EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS:

PROJECT BASED ACTIVITIES, PROBLEM SOLVING AND ROLE

PLAYINGGeoff Outhred, Senior Lecturer

School of PCPM, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V Melbourne, Victoria 3001

History

1994 RMIT initiative for quality learning 1994-2004 subject designed for 65

Construction Management students 2005 applied to common PCPM first year

180 students from varied disciplines 2006 currently applied to 230 students

Educational Philosophy

RMIT to create students who are knowledgeable, creative, critical, responsible, employable and leaders

Boyle (1994) Characteristics of Quality Teaching:-Clearly articulated learning goals-Flexibility in approaches-Good organisation of subject matter-Effective communication-Enthusiasm-Facilitation of learning through interaction-Respect for students-Critically reflective orientation-Appropriateness and fairness in assessment

Learner’s Pleas – Mellander (1993)

Don’t stifle my natural curiosity-awaken it! Just give me the information I need-not a lot I

don’t need! Let me think things through myself and draw my

own conclusions Help me find contents of the things I have

understood Help me use my knowledge so it doesn’t whither

away and become useless

Aims/Objectives of the Programme

Students to identify processes for designing a house Students experience working together in a design,

management and construction team. Simulation of activities. Group dynamics

Students apply previously gained information and skills Expose students to frustrations, obstacles Develop communication skills-written and graphic Simulate construction procedures for a house Appreciate building structure and form

The Programme

13 weeks duration Students self-form in groups of four Given a client brief for a house, and a site Each group prepares Schematic Design drawings, Sketch

Plans and then Working Drawings for their house Measurement and estimating exercises Calculate size and spacing of all framing members Calculate materials to build the house and order them for

a scale model Build their house from balsa wood “expert” panel assesses their work

Assessment Criteria

Drawings-clarity, accuracy and presentation

Correctness of technology Involvement, input, management skills Models of “built” houses-presentation,

accuracy and method

Student Reactions

“We ran out of materials” “Paul didn’t pull his weight” “I do all the work” “Not enough time to build our model” “I wanted to use our house design but the

other group would not agree” “I did not know anyone to form a group

with”

Conclusions

It was successful-96% of students claimed that they had real benefits from doing it

Eight failed out of 180 We have observed improved approach of

students in their second year of study Staff were exhausted at the end Met the RMIT teaching quality objectives Useful application of experiential learning

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes

Some examples of the outcomes