2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Redefining Assessment: Implementing an XR Framework for Accreditation in Construction Education

Presented at Student Engagement in Construction Education

Many higher education institutions use different teaching methods to provide construction education that meets the accreditation requirements. In the United States, most construction management schools receive accreditation through either the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE) or the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). The paper proposes using an Extended Reality (XR) preliminary framework for active learning that satisfies ACCE Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for all construction courses. The framework establishes consistent teaching pedagogies to meet learning outcome requirements. Assessing students effectively during the pandemic, particularly in virtual classes, remains challenging. However, the XR framework can be deployed to students of any modality, thus solving this problem. The paper identifies construction courses where the XR framework can be included as in-class activities to promote knowledge retention and lays out modules of XR activities. The paper provides an overview of how students can understand the fundamentals of utilizing advanced tools in their classroom, which helps them graduate career ready. Overall, with this innovative XR framework, higher education institutions can provide an immersive and effective learning experience while meeting the stringent requirements of accrediting bodies.

Authors

Dr. Hariharan Naganathan http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-0435-8347 Wentworth Institute of Technology [biography]

Dr. Hariharan Naganathan, an Assistant Professor of Construction Management at Wentworth Institute of Technology, has made significant contributions to sustainable construction practices through research on energy analytics of buildings and the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in construction education. As a passionate educator, Dr. Naganathan develops a curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on AR/VR experiences, preparing students to design and analyze construction projects. Currently, Dr. Naganathan is working on research projects aimed at improving energy efficiency in existing buildings and exploring the potential of AR/VR in construction education. His dedication to fostering innovation in sustainable construction inspires the next generation of construction managers to create a more energy-efficient built environment.
John Cribbs Ph.D. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8416-3020 Wentworth Institute of Technology [biography]

Dr. John Cribbs is currently the Associate Dean of the School of Management and an Assistant Professor of Construction Management. Dr. Cribbs earned his MArch degree from the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts and his Ph.D. in Construction Management from the Del E. Webb School of Construction, both located within Arizona State University’s flagship campus located in Tempe, AZ. His research focuses on modular design and construction techniques, sustainability of the built environment and more specifically, Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows for enhanced quality control and labor time utilization for coordinated MEP and specialty trade equipment, from design-to-install, in retrofit environments. Before joining Wentworth, Dr. Cribbs served as a Principal at Green Ideas Building Science Consultants, based in Phoenix where he regularly engaged in BIM workflows for design/constructability/operations analysis, reporting and review with the full spectrum of project stakeholders. He has also taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses in design, construction management and Building Information Modeling at Arizona State University and the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture (Taliesin West). Outside of the classroom, he is engaged with the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Massachusetts Chapter’s, Virtual Design and Construction Group. Dr. Cribbs has presented on both the national and international stages discussing topics related to modular and offsite construction techniques, BIM and other data-centric design/construction workflows, pedagogical models for training the future of the construction industry and research specific findings that are scalable to the industry at large. He is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP) in the Building Design and Construction (BD+C), Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) and Operations and Maintenance (O+M) specialties. Additionally, he holds an accreditation with the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), as a Construction Documents Technologist (CDT).

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