Promoting continuous improvement in construction education: Developing curricula through graduate- practitioner reflection

Concern is frequently expressed by employers, amongst others, that degree courses in UK higher education institutions often give insufficient attention to the relevance of their curricula, and to key skills considered by employers to be important. In recognising the central importance of education and its considered management to the key resource of construction activity - people - this paper reports on a Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) funded research project. The project investigates and develops strategy for improving the relevance and responsiveness of teaching and learning to employment through partnership with graduates. This paper presents the rationale and methodology of the project and outlines an innovative curricula development mechanism . This mechanism provides for graduate reflection upon educational outcomes in light of professional experience, and enables curriculum development, formally and continually, to embrace professional needs. The adoption of this curricula mechanism at Sheffield Hallam University is seen as a positive strategy in enabling continuous improvement in undergraduate provision and is considered suitable for adoption by other higher education institutions.