Improving Visualization Capability in Construction Education (Plan Reading)

Abstract

COVID-19 dominant academic year witnessed unprecedented educational environments. Enforced transitions to online commenced with concerns for lower quality education. This involuntary shift ironically provided grounds for bold approaches to overcome expected educational weaknesses. Addressing unfavorable circumstances of an online construction plan reading course, 3D modeling using Revit was adopted. This course initiated with low cognitive tasks, understanding construction drawings and memorizing associated terminology, which culminated in a high cognitive task, applying what is learned to building a 3D model, for both of which flipping the class, a proven educational strategy in face-to-face classrooms, was implemented. This experimental course implementation was proven successful in the survey performed after the course completion (n=99, response rate = 13%). Students understood how 2D drawings are created showing the ability to illustrate details: what materials the wall is made of, which is expected to remove the need for shop drawings and to reduce the number of RFIs. Based on the proof that Revit and flipped class helped students learn better, this study suggests a more developed course design for construction the plan reading course which is a prerequisite for higher-level construction education courses.

Effectiveness of 3D Models in Estimating Course

“…The results of the student surveys demonstrate that the 3D models are effective in 'visualizing building components' (the first based on total positive response (Figure 4) and the second based on the 5 points-Likert mean score (Figure 5)). This result does match the results of existing studies (Ryoo and An, 2021;Perdomo et al, 2005).…”

“…Thus, Chen et al (2011) agreed that 3D visualization skill (or spatial skill) is fundamental in construction education. Also, many other researchers and educators in CM field recognized the importance of 3D visualization skill (for example, Ryoo and An, 2021;Han et al, 2015;Kamat and Martinez, 2000). Furthermore, Glick et al (2012) noted that students' learning would become difficult and frustrated if students don't have 3D visualization skill.…”