There are a number of things going on under an engineer’s helmet—figuring out the right mixture of steel and concrete, juggling multiple construction schedules, and keeping on top of paperwork, just to name a few. Engineering goes well beyond math and physics.
Today’s engineers are managers and leaders, foreman and contractors, and they are required to maintain good relations between teams while keeping up with the latest advances in technology. Yet many departments in Canadian universities—particularly in departments such as construction and building—are failing to produce well-rounded engineers.
Conrad Boton and colleagues from Ecole de Technologie Supérieure (ETS), Montreal, have a solution.
Their recent paper A framework for Building Information Modeling implementation in engineering education published in the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering is the first-ever comprehensive how-to guide for universities teaching an engineering framework known as Building Information Modeling (BIM).
BIM, according to the authors, anticipates ever-changing demands of the construction industry while teaching students core engineering skills. It helps engineers manage construction projects more efficiently and in more cost-effective ways. Engineers, contractors, and foremen use BIM to work collectively to design and construct facilities.
Unlike automotive and aerospace industries, Canada’s Architecture, Engineering, and Construction sector, valued at $171-billion, suffers from low rates of productivity and has been slow to adopt innovative methods like BIM for one critical reason—the lack of reliable personnel that can implement BIM.
The root of the problem, the authors suggest, lays in an outdated engineering curricula.
University departments are often unaware of what BIM is. Many are not qualified to teach it. In some cases, universities lack adequate resources to implement it. Boton and colleagues worked with ETS-Montreal, a Canadian engineering school, to implement BIM on a trial basis.
The paper not only points out the challenges the trial program faced but also highlights the advantages and positive feedback the school received from students.
The authors suggest the following:
- Focus on three critical things: 1. Technology—including software and equipment, 2. Processes—communication and information exchange between different teams, and 3. Policy—regulations, guidelines, and contracts.
- Start slow but start early: Introduce specific BIM content in modules before a full implementation and, critically, introduce those courses beginning at the undergraduate level. “The bachelor degree level is where engineering core competencies are expected to be acquired, including both foundational and industry-specific competencies,” the authors state.
- Mix interactive classroom activities with the classic “chalk and talk” approach, which is often unaware of current industrial practices and does not teach teamwork and communication skills necessary for graduates. The industry is changing rapidly—knowledge, according to the authors, is no longer generated by academic research but by advances in the industry.
- In addition to faculty members, have industry professionals who work with local construction industries as teachers. The latter often have valuable knowledge of good business practices, can help students connect theory and practice, and can assist in modifying the curricula based on current trends.
The authors suggest applying the ETS-Montreal case study to other academic institutions in Canada. Currently, they are working with the school and monitoring the response from students, faculty members, and local industries as well as improving the curricula based on continual feedback from both students and industry professionals that will continue to inform how the curricula can be improved.
Read the full paper: A framework for building information modeling implementation in engineering education in the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering.
