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Use of Wikis in Construction Education

Abstract

This paper focuses on the use of wikis for collaborative learning and knowledge creation in construction education. The purpose of this paper is to present the use of wikis in a Construction Management (CM) course as a case study. Knowledge Management System (KMS) for the construction and engineering industries is a new and exciting area of study, and wikis are a form of electronic KMS. In the last few years there have been studies done on the use of KMS as it relates to a construction or engineering company’s internal tacit knowledge capture, collaboration, and retention. But little has been researched in the use of these technologies in the education sector. If the construction industry is using these types of technologies as a part of normal operations, then construction academic programs should also integrate them into the curriculum. This paper reports findings from in-class observations, surveys, and follow-up interviews that investigate the use of a wiki in a construction course. By using descriptive statistical analysis along with the results from the follow-up interviews, the study intends to provide valuable suggestions for instructors who are interested in using wikis in their classes. The survey results show that students find their experiences wikis positive and not only do they prefer to continue using wikis in the future, they also would recommend the use of wikis in other courses.

Background

The study was conducted in the Construction Management (CM) Program at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). The Construction Management program at MSOE which is accredited by American Council of Construction education is designed to make the graduates highly competitive by concentrating on knowledge and skills required in the construction industry. The program is housed in Architectural Engineering and Building Construction department. The number of undergraduate students in the CM program is approximately 150. The department has 18 full-time faculty members, 4 of which are designated as full-time Construction Management Faculty.

One of the strengths of the Construction Management program at MSOE is industry support in the form of the Construction Management Industry Advisory Council (CMIAC) which consists of industry experts and practitioners who support CM education by providing advice and oversight from the construction industry. The CMIAC offers direction on curriculum content, employment, scholarships and internships to ensure the program maintains a level of excellence that meets the needs of the industry.

Problems

One of the recurring comments from CMIAC members was the lack of communication and interaction skills from recent graduates who enjoy audio-visual learning environments rather than a read-write culture. CMIAC specifically asserted that the graduates should be able to write professional business letters and other project-related documents in high quality. The CMIAC

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Woo, J., & Wentz, B. (2010, June), Use Of Wikis In Construction Education Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--16612