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Sustainability education becomes a crucial approach to help next generation construction managers and civil engineers to address the need to reconcile between the rapid resource depletion and economic development in the built environment. As educators strive to prepare future professionals for the evolving demands of sustainability in the construction industry, a better understanding of the current landscape of sustainability education in higher education becomes necessary. This entails recognizing the diverse perceptions and interpretations held by construction management and civil engineering (CM/CE) faculty regarding the essential elements of sustainability, as they influence students' understanding and are also carried forward into students' future professional careers. The authors used a qualitative research approach to characterize the concept of sustainability in its rudimentary form. We collected individual faculty members' definitions of sustainability by conducting semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, grounded theory analysis (GTA) was used to analyze interview transcripts, aiming to unveil patterns and trends that then form a theory-like conclusion. Through this inductive qualitative approach, the authors developed the CM/CE Sustainability Definition Framework (SDF), comprising durability, resource efficiency, meeting societal needs, and minimizing environmental impacts. This paper demonstrates how GTA can be used as an effective qualitative research methodology for CM/CE education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Iranian universities offer English for specific purposes (ESP) courses extensively, there are plenty of challenges in the process of teaching the courses. Drawing on multiple methods, this study explored what 5 civil-engineering ESP instructors, 5 company engineers, and 10 students expected to be included in their language courses suitable for workplace-specific requirements. It used multiple sources of data, including semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, field notes, and focus group discussions. Analysis of data showed that in addition to proficiency in general English, civil engineers need to discuss technical issues, attend conferences and seminars, read or write specific genres, and communicate orally, all of which require knowledge of both general and technical English. However, university programs are not specifically designed according to students' specialized needs. This study contributes to the importance of needs-based curriculum development pertinent to engineering English challenges and highlights the significance of tailor-made language instruction. Furthermore, ESP educators, policy makers, course planners, and other stakeholders can take advantage of needs-based resources to help engineering students solve problems pertinent to their specialization. • Workplace written genres were found to be emails, project documents, and reports. • Engineers emphasized all four English skills to accomplish job-related tasks. • Instructors pointed to the discrepancy between ESP books and actual language use. • Engineers considered English language as a tool to obtain employment opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunities to improve students' civil engineering skills for Industry 4.0 and train them for potential challenges in their professional careers go beyond industry sponsorship of capstone design projects. Students and faculty can benefit from industry mentors' involvement who can use their expertise in addressing design problems and are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with students. Practicing engineers have a relevant, realistic, real-world viewpoint on their subject and reinforce their relevance to professional engineering practices. Students benefit tremendously from working on real-world problems of interest to industry, business, company-specific project management, product creation processes, and experience with financial, legal, and regulatory design constraints. This paper offers an overview of the multidisciplinary capstone design course in the civil engineering curriculum in Jordan and highlights relevant practices. It provides valuable guidance for incorporating Industry 4.0 skills into the teaching of capstone design courses to deal with challenges related to the context of digital transformation. The paper concludes that industry integration in engineering curriculum can generate multi-skilled and competent engineers with essential cognitive skills such as creativity, complex information processing, and lifelong learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the built environment, different types of disciplines, such as architects, civil engineers, and construction (AEC), overlap in professional services. A similar overlap also happens at the university, with architects and civil engineers teaching in construction management-type programs. Academic unit affiliation (i.e., architecture, engineering, or construction management) marks a difference in the requirements for educator terminal degrees, teaching load, and research requirements. Further, there are differences in the discipline-specific coursework (lectures, laboratories, and/or studios) of the different disciplines. These differences may impact educators' perspectives about the online learning environment (OLE). Thus, this paper summarizes the findings of a research project focused on determining how program discipline affiliation differences affect educator perspectives for OLE. A survey methodology was utilized where an online Qualtrics survey was disseminated to AEC educators to determine their concerns about delivering online courses, lectures, design studios, and laboratory-type courses. Since the data collected were qualitative, the framework for analysis of qualitative data for construction and engineering disciplines was used. This research determined that department or program affiliation impacted perceptions of educators and identified a significant difference in perceptions between the two educator groups. This includes differences between educators' concerns and perceptions about which courses cannot be taught online. Practical Applications: There is a distinct difference in coursework delivery between architecture/architectural engineering/architectural engineering technology disciplines and civil engineering/construction management. As higher education identifies how it will adjust in the future to unforeseen events mandating transitions to online learning, the distinct differences between teaching the closely related disciplines of architectural engineering and civil engineering should be addressed. Recommendations include identifying alternate student engagement for exogenous circumstances that result in school closures. These results further identify differences intrinsic to different engineering faculty based on their accreditation types: ABET-EAC, ABET-ETAC, ABET-ANSAC, ACCE, or other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, water utilities have relied on tried-and-true practices in the design and operation of their infrastructure, tapping new resources and expanding networks as needed. However, as the effects of climate change and/or urbanization increasingly impact both water supply and demand, utilities need new, holistic planning and management approaches. Integrated planning approaches must account for changing policies, technological progress, and unique, setting-specific operating conditions. Based on this notion, an international web seminar with faculty, researchers, and students from nine universities across five continents was conducted. In the 3-month seminar, participants were split into groups and tasked with developing future-proof, sustainable water management solutions for fictitious settings with unique resource availability, climate change predictions, demographic, and socioeconomic constraints. The goal of the seminar was to combine participants' unique perspectives to tackle challenges in developing future water infrastructure, while forming lasting relationships. Water management concepts became more daring or "out-of-the-box" as the seminar progressed. Most groups opted for a holistic approach, optimizing existing infrastructure, integrating decentralized water management, furthering digitization, and fostering the adoption of innovative policy and planning strategies. To gauge their impact on the evolution of ideas, group dynamics and communication were observed throughout the seminar. As a result, the findings serve not only as a compendium of ideas and concepts for holistic design in the water sector, but also facilitate international collaboration, improve communication in cross-cultural teams or guide the development of training programs in water management for researchers, professional engineers, or water utilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to determine the influence of Mobile learning (M-learning) technologies based on the gender orientation of vocational education construction trade trainees in Pakistan. Additionally, it explores the challenges associated with integrating M-learning technologies in vocational institutions of civil engineering. Further, this study will focus on the solutions to improve the accessibility of M-learning technologies after the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative method with a survey research design has been adopted in this study. In contrast, the target population was the trainees of vocational education institutions of civil engineering in Pakistan. Further, the data was collected using an adapted survey tool with a five-point Likert scale. Similarly, the data were analyzed through SPSS 27 software tool by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: The study's findings highlighted a positive influence of M-learning technologies based on the gender orientation of construction trade trainees from vocational institutions. Similarly, it is also specified that the challenges vocational trainees of the construction trade have faced while utilizing M-learning technologies were related. Hence, it is evident that the potential challenges of M-learning technologies integration and utilization are related to both gender orientations during a postpandemic situation in Pakistan. Practical implications: In the Pakistani context, the M-learning technologies approach is recently introduced in the vocational education sector. Therefore, the utilization and integration of M-learning technologies are considered challenging tasks in the context. In this regard, this study helps to understand the acceptance, challenges and impact of M-learning technologies based on gender orientation among vocational institutions trainees of construction trade in Pakistan. Originality/value: This study not only refers to the impact of M-learning technologies and their challenges but also highlights the current situation of M-learning in Pakistan, particularly construction engineering trainees in vocational education institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the utility of ChatGPT, a state‐of‐the‐art language model developed by Open AI, in the context of civil engineering education. To achieve this objective, 44 civil engineering students from a large state university in the United States were recruited and asked to respond to three questions pertaining to Construction Surveying and Geomatics. The students were then introduced to ChatGPT and provided with guidelines on how the platform could be utilized for educational purposes, including obtaining answers to questions like those presented to them earlier. The students were then given the opportunity to leverage ChatGPT to obtain responses to questions they had been presented with earlier and any other related queries of interest. Subsequently, the students were asked to provide written responses to the same questions they were presented with earlier, but without access to ChatGPT or its response, to assess any knowledge gains. The investigation also captured the student's acceptance and perceived usability based on their experience of using ChatGPT. The findings indicated that the student's written responses were more thorough, detailed, and informative after utilizing ChatGPT. The results also revealed that ChatGPT was largely well‐received by the students and they held a positive perception of the AI platform. The findings can inform efforts targeted at successfully integrating AI tools for civil engineering education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of civil engineering course education on civil engineers is profound and crucial. Due to the hierarchical and ambiguous nature of quality assessment for flipped classroom teaching, there is an urgent demand for a rational and effective approach to conduct such assessments. This would enable the targeted formulation of instructional improvement methods based on assessment outcomes, ultimately elevating the quality of pedagogy. This study combines the analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy evaluation method. The fuzzy evaluation method is utilized to identify four primary evaluation factor sets, fourteen secondary judgment factor sets, and five evaluation outcome sets, with subsequent quantification of the assessment results. The analytic hierarchy process is employed to ascertain the weight coefficients of the evaluation factors. The comprehensive assessment model for flipped classroom teaching quality is established. The assessment results indicate that the overall quality of flipped classroom teaching in the civil engineering major at Anhui University of Science and Technology, conducted through the platform of Superstar Learning Hub, falls within the ‘Good’ category. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation score for extracurricular learning quality is the lowest, and the weight proportion attributed to flipped classroom infrastructure is the highest. Consequently, several targeted improvement measures are proposed to enhance the quality of flipped classroom teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a historical overview of the Journal of Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems (CEES) from its inception in 1983 to the present day. It highlights the increasing complexity of civil engineering practice and the emergence of the systems approach as crucial to the field. The article also mentions various special issues of the journal that cover a diverse range of topics, including water resources, decision making, sustainability, and climate change. The passing of the baton from one editor to another is discussed, as well as the future direction of the journal. The article concludes with two contrasting perspectives on the role of systems thinking in addressing global challenges and averting crises. [Extracted from the article]

Mechanics of materials courses are important and very challenging basic professional courses in civil engineering. The peer learning method is student-centered and has been widely applied in engineering education. This paper proposes many original insights into concrete ways to apply peer learning in a mechanics of materials course, which can provide guidance or inspiration for similar courses. A quasi experimental research method. final examination scores. psychological scales, and structured interviews were used to conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses on the benefits of peer learning to the undergraduate civil engineering students (N = 61). The results indicated significant differences between the experimental and control classes in terms of improved academic performance, psychological scores, and character. Specifically, the experimental class improved significantly in terms of final examination scores, deep approach. critical thinking, soft bullying, social avoidance, teamwork, etc. Thus, peer learning in a mechanics of materials course can effectively improve students' academic, character, mental health and satisfaction benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] Masonry architecture combines science and art, promoting architectural diversity and culture. The requirement of green and low-carbonization of new town construction provides a new opportunity for developing masonry structures. Masonry structure is an essential professional course in civil engineering education, with the compression of unreinforced masonry being an important part of this course. Masonry is a material that combines brick and mortar. Illustrating masonry failure subjected to compression can help students comprehend the concept of the stress contribution of combined materials, which is vital in the design and reinforcement of masonry structures. [Methods] Discrete element simulation has become an essential supplement to practical teaching and has been increasingly used because of its economy, reproducibility, whole-process illustration, and ability to obtain micromechanical data. To facilitate students' comprehension of the contribution of brick and mortar to bearing external forces, we established brick and mortar clusters and then simulated brick masonry using the discrete element method. Uniaxial and localized compression were conducted on the numerical brick masonry, with the stress-strain relationship, masonry failure mode, bond contact breakage, and the contribution of contact forces to stress analyzed. [Results] The numerical simulation replicates the failure modes of masonry and the corresponding stress-strain relationships under compression. When the masonry is uniaxially and locally compressed, the axial stress reaches its peak value and decreases rapidly, followed by a slow decrease. When the bond strength of the mortar is 30 MPa, under uniaxial compression, the mortar in horizontal and vertical joints is first damaged, subsequent brick-brick bond breakages lead to the splitting of the bricks, and the cracks continue to expand, causing the blocks to break. Thus, many blocks are extruded, and a diagonal shear band appears. In localized compression, failure occurs primarily within a depth range of twice the compression width. Obvious cracks develop in the weak zones on both sides of the compression zone, and the width of the cracks increases rapidly and extends vertically downward. In uniaxial and localized compression, mortar-mortar and brick-mortar bonds break first before reaching the peak stress. These bonds break quickly at the peak stress, while brick-brick bonds only begin to break quickly after the peak stress. The mortar primarily serves to connect the bricks and does not bear the external forces directly. For brick-brick contacts, brick-mortar contacts, and mortar-mortar contacts, the normal contact forces contribute more than the tangential forces to the axial stress. [Conclusions] This study included the introduction of discrete element modeling, uniaxial and localized loading, variations in the number of bonds, and the contribution of contacts to the axial stress. A pedagogical application of these findings was also explored. By combining macro-and microanalysis, students can comprehend that the macromechanical performance of masonry is influenced by the microstructure and micromechanics of the bricks and mortar. They can also recognize the advantages and disadvantages of the discrete element simulation method. Pedagogical application can enhance students' understanding of the mechanism of force transmission and the strength of masonry. This result can further improve students' ability to conceptualize masonry structure design and reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the construction industry's digital transformation processes are challenging civil engineering education. In general, students and society underestimate the civil engineering field as an outdated and archaic knowledge area. Despite the defragmentation and heterogeneity of the sector, advances have been made on the path for Construction 4.0 and 5.0 scenarios. From this perspective, the CONSTRUCT-Gequaltec group of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto have been sponsoring research and technological development using hardware and software targeting construction management solutions. This paper presents the work in progress mainly connected to the curricular units regarding project management in the Construction Section of the Civil Engineering Department. It also targets assumptions of some expected results across the research and innovation priorities from ECTP Innovative Built Environment and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Two fundamental elements of the teaching practices are presented as the Construction Sites of the Future (Laboratory-Based Education initiative) and Digital products catalogue targeting Digital Twins in Construction (Project Based Learning initiative). The learning outcomes address increasing knowledge of innovative solutions, delivering skills to deploy 5.0 actions, and targeting human-centred and sustainable attitudes and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abrupt switch from face-to-face (F2F) learning to online distance learning (ODL) was implemented in the heights of the Covid-19 pandemic in conjunction with the movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia. The questionnaire survey was conducted primarily to assess the preparedness, participation and needs of student for continuous improvement purpose in a civil engineering program of a Malaysian public university. Cross-tabulation of the survey results uncover rich insights into student background, circumstance and learning behavior. Students' acceptance and adaptability are governed by many factors, amongst others, admission qualification, credit loading, attention received, study-work balance and finances. Socio-economy drawback is a major hindrance to a fraction of students to fully benefit from ODL implementation. Students may be more concern over results and graduation rather than actual understanding. Hence, higher educators have a challenging task to improve on effective online teaching and learning. Equally important is the emotional and psychological support to maintain student motivation and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent skills surveys of engineering graduates have highlighted a deficit in critical thinking among graduates. A possible solution to this is to increase the number of hands-on exercises in the curriculum. This could be carried out through the integration of 3D learning tools, specifically a virtual reality (VR) program, to effectively teach civil engineering practical studies and allow repeatable and measurable exercises for students. This study aims to assess the suitability of the VR program as an additional resource alongside existing learning exercises or a substitute for hands-on experiments when needed. The methodology involved creating a VR program, compatible with VR headsets to replicate an engineering experiment, namely the loading of a concrete beam to observe its failure. Students' understanding of the virtual experiment was evaluated through end-of-experiment questions. The findings indicate that the VR learning tool was successful in enhancing students' understanding of the civil engineering experiment. The immersive and interactive nature of VR contributed to a solid grasp of the concepts presented, proving its potential as a valuable educational resource. By leveraging VR technology, educational institutions can provide an engaging and effective alternative to traditional laboratory sessions, ensuring uninterrupted and high-quality learning experiences for civil engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-university cooperation has always been a desideratum of higher education institutions. It has developed at a slower or faster pace, for different reasons, depending on the era. Gradually, this cooperation has become more complex, giving rise to a new concept - the internationalisation of higher education. Supported by the development of technology and the increasing liberalisation of borders, cooperation in education has evolved from bilateral agreements to consortia of universities and eventually to European universities. Created at the initiative of the European Commission in 2017, European Universities are transnational alliances that over the last four years have brought about a paradigm shift in inter-university cooperation. This paper aims to discuss the participation of the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest (UTCB) in a European consortium, and its contribution to internationalisation at the institutional level. We will try to identify the advantages of being a member of this alliance, as well as the difficulties encountered throughout the cooperation and the means to overcome them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the industrial revolution, the civil engineers who created a built environment for a civilisation that is based on fossil fuel have been admired. For over 250 years, engineers have been educated and trained for the 'upslope' of using ever more resources to fuel engineering needs. However, there is now an urgent requirement to enter an era that is an order of magnitude shorter, and which is on the steep 'downslope' towards net-zero carbon dioxide by 2050 or earlier. The difference between what it meant to be an engineer on the upslope and what it means to be engineer on the downslope is colossal. The first step for all educators is to realise this, to embrace it and to be part of the solution by instilling a downslope mentality in engineering students. The Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) has recently reviewed and updated its guidelines for universities. It has placed the climate emergency central to the education of future civil engineers. This paper describes the background to, and details of, the changes made by the JBM. Given that creativity is enhanced through these additional challenges, what could possibly be more exciting for today's engineering students than knowing that they will lead the profession in achieving massive reductions in emissions, to the benefit of all humanity? The JBM, and society, require of civil engineering education that this ambition is fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major focus of teaching and learning in undergraduate civil engineering is the enhancement of student performance. Feedback is vital for the improvement of students' performance. However, relatively few studies were conducted specifically to establish the relationship between feedback and student performance in engineering education, especially in civil engineering. Also, the impact of feedback on performance has not been explicitly measured in engineering education. The context of two undergraduate civil engineering subjects at a University of Technology (UoT) in South Africa was used in this study to examine whether feedback to students on their work enhances performance, to what extent it improves performance and what kinds of feedback are more influential. Case-study analyses of the performance of students were conducted and a perception survey was administered to the students, followed by relevant statistical analyses. Findings suggested that students' performance is likely to improve with structured and constructive feedback. Although both oral and structured written feedback were found independently statistically significant with enhanced students' performance, the combination of both oral and structured written feedback is most influential. This study contributes to establishing the relationship between feedback and student performance and the comparative impact of different types of feedback on student performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents the results of the implementation of a model-eliciting activity called Brickyards, designed to promote the learning of the binomial distribution. The theoretical framework used was the Models and Modeling Perspective, and the participants were undergraduate students enrolled in a probability and statistics course of the Bachelor Civil Engineering Program at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. The activity was refined during three semesters, and here we report the models generated by the students in the fourth implementation. In the first stage of the activity of this implementation, students proposed wrong solutions, which were based on ideas of proportionality and linear thinking. The activity was designed to inhibit these types of solutions and to encourage students to realize when they are dealing with a random phenomenon, and that they need a probability distribution to solve the activity. The students used RStudio software to calculate probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through funding from the National Science Foundation to create a Research Experience for Teachers site at North Dakota State University, the authors provided summer research experiences to current secondary (6th to 12th grade) educators to improve their understanding of the civil engineering field and develop new curriculum modules for their classrooms. Reflection of the first summer program in 2021 highlighted several modifications that could be made to improve the quality of the program and curriculum developed, increase the accessibility to underserved and/or underrepresented populations and to better utilize the limited resources available. This paper summarizes the successes of the RET program and provides several concrete recommendations for future programs. Specifically, recruiting of both teachers and faculty could be more effective when personal communications through known contacts are used. Flexibility in the approach without compromising rigor and expectations allows for a more inclusive program that supports underserved and marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In civil engineering education, hand‐drawn sketches of structural systems are commonly used for response analysis. Based on these sketches, students may determine the response of the structures either by hand calculations or via some specialized software through the construction of finite‐element models. The former method is prone to errors, while the latter method could be time‐consuming for inexperienced students. It would be convenient if the information within the hand‐drawn sketches could be automatically converted into computer‐recognizable objects for further structural analysis. To address this issue, a novel method entitled Image‐based Structural Analysis (ISA) is proposed as a proof of concept to determine the response of a linear‐elastic structure directly from the image of a hand‐drawn sketch. A selective search algorithm and a deep convolutional neural network are adopted to detect relevant objects in the images. Based on the bounding boxes and the classes of the objects, a finite element model is constructed for further structural response analysis. This study demonstrates the proposed ISA method via several hand‐drawn beams under loadings. Results show that the proposed method, which consists of a combination of artificial intelligence and semantic rules, can produce, and analyze structural models from hand‐drawn sketches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this research were (1) to assess the appropriateness, (2) to study the learning achievement, and (3) to study the satisfaction of learners of the flipped-classroom model combined with online cooperative learning in the Soil Mechanics Laboratory. The research sample are 56 students enrolled in Soil Mechanics Laboratory, semester 1/2021, Civil Engineering and Education Program; Department of Teacher Training in Civil Engineering; Faculty of Technical Education; King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok. There were five experts in content and another 10 in education. The tools used in the research were online lessons and a learning achievement test. Another tool included a student satisfaction questionnaire with a flipped-classroom model combined with online cooperative learning. The statistics used in the research were percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results showed (1) the overall suitability of the flipped-classroom model combined with online cooperative learning was at a high level of 4.30/5.00, (2) the overall mean exercise/quiz scores (E1/E2) of learning achievement with a flipped-classroom model combined with online cooperative learning were 85.18/81.01 (100), and (3) the overall learner satisfaction with the flipped-classroom model combined with online cooperative learning was at the highest level of 4.56/5.00. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results obtained from the execution of the project called "Characterization of stone material banks for the preparation of concrete in the cities of Tepic and Xalisco, Nayarit", developed by the academic group "Education and Innovation in Civil Engineering" of the Instituto Tecnológico de Tepic. This project was developed financed by PRODEP in the 2019 Strengthening of Academic Bodies program. The results of the analyzes carried out on the material banks registered in the Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural of Nayarit state government are presented, which were contacted to invite them to participate in the project. Analysis of?" sands and gravels were carried out, additionally a concrete design was carried out with the results obtained to verify the behavior of the materials in their final form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the importance of the Professional Profile Map (PPM) in the context of architecture and civil engineering education. It acknowledges the dynamic nature of these fields due to technological advancements and evolving industry practices, emphasizing the need for professionals who possess practical skills in addition to academic knowledge. The PPM is introduced as a valuable tool that acts as a bridge between academia and industry by defining the essential knowledge, skills, and competencies (KSC) required for success in these professions. Furthermore, the paper discusses the role of the PPM in Erasmus+ projects, highlighting its ability to facilitate customization and adaptability in education. It encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, practical experience, and employability enhancement, aligning with the goals of Erasmus+ projects. A case study from the TAB4BUILDING project illustrates how the PPM was used to identify KSC related to the use of Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) in construction. The PPM's role in harmonizing educational programs across different countries and promoting international collaboration is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the South African context, there are perennial curriculum reforms of technical subjects, for example civil technology, which is offered from grade 10 to 12 at secondary school level. Amidst these curriculum reforms there is a shortage of technical curriculum advisors to capacitate teachers for the implementation of the revised curricula and a paucity of studies on how to enhance pedagogical capital. This undermines teachers' efforts in giving learners adequate industrial skills. In this conceptual study, we learn that teachers are now having autonomy to prepare, implement and assess the self-made Practical Assessment Task (PAT) without close pedagogical guidance from their stakeholders. As such, this conceptual study brings strategies that will assist teachers in maximising their pedagogical capital to cope with the recent curriculum change. This study found that indeed there are far too many expectations that civil technology teachers must accomplish before their learners can be adequately equipped with hands-on skills. A pedagogical capital framework was proposed to assist curriculum advisors and implementors to engage positively with PAT whilst upholding a global quality standard. This study recommends that the proposed framework could be applied to other technical subjects like engineering graphics and design, electrical technology and mechanical technology as they are faced with similar pedagogical challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anders Ekbom, the Editor of the Journal of Internal Medicine (JIM), passed away at the age of 76 after battling cancer. He was a dedicated member of the JIM team for over 19 years and continued his work until his last days. Ekbom had a diverse background, studying theology, law, economics, and eventually switching to medical school. He had a successful career as a gastrointestinal surgeon and became interested in epidemiological research. His important contributions include studies on colorectal cancer in inflammatory bowel disease and the role of inflammation in carcinogenesis. Ekbom's unique personality, critical thinking skills, and sense of humor contributed to his success. He served in various positions at the Karolinska Institutet and the Karolinska University Hospital, including Vice President. Ekbom joined JIM as an Editor in 2006 and was highly respected for his knowledge and ability to make difficult decisions. His wisdom and contributions were crucial to the success of JIM. [Extracted from the article]

Sustainability tools should be taught to civil engineers to make the most sustainable engineering decisions in projects. This study is conducted mainly to compare the application of the sustainability approach in civil engineering education in Iran and some developed countries. In this study, the investigated factors are measured using the comparative-descriptive method. In this regard, the importance of sustainability education is discussed in addition to examining the views of domestic and foreign professional organizations. Besides, some solutions for sustainability education in civil engineering are provided by describing sustainability education topics in some world-class universities and comparing them with the approved civil engineering education program in Iran. Studies show that the educational programs of the country's higher education centres can be revised in some aspects to teach sustainability concepts. Sustainability concepts should be taught operationally by modifying and updating teaching methods and connecting students with industry and knowledge-based companies. In this way, students will get the necessary preparation to apply these concepts in the design, construction, and operation of civil infrastructure after passing the relevant courses. The quality of teaching sustainability tools and concepts can be improved by using interactive and encouraging approaches and group activities of civil students and engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally and through the evolution of the Public Procurement acquis, works contracts subsidised directly by more than 50% by Member States could fall within the scope of the Works Directive.1 Works that were not subsidised directly, or for less than 50%, fell outside of this anti-circumvention provision. Not all subsidised works fall within the scope of public procurement regulation: only civil engineering works, such as the construction of roads, bridges and railways, as well as building work for hospitals; facilities intended for sports, recreation and leisure; and university buildings and buildings used for administrative purposes are referred to as 'subsidised works contracts'.2 That list was exhaustive. The Works Directive did not apply to works contracts which are declared secret or the execution of which must be accompanied by special security measures3 in accordance with the laws, regulations or administrative provisions in force in the Member State concerned; nor does the Directive apply to works contracts when the protection of the basic interests of the Member States' security so required. Finally, the Works Directive did not apply to public works contracts awarded in pursuance of certain international agreements;4 nor did the Directive apply to public works contracts awarded pursuant to the particular procedure of an international organisation5 such as NATO, which has their own rules on the awarding of public works contracts. The new codified Public Sector Directive has introduced a series of new concepts that are the product of jurisprudential inferences and policy refining of the previous legal regimes. They intend to modernise public purchasing, aligning the procurement of government and its agencies with those of utilities that operate in more commercially-oriented environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employability Skills (ES) are a key component of prospective workers to be accepted to work in industry, especially manufacturing. However, the Employability Skills in Vocational Education Diploma (ES-VED) implementation has not been identified, and no standard pattern is in line with the manufacturing industry. The purpose of the study is to explore the perceptions of the lecturers of the student internship program coordinator at VED regarding the understanding, implementation, and strategies of employability skills. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five VED lecturers: Yogyakarta State University, Surakarta State University, Industrial Mechanical Engineering Academy in Solo, Semarang Polytechnic, and Subang Polytechnic. Data analysis used qualitative thematic data. The study findings reveal that employability skills are identified as software, career skills, and added value. Furthermore, employability skills consist of six components, Including Teamwork Skills (TWS), Problem-Solving Skills (PSS), Planning and Organizing Skills (POS), Management Skills and Occupational Health and Safety (MS-OHS), Initiative Skills (IEs), and Communication Skills (CnS). A strong relationship based on the Pearson Correlation W 1 2 3 4 5 idarto Widarto *, Muhammad Nurtanto, Arif Bintoro Johan, Aci Primartadi, Fajar Danur Isnantyo 1Department of Mechanical Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia 2Department of Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University, Banten 42117, Indonesia 3Department of Mechanical Engineering Vocational Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University, Yogyakarta 55165, Indonesia 4Department of Automotive Engineering Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Muhammadiyah Purworejo University, Central Java 54111, Indonesia 5Department of Civil Engineering Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sebelas Maret University, Central Java 57126, Indonesia *widarto@uny.ac.id Coefficient (PCC) is Planning and Organizing Skills to Management Skills and Occupational Health and Safety of 0.852. Strengthening employability skills to the challenges of industry 4.0 is carried out through equalizing industry-based curricula, digitizing technology, developing human resources, and digitizing learning management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how resilience unfolded in a project-based organization with the support of organizational values through changing leadership styles. The rapidly announced restrictions on businesses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) provided an opportunity to observe and study resilience unfold. Design/methodology/approach: The process-perspective case study approach of a structural and civil engineering design firm in San Francisco, California, USA, integrates interviews, observations, document analysis and information tracking via email and Microsoft Teams. The researchers adopted a leadership perspective, where the units of analysis are the internal management and the employees' behaviors. Findings: In the case examined, the capability represented in the organizational values influenced the choice of situation-appropriate leadership styles to support employees. The values of relationship, passion and trust influenced the dominant choice of a transformational style, where stability and excellence facilitate a transactional style – all equally important for the balance and resilience of the project-based organization. Originality/value: This study demonstrated that when organizational values support leaders in cultivating a learning environment, those values provide stability for leaders to promote resilience. To the best of the researchers' knowledge, no previous work described how situational-, transformational- and transactional-leadership styles evolve in response to a crisis and together facilitate organizational resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shaking of the surface of the Earth is what is known as an earthquake; its effects can span a wide area and cause such damage as to result in the total collapse of buildings. It is essential to improve the construction industry to protect buildings from disaster. However, construction development is costly. Therefore, this article focuses mainly on creating an earthquake-resistant construction model using Virtual Reality (VR), which offers its users new ways to improve knowledge transfer and communication. There were three stages in generating this model: pre-development, development, and post-development. These stages include a needs assessment, planning, initial development, validation, analysis and evaluation, and field testing. In the post-development stage, the model was then tested by civil engineering students, and a statistical analysis was used to evaluate the implementation of VR. The VR was developed to assist civil engineering students while fostering their interest in information technology. The results indicated that the VR-based application had a favorable and significant effect on learning. In addition, the mean score of 17.3 showed an improvement in average score for the VR-based application compared to traditional education. Integration of VR into civil engineering education can statistically improve learning outcomes, particularly regarding the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has changed the way many civil engineers organise and execute their job in recent years. Many universities around the world have been adapting their curricula to include BIM education. However, this adaptation has been incomplete, occurring only in a small number of subjects. To fill this gap, this paper presents a proposal for a full integration of BIM education into civil engineering curricula. Based on a literature review on BIM outcomes and their supporting knowledge, learning activities, BIM software, types of assessment, and civil engineering curricula, it was possible to define an alignment blueprint for all BIM-related subjects. It was concluded that (i) nearly 62% of civil engineering curricula is BIM-related; (ii) the main BIM outcomes are mostly common in all universities; (iii) activities such as problem-based learning, interdisciplinary projects, and case studies are recommended; and (iv) for a successful application, an implementation plan is required, including monitoring and improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reasons why Brazilian civil engineering education has not achieved competitive performance worldwide remain unclear. Thus, this study aims to identify what factors influence student performance in civil engineering undergraduate programs in public institutions in Brazil. Multiple linear regression methods were used to analyse the interactions between the student performance (dependent variable) and the professors' and universities' attributes (predictors). The analysis shows that the professor's qualification and didactics are significant attributes, as are the time of the program's existence, the academic organisation (if it is annual or semester courses), and the institutions' administrative jurisdiction. The discussion presented possible explanations for each attribute's contribution. The study adds to the theory of predicting student performance in a developing country scenario, in this case, Latin America, where engineering education has less investments in academic infrastructure and human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A qualitative study is presented to answer the research questions of (1) What are the main factors influencing the decision-making behaviours of civil engineering students and (2) What role could education play in enhancing the decision making of both students and practitioners. A pilot co-curricular intervention programme is described that blurs the lines between an academic's 'teaching' and 'research' time and a student's 'curricular' and 'extracurricular' time engagement to diversify and elevate student-learning paths and career outcomes. The results indicate that the intervention improved critical thinking. Moreover, motivation features heavily in decision making, particularly over the conflict between interest and enjoyment and the reward structures of traditional education and industry. This involves higher levels of intrinsic motivation, especially relatedness with peers and instructors. The findings have both ontological and practical implications and lead to the application of interventions in academic project environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building simulation and BIM in architect education at the TU Dresden – Series: Building simulation and calculation tools in teaching This series of articles presents the use of computer programs in university teaching of building physics and building technology for architects and civil engineers. This article addresses the integration of building simulation tools in the education of architects at the Faculty of Architecture at the TU Dresden. In contrast to the education of civil engineers, which focuses on verification calculations, the challenge for prospective architects is to incorporate findings from thermal simulation calculations into an optimization of the design. Data exchange formats and Building Information Modelling are particularly important in this context. These factors are investigated at the TUD in two courses, a course accompanying the design in the sixth semester and an advanced seminar in the eighth semester. In both teaching formats, the influence of design decisions on the supply of daylight, the risk of overheating and the supply concept (regenerative energies) was discussed. This involved using the CAD models created by the architecture students from various software applications and testing a transfer into BIM‐compatible exchange data formats (gbXML and IFC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents challenges of the internship programme among civil engineering training in public universities of Ethiopia based on students' experiences and comments. Sample students from two major public universities in Ethiopia shared their experiences. Validated standard questionnaires were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Data were discussed in line with the objectives of the internship. Results indicated that more than 85% of the students arranged their hosting company by themselves, considering the distance to their hometown as the main criterion for their choice of hosting company. Almost half of the participants rated their internship hosting company as not welcoming. The average stay of the students in their internship was found to be only 64.31% of the total internship period of the curriculum requirement. A statistical test indicated that students' satisfaction level and their period of stay were related at a significant level of 5%. Students commented that industries were unwilling to support them and there were usually too many internees on projects. Students advised universities to work closely with the industries, supervise the students and improve the budget. The results implied that there are considerable challenges in internship programmes that require the attention of the parties involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching and learning in higher education still largely use traditional approaches that promote memorisation of content knowledge. These traditional approaches are in stark contrast to the world of work, which encourages problem-solving and higherorder thinking. In a first-year civil engineering concrete technology course, we used reflection on an authentic learning task to encourage a deeper learning experience for students. We hoped that by including reflection and an authentic learning task in the module, students would be more actively engaged with the module content. The research question addressed in this study is: how does reflective practice and an authentic learning activity support student learning in a practical component within a first-year civil engineering module? Reflection should allow students to think deeply about what worked well and what did not during conceptualisation, development and submission of their authentic learning project. This case study collected qualitative data to generate the findings. The data consisted of student reflections during and after completion of the practical component. Students' reflections indicated that the authentic learning task resulted in much deeper learning as opposed to surface learning and memorisation of content knowledge. The results indicate that the reflective exercise encouraged students to think deeply about their learning and on how to improve their skills, knowledge and attitudes throughout the project. Finally, this process shifted the focus from content knowledge dissemination to development of critical thinking and lifelong learning skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The construction process is an ill-structured complex problem that needs to be designed based on multiple constraints. Typically, construction engineering students have dilliculties understanding the complexity of the process and treat the problem similar to well-structured problems. This paper has utilized a systems thinking framework to enhance construction engineering students' design thinking. This protocol takes into account critical aspects that students can address in their solutions. The protocol consists of six consecutive levels: each level should be built on the previous levels. Forty-eight construction engineering students participated in this study over five sessions. Student teams designed two construction projects, one with and one without using the introduced framework. They also reviewed and provided feedback on their peers' designs. The results show that the framework reduced the time for most students to reach a higher level of thinking. In addition, students were more successful in connecting different aspects of the project process by using the framework. Thus. it is expected that using the framework helps the students better understand the relationship among materials, systems, structures, and processes, which is the second most important competency for construction management students. Iii summary, this systematic framework shows potentials to speed up the transformation from novice to expert designers for construction students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the application of digital technologies in the construction industry, known as Construction 4.0 or Industry 4.0. It highlights nine peer-reviewed papers that explore various technological advancements in digitizing construction, such as automated tools for earthmoving productivity, deep learning for concrete damage detection, and the use of geographical information systems for intelligent information services. The article also emphasizes the importance of integrating Industry 4.0 concepts into civil engineering education. The papers aim to provide a better understanding of the transformation and lay the groundwork for future research in this field. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: This paper discusses the redevelopment of MSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management of a modern university in the Midlands of the UK in recent years, with the aim to offer flexible future learning opportunities for built environment professionals and address the sector's skill shortage concerns (Augar Review, 2019 and 2021; Department for Education (DfE), 2020 and 2021; Foresight Review, 2017). Design/methodology/approach: The research method is insider action research and a case study approach. It involves interviews with external and internal stakeholders who contributed to this redevelopment and review of relevant documents related to the development. Findings: The research finding showed that both the internal and external stakeholders welcome the proposed redevelopment of postgraduate courses in Civil Engineering and Construction Management. They found the course offers opportunities for civil engineering and construction professionals to further develop their skills and to address government initiatives on flexible and future learning. The online offer of the course is attractive to potential students. It has brought a substantial financial return to the university and created a new international presence of the course and the university. Research limitations/implications: It has been argued that an insider research approach may have an advantage in accessing information compared to other research methods. The case study approach may have limitations on generalisability. Practical implications: This research can be used as an example for other universities that aim to enhance their existing offers to address government initiatives and enhance financial viability. Originality/value: This paper is a pilot study examining a university's response to skill shortage and government proposal on flexible learning for adults through redevelopment and enhancement of the offer of the existing postgraduate courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities face the challenge of developing undergraduate structural engineering students' design judgement. This study evaluates whether introducing 'learning from failure', centralised around 'real-world' case studies, serves to facilitate the development of engineering judgement in structural design. The study identifies the use of three characteristics of engineering judgement: diagnostic, inductive, and interpretive in the work of the first-year undergraduate structural design students. Thematic analysis, combined with a constant comparison method and the rigour of inter-researcher reliability, was used to develop coding and mapping to evaluate students' work. The majority of students correctly applied diagnostic engineering judgement to the definition of a problem for a failure case study; and displayed the inductive aspect of judgement. Students' interpretive understanding embraced multi-faceted considerations, with engineering practice, complexity in causality, and learning from history being dominant. Introducing case studies deepened students' enquiry, stimulating the development of a more nuanced understanding of structural engineering judgement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of grit on engineering student's achievement has been understudied. The association between grit, self-regulated learning (SRL), and academic achievement in civil engineering students was investigated using correlation and regression analysis. One hundred and one civil engineering students from various nationalities completed a self-report questionnaire that contained the Grit 12-item scale and the forty-four questions on motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning practices (MSLQ). Four of the five SRL variables were predicted by perseverance of effort: intrinsic value, self-efficacy, cognitive strategy use, and self-regulation. Initially, perseverance of effort predicted the current grade point average (GPA), but it was no longer a predictor after including SRL indicators. Consistency of interest was a predictor of cognitive strategy usage, but it did not affect students' academic achievement. GPAs were also predicted by student self-efficacy and age. The connection between academic accomplishment and grit is mediated by SRL engagement. Students' perceived competency and confidence in completing their degree were shown to be major determinants of their GPA. Furthermore, motivational beliefs had a greater effect on students' GPAs than grit did. In the majority of the study's constructs, female students outperformed males. GPAs were higher among younger students than among their older peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]