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…

For the last seven years, an interdisciplinary course known as "Greener Solutions", offered by the University of California, Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry, has brought together graduate students in chemistry, environmental health, and engineering to understand each other's disciplines, and to work together to develop safer…

Threshold concepts are transformative, integrative, and provocative; understanding these difficult concepts allows students to be capable of solving advanced problems. This investigation and evaluation of a metacognitive curricular approach explore variation in students' and teachers' discernment of structural complexity of concepts and its…

Over the past few years many universities worldwide have introduced a common first year for all engineering disciplines. This is despite the opinion of many academics that large classes have negative effects on the learning outcomes of first year students. The University of South Australia is also faced with low motivation amongst engineering…

This paper presents the structure of an undergraduate course entitled "programming techniques and the use of specialised software in structural engineering" which is offered to the fifth (final) year students of the Civil Engineering Department of Aristotle University Thessaloniki in Greece. The aim of this course is to demonstrate the…

This paper describes the design of the curriculum for a Master of Engineering programme in civil engineering at University College Dublin. The revised programme was established to meet the requirements of the Bologna process and this paper specifically considers the design of a new, second-cycle master's component of the programme. In addition to…

The primary role of a civil engineer is to serve the community; thus, it is essential that students understand the impact of engineering projects on, and the context of engineering projects within, society. One goal of an engineering capstone design course should be to mesh the technical knowledge of the discipline with an encompassing engineering…

Describes a three-credit elective course at Notre Dame, Design of Environmental Health Control Systems, offered to senior civil engineering students and graduate students in health engineering. (CS)

Describes a two-semester project course required of all seniors at West Virginia University in the Department of Civil Engineering which involves team effort and encompasses four major areas of civil engineering: structures, geotechnical, transportation, and soils. (CS)

This paper is a description of a college course in structural design, which in this case serves as the capstone of the program in Civil Engineering Technology at the College of Staten Island (New York). Fourteen weeks of class lecture topics, activities, and assignments are delineated. Coverage includes building codes, loads calculation,…

Flexible pavement materials exhibit complex mechanical behavior, in the sense, that they not only show stress and temperature dependency but also are sensitive to moisture conditions. This complex behavior presents a great challenge to the faculty in bringing across the level of complexity and providing the concepts needed to understand them. The…

Develops a programed approach for developing design projects. Describes the initiation, design experiences, final report, and problems of the approach. (YP)

Introduces two courses for developing relevant computer use in a civil engineering department. The sophomore course introduces students to a set of problem-formulation methods and computer-based problem-solving tools. The senior course introduces students to representative, professional quality computer-aided engineering tools. Discusses impact of…

Describes the engineering education program at the Aalborg University Center in Denmark. Details the aims of the program. Outlines the programs and multidisciplinary departments of the university. Explains how students are grouped around projects. Reviews the evaluation process. Examines the attitudes of students in the program. (CW)

An instructional approach used in a civil engineering curriculum at Queens University of Belfast (Northern Ireland) incorporates development of communication skills into active learning assignments. A "learning from disasters" exercise and two mock public inquiries illustrate the use and benefits of the technique. (Author/MSE)