Besiktepe, D; Sparkling, A; Debs, L and Manuel, R (2024) Digital technology applications in construction education: A systematic review of methodological pluralism. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 20(4), pp. 421-443. ISSN 1557-8771
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic analysis of the nexus of methodological pluralism and digital technology pedagogies in construction education literature. Recent technological advancements transform the built-environment-related fields rapidly, and this transformation has the potential to improve productivity and efficiency in the industry. Alongside this transformation, the future workforce should be equipped with skills to accelerate the adoption of evolving technologies. Considering these, this study systematically reviewed over 100 papers in the construction education literature with a qualitative analysis. The majority of the reviewed studies use quasi-experimental design, and several technological advancements are utilized in teaching core construction concepts, mainly building information modeling (BIM) and extended reality (XR). With the applied nature of the construction domain, various studies utilized technology to introduce virtual site visits, quantity take-off and estimating, visualization, scheduling, surveying, and communication. Together with these, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by revealing methodological approaches commonly used by researchers to help spur the growth of research efforts in digital technology utilization in construction, with its significant potential to be one of the reference guides in the construction education literature.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction education; digital technology; methodological pluralism; qualitative analysis; review |
| Index terms: | systematic literature review, building information modelling, experimental design, visualization, surveying, estimating, take-off, pedagogy, transformation, body of knowledge, qualitative analysis, construction education, digital technology, scheduling, efficiency, productivity |
| Subjects: | quantity surveying, research design and methodology, health monitoring assessment and metrics, information systems, professional education, business, management, teaching methods, knowledge management, financial and cost management, performance management, research evaluation and metrics, computing systems, design practice, operations research |
| Topics: | Information Management, Business Strategy, Time Control, Design Practice, Health and Safety, Research Practice, Quality Management, Education, Digital Applications, Cost Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here