and managers. So, undergraduate construction students need to gain high teamwork skills for their future job success. When the instructors assign teamwork activities to the students, assessing and evaluating the individual involvement and commitment to the group projects is a challenge. Generally, the students who are more dedicated and more concerned about their grades work harder, and the group work is not distributed justly among the group members. On the other hand, the individual whose background is weaker in one or more aspects of the project may not be permitted or not guided by the teammates to perform in the project. Indeed, the teammates believe that it takes longer for a weaker student to finalize the project. So, the project sometimes does not improve the students&#39; weak abilities, knowledge, and teamwork capabilities.
Teamwork skills are crucial for construction engineers and managers. So, undergraduate construction students must gain high teamwork skills for future job success. When the instructors assign teamwork activities to the students, assessing and evaluating the individual involvement and commitment to the group projects is challenging. Generally, the students who are more dedicated and concerned about their grades work harder, and the group work is not distributed justly among the group members. On the other hand, the individual whose background is weaker in one or more aspects of the project may not be permitted or not guided by the teammates to perform in the project. Indeed, the teammates believe that it takes longer for a weaker student to finalize the project. So, the project sometimes does not improve the students&#39; weak abilities, knowledge, and teamwork capabilities.
This research investigates the educator&#39;s methods at the undergraduate level for construction engineering technology to analyze, assess, evaluate, and resolve teamwork problems. In addition to a literature review of the experienced and reported methods, the author shares the teamwork assessment methods practiced for classes with an average number of more than sixteen students for junior and senior courses of Reinforced concrete I and II group projects, Surveying lab, and Soil Mechanics and labs courses.
Peer assessment is discussed. The practice of making teams more inclusive is also explained. The strength and weaknesses of different methods are shared. The teamwork engagement methods are also investigated.
This paper concludes with suggestions, methods, and challenges of the teamwork assessment. These methods can be helpful for the students and the teamwork assessment, particularly in the construction industry.

AU - Behnam Shadravan
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Teamwork Assessment in Construction Undergraduate Courses
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/44031
DO - 10.18260/1-2--44031
ER -