Studies indicate that there is a relationship between project cost and construction time for different construction markets. The purpose of this study is to validate the time-cost relationship model developed by Bromilow et al. 1 in context with educational construction projects in Texas. The model was extended to include the magnitude of the projects in terms of gross floor area and project delivery methods to determine whether these variables also have an effect on project duration. Data related to 39 educational projects was obtained for the study. SPSS ® program was for analysis of the data. The statistical technique used for the analysis was stepwise linear regression. The results indicate that when gross floor area is also used an independent variable, construction cost does not have any relationship with construction time for educational projects in Texas. However, the results show a statistically significant relationship between construction time and magnitude of the project, measured by gross floor area, at the level of significance (p-value) of <0.0001. A prediction model of construction time has been developed based on the results of the study. This model will be useful to students taking courses related to cost estimating and construction project scheduling and also to professionals involved with construction industry.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT) on student performance in one of the Environmental Control Systems courses offered by the Department of Construction Science, Texas A&M University. Reciprocal peer tutoring has been used extensively at school level for developing academic skills of the students. It has also been used at college level for different disciplines. In this technique, students occasionally function equally as both tutor and tutee in a classroom situation. It enables the students to gain both from the preparation and instruction in which the tutors engage, and from the instructions that the tutees receive. Apart from RPT, some other probable correlates of student performance such as gender difference, overall academic ability of a student, semester in which the course was offered (summer vs. regular), and the academic major of a student were also taken into consideration to determine whether RPT continues to remain statistically significant in the presence of these variables. The study population consisted of the students who attended the course in Summer terms of 1998 and 2000, and Spring semester of 2000. Sample size of the study was 156 students. Relevant data was collected from the Student Information Management System database of the university. The data was analyzed using stepwise regression procedure and a General Linear Model. The findings generated from the analysis of the data indicated that RPT has a statistically significant effect on student performance in this particular Environmental Control Systems course. Overall academic ability and the academic major of a student are also positively correlated with student performance.

Time-Cost relationship has been found to be valid for different construction types by many researchers. The purpose of this study is to validate this relationship, based on a model developed by Bromilow et al., for highway construction in Florida. Along with time and cost factors, the modified model included contract types to determine whether this variable also has an effect on project duration. Data related to 235 roads and highways construction projects was obtained for the study. SPSS® program was used for analysis of the data. The statistical technique used for the analysis was multiple regression. The results indicate that both actual construction cost and contract type have got a statistically significant relationship with construction time for highway construction projects, at the level of significance (p-value) of <0.0001. A prediction model of construction time has been developed based on the results of the study. This model will be useful to both graduate and undergraduate students taking courses related to cost estimating and construction project scheduling, and also to professionals involved with the construction industry. A study such as this one will also be helpful to the students in Construction Management to understand the goals of statistical modeling.

Compressed semesters, also known as minimesters, are offered in some educational institutions in the United States. They are offered during the two-week break period between a regular semester (Spring or Fall) and summer. A minimester makes it possible for a student to complete a course on a shorter schedule. The author offered a course on Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems at a state university in Texas at the end of Spring semesters, both in 2015 and 2016. He offered the same course in Spring semesters, 2015 and 2016.The purpose this study is to find out whether there is difference in performance in the course between students taking the course in a regular semester and those taking it in a minimester. Total number of students enrolled for the course was 225 in Spring semesters and 50 in the minimesters. An analysis of the data, using Chi-square statistic, indicates that students in minimesters performed significantly better than those who took the course in Spring semesters.

The purpose of the study was to determine industry's perception regarding the need for technical writing skills among Construction Science graduates. A standard Likert style survey was used to gather the data related to the technical writing skill set of construction science graduates. This survey was sent to members of Texas A&M University's Department of Construction Science Career Fair Database and faculty members of in the Associated Schools of Construction. The results of the survey were used to analyze whether industry and faculty perceive technical writing skills to be a necessity. The data was analyzed by administering one-sample and two-sample t-tests to the responses for the corresponding questions on the survey. The results from the study indicate that good technical writing skills are perceived to be important for the graduates with a major in Construction Science. Statement of the ProblemPeoples' ability to communicate effectively through the use of technical, written, communication skills can greatly affect their career. An individual's capacity to write effectively is usually regarded as a first-rate attribute. It can be categorized equally with a person's professional skills and knowledge. Written technical report is a critical component to all tasks of significant importance.