Tatum, C B (2018) Learning construction engineering: Why, what, and how? Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(3): 04018004, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Recent increases in technical requirements for constructed facilities along with new contractual approaches and technologies used to deliver them provide special opportunities for increased project performance and for the career paths of new engineers. Construction engineers provide resources and complete technical activities to increase performance in meeting all types of project objectives. This paper describes these key activities, the knowledge required to complete them, and options to acquire and maintain that knowledge. It also describes related topics including recent trends in construction engineering education, technical fundamentals related to construction engineering topics and activities, and the results of a practicum course focusing on construction engineering. The concluding sections describe applications in continued self-directed learning throughout careers and conclusions and recommendations for leveraging career success. A second related paper describes the author's research related to construction engineering. Both are offered to express thanks for receipt of the Peurifoy Construction Research Award and to encourage and assist new faculty and engineers in an industry whose career paths include construction engineering activities.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction education; construction engineering; construction materials and methods; learning |
| Index terms: | construction education, career, option, project performance, construction engineering, construction material, engineer |
| Subjects: | building materials, profession, professional education, decision analysis, engineering methods, professional development, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Education, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Roles and Professions, Risk Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
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