ARCH 7048 - Construction Management and Technology II

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2020

This course is designed to explore the management of building and civil engineering projects in the following aspects: procurement and tendering, risk management, communication, sustainability performance, construction techniques and structural systems. These are critical success factors in building and civil engineering projects. This course will examine management strategies designed to address these critical issues throughout the life cycle of projects.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ARCH 7048
    Course Construction Management and Technology II
    Coordinating Unit School of Architecture and Built Environment
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Course Description This course is designed to explore the management of building and civil engineering projects in the following aspects: procurement and tendering, risk management, communication, sustainability performance, construction techniques and structural systems. These are critical success factors in building and civil engineering projects. This course will examine management strategies designed to address these critical issues throughout the life cycle of projects.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Ruidong Chang

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    Refer to MyUni for more information.
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1. Analyse structural systems and members used in construction projects
    2. Select the appropriate construction technologies for building and engineering projects
    3. Optimise the workflow of construction mamnagement for building and engineering projects
    4. Understand the fundementals of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and critically examine the use of BIM in construction projects
    5. Identify the health and safety issues associated with construction projects and develop a Work Health and Safety Management Plan
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3,4,5
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2,3,4,5
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1,2,3,4,5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2,3,4,5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    3,5
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1,2,3,4,5
  • Learning Resources
    Recommended Resources
    Please refer to MyUni for details of recommended readings and websites
    Online Learning
    University Email:
    The school uses the University email system to get in touch with the students. So it is imperative that you check your email regularly and keep up to date with any new announcements.

    MyUni:
    MyUni is an essential online tool which will be used to communicate information regarding the course including details of assignments and interim grades. There are many other learning resources and assessment pieces that rely on the MyUni system for delivery. Therefore it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with the various functions of MyUni and employ it to its fullest extent. https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au

    Interactive Debate Forum:
    The MyUni debate forum can be used to interact with other students and tutors and is an essential tool to communicate ideas and increase your understanding of construction management issues.

    ArchiStar
    Students are required to learn the fundamentals of Revit through ArchiStar online learning. Students need to pass the online examination at the end and complete the required revisions of a Revit model to demonstrate their learning outcome. 

    Lecture Recording:
    In certain cases the recording of the lectures is made available in electronic format for students to listen through on their own time and make notes, and is provided through the MyUni system. However, this service is only available for lectures with essential course content and may not include guest lectures. Furthermore, where the presentation content is subject to copyright or the guest speaker is uncomfortable with the recording of the content, the lecture recording will not be made available online. So students should not rely solely on this mode of learning and arrange to attend or get lecture content from peers.

    Noticeboard / Handbook:
    General information about the activities at the School is available online from the Student Noticeboard which can be accessed at
    https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/group/professons-studentarchitecture/ current-student
    Students can also access a copy of the Student Handbook at the following link:
    https://unified.adelaide.edu.au/group/professons-student-architecture/enrolments
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The learning and teaching strategy is an active learning one, using a range of problems, application and case studies. The contents of this course will be delivered in forms of lecture, tutorial and online learning. The technical contents with higher learning difficulties will be covered in 1-hour lecture on a weekly basis. This will be followed by 2-hour tutorial enabling students to apply those knowledge learned from the lecture sessions to solve problems. As the 1-hour lecture is very short, the tutorial also discusses various topics of construction management which are not covered by the lectures. Case studies will enrich student’s understanding of managing these various issues in building and civil engineering projects. Online learning is also used to let students learn the fundementals of Revit, building information modelling software. 

    The approach to assessment is  “assessment for learning”. Students will receive feedback progressively throughout the semester. Deadlines for assessment will be strictly enforced which will provide an overall framework for the semester of study.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students (ie. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote at least 48 hours per week to their studies. Accordingly, students undertaking this 3 unit course are expected to devote 12 hours per week to contact activities and self-guided studies.

    Based on this framework here are some figures that might assist workload management (delete as appropriate):

    For a 3 unit course:
    Total workload hours: 12 Hrs per week x 13 weeks = 156 Hrs
    Total contact hours: 3 Hrs per week x 12 weeks = 36 Hrs
    Total self-guided study: 156 Hrs – 36 Hrs = 120 Hrs

    For a 6 unit course:
    Total workload hours: 24 Hrs per week x 13 weeks = 312 Hrs
    Total contact hours: 6 Hrs per week x 12 weeks = 72 Hrs
    Total self-guided study: 312 Hrs – 72 Hrs = 240 Hrs

    For a 12 unit course:
    Total workload hours: 48 Hrs per week x 13 weeks = 624 Hrs
    Total contact hours: 12 Hrs per week x 12 weeks = 144 Hrs
    Total self-guided study: 624 Hrs – 144 Hrs = 480 Hrs

    These 120 or 240 or 480 hours should be used towards preparation of weekly tasks and for completion of the various assignments associated with the course, including development of various skills required to complete the same. Please organise your time wisely.

    This is a 3 unit course. Recommended study commitments are meant to be hours of full time study, not just sitting thinking about the subject. The 120 Hrs of self-guided study also include time commitment in self-learning of Revit through online learning sources of ArchiStar, and active participation in the online debate forum. The communication skills developed by regularly and actively participating in discussions are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Essential information on construction management and construction technology will be dealt with by structured lecture and tutorial sessions. Tutorial sessions are featured with problem based/case study exercises. The approach is progressive, building upon fundamental concepts and knowledge acquisition with increasingly complex problem based exercises.

    Students will be encouraged to relate the knowledge to the real life projects through reading academic papers and resources from the professional bodies such as Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, The Chartered Institute of Building, and Australian Institute of Building. In tutorial sessions, students will work in groups to use their skills and knowledge to tackle these construction management and technology related issues.

    Students are also required to systemically learn the fundementals of Revit through ArchiStar and pass the online examination, which will enhance students' understanding and practical application of building information modelling. This will make students competitive in seeking jobs in the construction industry after graduation.
    Specific Course Requirements
    Failure to attend teaching due to medical, compassionate or extenuating circumstances is dealt with the School Policy, administered by the School Office. Submit the appropriate application for supplementary consideration together with the original signed medical or other relevant officer, to the School Office. If you foresee a problem contact the Course Coordinator BEFORE the problem actually occurs. Otherwise, contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible and submit the appropriate application for supplementary consideration to the School Office.

    Please pay attention to following policies:
    fieldtrips: Field Work policy and guidelines (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/hr/ohs/handbook/); and
    insurance information (https://www.adelaide.edu.au/legalandrisk/insurance/information/);
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary


    Assessment Task Task Type Due Date/Week Weighting Learning Outcomes
    Class Quiz Summative Week 4 20% 1,2
    BIM model development Summative Week 11 30% 4
    Group-based case study Summative Week 13 30%  1,2,3,4,5
    Online interactive debate forum Formative Week 1-13 20% 1,2,3,4,5

    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching. Assessment details provided here reflect recent updates.

    Assessment remains the same as our assessments are submitted online. The only change is that the initially scheduled in-class graded quiz is replaced by an online quiz in Week 4.
    Assessment Detail
    Refer to MyUni for more information.
    Submission
    All assignments must be submitted through MyUni site. Note that NO LATE submissions will be accepted unless it is due to illness and other accepted circumstances as explained in the School's Student Handbook.

    Submissions (General):
    All submissions must include Student Name and Student ID Number. Submissions without Student Name or ID Number will not be considered for marking, and will receive zero marks in accordance with the guidelines.

    In addition, all assignments need to have an Assignment Cover Sheet which must be signed and dated by the student before submission. Please attach the cover sheet in front of the document, to the top left hand corner.

    Please adhere to submission deadlines and follow instructions provided.

    Students must not submit work for an assignment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course without prior approval from the Course Coordinator.

    On occasion, the lecturer/tutor may wish to retain students’ work for future reference and the relevant student will be informed at such a time.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.