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High Impact-Practices (HIPs) have been found to improve student engagement and retention, increase civic engagement, and enhance learning outcomes. Research on HIPs shows that combining multiple HIPs into a course, also known as hybrid HIPs, are more impactful than individual HIPs, and that community engagement and service-learning pedagogies are especially impactful when combined with other HIPs. The purpose of this study was to assess whether different levels of hybrid HIP combinations produced similar or different outcomes for students, as assessed by reciprocal learning. The courses included in this study were a study abroad course and two comparison courses within one department, which employed different levels of hybrid HIPs, such as collaborative assignments, service-learning, reflections, active learning, and project-based learning. Social Network Analysis (SNA) was used to evaluate three types of social ties (communication, social support, and learning) in these three courses. The results show that careful design and integration of multiple HIPs in the study abroad course produced markedly denser and more integrated communication and social support networks than the other courses. In addition, the study abroad class developed a learning network with high levels of reciprocal learning. This study contributes to the field of higher education in two ways: (a) expands the evidence-base for the robust learning outcomes produced by hybrid HIPs and (b) demonstrates that HIPs have to be planned within courses. Finally, integrating high-level learning objectives and pedagogies, regardless of whether or not the course type is considered as a HIP, will enable the 'gold standard' to be applied to all the different course types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highway downgrades for heavy trucks generate a potential safety risk and disruption for truck drivers and other road users. Emergency escape ramps (EER) are the standard method of accommodating runaway trucks in the downgrade sections of highways. The aging EER infrastructure, along with the increasing number of truck incidents in mountainous highways, creates the need for research into best practices for improving the performance of EERs. The research approach of this study consists of a multi-methods design, including a review of the literature, appraisal of incident reports from a mountain state DOT during the last decade, field observations and aggregate analysis at four EERs along a heavily transited mountain interstate, and evaluation of interstate stakeholder perceptions via focus group, surveys, and interviews. The product of this research is a series of recommendations to improve EER performance, operations, and maintenance practices. These practices can help sustain a highway system, which effectively and safely moves people and freight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of building information modeling (BIM) is well established in architecture, engineering and construction. However, previous studies note a lack of BIM expertise in academia, leading to slow adoption and limited knowledge on which to base BIM-related content. To improve course development, it is important to understand students' perceptions of BIM-related subject matter. This study exposed estimating students (n = 214) to a model-based quantity takeoff (QTO) tutorial using Revit. Students' perceptions of a Revit-based BIM's usefulness for easily providing reliable and accurate material quantities were measured using a pre-test, tutorial and post-test design. Results revealed significant differences in students' mean levels of agreement that an accurate QTO is completed for an estimator with the click of a button when a design team generated BIM model is available. Results also revealed significant differences in students' level of agreement that a Revit-based BIM makes performing QTO by hand obsolete. This study provides educators' insight into students' perceptions of BIM use in QTO. Understanding student perceptions is paramount for construction management educators when designing a course and attempting to convey the value of foundational estimating skills while acknowledging the existence of more technologically advance estimating methods. Limitations and opportunities for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaboration skills are increasingly necessary to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving, complex, and multi-disciplinary construction workforce. As these skills are being called upon more explicitly in the construction industry and other higher education settings, need exists for a deeper understanding of how construction education can provide graduates with collaborative skills. However, classroom activities incorporating collaborations skills—communication, conflict resolution, decision-making, or problem solving—tend to be underrepresented in many construction classes. This research documents and analyzes two teaching activities developed and implemented by the authors where students work in teams in different learning environments to perform explicit tasks. Team performance was recorded, along with student self-assessments. Piloting such activities provides valuable lessons learned that highlight the role of performance metrics, team diversity, learning environment, and observation and assessment in collaborative learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]