student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Part B: Building Leadership Capacity - DSC: Property, Construction & Project Management ART Report
9.3 Background and Project Focus
The overall focus of the ART project is on improving student feedback
by improving the School’s learning facilities. Over the past several years,
the School has expanded by the inclusion of the two additional existing
programs migrated from the Business College and creation of a new
undergraduate program. The incorporation of a common first year across
the four programs has had the consequence of increasing the size of classes
from 60 – 70 to in excess of 200 students. Two of the existing learning
spaces have not been renovated since Building 8 was constructed in the
early 1990s. These spaces are badly in need of attention. As the project
evolved, opportunities arose to address other matters relating to the
students learning experiences.
What courses were the subject of this project? Give total student numbers
and breakdown how it was taught at the start of the project. Include any other
relevant information about the profile of the students and the context of
delivery.
BUIL1154 –85 students. Previously the course was taught as conventional
lectures with group assignments and an examination. Students are final year
construction management students.
BUIL1107 – 212 students. The previous course was taught via three one and
one half hour lectures by an internal staff member following which the students
undertook exercises in a semi-supervised way. This is a common CAD course
across the four undergraduate programs offered by the School for students
commencing their studies.
What were the central themes or issues being addressed in the project?
The method used involved focus group/s of students, with questions
developed from the following themes:
1. Preferred learning style – individual or group, role play exercises,
experiential learning, work integrated learning and reflective journal/diary.
2. The types of facilities that promote good learning and teaching practices
in the areas of information technology and communication with regard
to services, infrastructure and access.
3. The types of facilities that promote good learning and teaching practices
in the areas of learning and teaching spaces with regard to large lecture
theatres, seminar rooms, tutorial rooms.
4. Learning and teaching styles with regard to delivery to large groups, small
groups, tutorials, workshops. The use of project/problem-based learning,
model building, drawing, practical exercises, site visits, field trips and land
surveying exercises.
5. Student/staff interaction with regard to accessibility, emails, DLS
discussion board.
6. Feedback types to enhance learning including online tests, written
or verbal.
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