Patricia McLaughlin

Flexible spaces … what students expect from university facilities

– Educational facilities and their design have considerable impact on how students learn. Recent research indicates that modern university students are spending less time on campus and more time interacting with their peers through technology. This paper aims to examine the responses of a small number of first year university students, at RMIT University, Melbourne, to questions about the type of learning facilities they want on campus., – First year undergraduate students were interviewed about their engagement with university and in particular their learning styles in the physical environment. Although a small volunteer sample (n=12), they were all first‐time users of the university and its facilities. The average age of the sample was 19.8 years. The case studies were interviewed regularly (n=8) over a 12‐month period and their responses to learning needs and styles and university facilities recorded. The gender mix (m=8, f=4) reflected the enrolment patterns in the university school. The students were given a range of discussion triggers in semi‐structured interviews to promote discussion about their own learning styles and where and when they felt they learnt best at university., – The responses of these students indicate a number of features about their interpretation of the relationship between university learning and teaching expectations and facilities. These are: learning for these students occurred in both formal and informal settings; there was evidence that the timetabled facility dictated the teaching style used and the opportunities for collaborative learning; active learning occurred more often for these students away from the classroom, often in informal, ad hoc spaces; these students placed an important emphasis on the technology available throughout the university; and the students favoured collaborative, social spaces for learning and technology exchange. The conclusions drawn from their responses indicate that these university students want flexible learning spaces that can adapt to both individual and collaborative work with a strong emphasis on social learning and advanced technology. The responses also indicate a mismatch between existing lecture theatres and tutorial rooms and the third space learning that these students want. The results have implications for the design and construct of future teaching and learning spaces in universities and other learning institutions., – Fisher notes the importance of safety, security, natural ventilation, lighting and other physical features as conducive to effective learning. Students in this study also indicated a need for multi‐use spaces for intense work and learning opportunities. These spaces also need to allow for students to interact with the global environment through technology., – The changes in learning and teaching have been significant in the past 25 years and the role of features such as technology, collaborative spaces and third space learning have created pressure on universities and staff to meet the demands of a modern community of scholars. There is now a far greater emphasis on the learning needs of tertiary students and the relationship between learning and facilities. The responses of this small sample of first time university users indicate that this relationship is critical.

Combining vocational and higher education studies to provide dual parallel qualifications

Developing academic relationships between vocational colleges and universities in Australia has been problematic, with exchanges between the two sectors limited to linear articulation and prescribed credit transfer. Whilst some very good examples of collaboration exist, in general the two sectors operate independently of each other. The isolation of the sectors has meant frustration for students and employers who want a flexible, collaborative model to meet changing industry needs. This article reports upon a pilot project in construction management at a Melbourne university that attempted to address these needs. It demonstrates how over a five-year period, higher education students completed electives in practical units within the vocational education and training (VET) sector. The overwhelming success of the project meant that practical electives were firmly embedded in the construction management programme in 2007, and this article reports on the third, final phase of the project in 2009/10 which saw construction management students graduate with a dual qualification – both a vocational qualification and a university (HE) degree. The case studies of this final phase reveal that students and industry want the benefits of a practical and theoretical qualification. The data raise critical questions about educational pathways and suggest long-term implications for construction and tertiary education in Australia and internationally.

Combining vocational and higher education studies to provide dual parallel qualifications – an Australian case study

Developing academic relationships between vocational colleges and universities in Australia has been problematic, with exchanges between the two sectors limited to linear articulation and prescribed credit transfer. Whilst some very good examples of collaboration exist, the two sectors generally operate independently of each other. The isolation of the sectors has meant frustration for students and employers who want a flexible, collaborative model to meet changing industry needs. This paper reports upon a pilot project in construction management at a Melbourne university that attempted to address these needs. It demonstrates how over a five year period, HE students completed electives in practical units within the VET sector. The overwhelming success of the project meant that practical electives were embedded in the construction management programme in 2007 and this paper reports on the third, final phase of the project in 2009/10 which saw construction management students graduate with a dual qualification - both a vocational qualification and a university degree. Interviews conducted in this final phase reveal that students and industry want the benefits of a practical and theoretical qualification. The paper raises critical questions about educational pathways and suggests long-term implications for construction and tertiary education in Australia and internationally.

The best of both worlds – how vocational education can enhance university studies in construction management

Australian post‐compulsory vocational or technical education and higher education (university) has traditionally been delivered separately. Attempts to collaborate on curriculum development and delivery have mostly been at the margins of articulation and educational pathways. This study examines a pilot project in construction management education conducted at RMIT University over a two‐year period. The study demonstrates the challenges with mutual curriculum development between vocational and higher education in Australia and demonstrates the methods utilised to overcome these challenges. The results of the project reveal that the benefits to students in hands‐on experiences, theoretical knowledge gained and practical demonstrations were invaluable and worthy of ongoing research and development. The article also raises critical questions about flexibility and mobility in educational institutions in Australia.

The common first year programme: some lessons from a construction science course

In 2005, the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University, Melbourne, introduced a new curriculum format for all first year students. All students enrolling in one of the four undergraduate degrees offered by the school commenced a common first year programme. This new curriculum was adopted to provide students with a broader depth of knowledge and experience across all study areas and to provide greater skill enhancement for graduates. The common first year university experience allows students to build a multidisciplinary degree based upon their interests and skills. But the common first year has created a number of challenges for the lecturing staff: extremely large classes, space and resourcing issues, assessment and administration problems; greater strains upon technology; and increase in the impersonal nature of the learning environment. This paper examines how one of these large first year classes (construction science) was conducted to address some of the learning issues arising from a common first year. It describes how students were encouraged over the semester to electronically build and create a classroom resource of e-reference material on construction science topics, which was the basis for classroom discussion, interaction and assessment. The result was an electronic reference folder on CD that provided students with both a starting point for assignments, class interaction and assessment, and the development of vital information technology literacy skills.

The Need for the Graduate Attribute Assessment Tool (GAAT)

Universities have developed sets of Graduate Attributes (GAs) to be achieved by their graduates across all programs. GAs are often associated with development of ‘sustainability’ capabilities. However, there is little indication that sustainability GAs are assessed to determine the extent of achievement, application, relevance to professional practice or to provide feed-back into curriculum design. This paper reports on the development of the Graduate Attributes Assessment Tool (GAAT) to determine achievement of the sustainability GA. The research developed, in 2016, a tool to assess the level of graduate attainment, application and use of a sustainability GA in a graduate’s workplace. The GAAT is unique as it is founded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The tool was trailed on a sample of RMIT graduates and assessed to determine if it was an appropriate tool. The complex nature of the sustainability GA meant that a modified version of the TPB was required. This resulted in the development of questions that required participants to reflect on their behaviour in their workplace in relation to a specific scenario. Additional questions were included to enable feed-back on curriculum to allow for modification to assist sustainability GA achievement. The GAAT pilot indicated that it provided valid outcomes of the achievement of the sustainability GA and insight for curriculum review. Development of the GAAT and its piloting have provided the basis for a practical, flexible tool for assessing sustainability GAs, and has potential for further development into a tool for assessing the wide range of university GAs.

The Global Canopy: Propagating Discipline-Based Global Mobility

As Australian universities welcome significant numbers of inbound international students and increasingly encourage outbound domestic student mobility, the opportunities for global discipline connectedness, cross-cultural understandings, and fertile learning interactions abound. Yet these two “strands” of students rarely engage in deliberately organized discipline-based activities. They are passing “as ships in the night,” with opportunities for long-term relationships, improved discipline-based networks, and global mobility opportunities unrealized or operating coincidently at the margins of their curriculum. This chapter reports upon the outcomes of a range of approaches to discipline-based teaching and learning between these two cohorts at Australian universities, which illustrate how separate cohorts of inbound and outbound students can interrelate to build discipline-based competencies for navigating tomorrow’s world.

Inclusive STEM: Closing the Learning Loop

The importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines for the future economic and social well-being of all Australians cannot be underestimated: 75% of the fastest growing global occupations require STEM skills and knowledge (Becker and Park in J STEM Edu 12(6), 2011). Increased participation in STEM-related tertiary education is fundamental to the economic and social well-being of the individual and the nation, yet the number and capacity of STEM graduates Australia produced from tertiary institutions is inadequate (OECD in Over-qualified or under-skilled: A review of existing literature. OECD, Paris, 2011). Attracting and retaining STEM tertiary students will rely upon approaches to learning and teaching that engage, motivate and inspire more diverse cohorts. As the Australian Chief Scientist notes: STEM disciplines are critical engines of innovation and growth. The future of the Australian economy will be underpinned by the number and calibre of STEM graduates and the academic staff leading them. We are at present falling short: something different has to be done, demanding a paradigm shift (Office of the Chief Scientist, Australia, 2012). This chapter discusses a recent initiative The RMIT Inclusive Teaching and Assessment Practices Project which was created to address the diverse needs of all learners across the university.

Pathways to industry : work practices of undergraduate students in construction programs in Australia

This research reports the impact of work on undergraduate students enrolled in construction programs. Students responded to a questionnaire on the nature of their paid work while enrolled in full-time study in six universities across Australia. The results indicate that students are working on average 19 hours per week during semester time. The results indicate that students in the early years tend to undertake casual work that is not related to their degree. However, this pattern changes in the later years of the program, where students switch to roles in construction that does relate to their coursework. The students start working on average 16 hours in the first year of their degree, and the number rises to 24 hours in their final year. Past research suggests that students may be working to an extent beyond what is considered beneficial to their studies. Past research has shown that working long hours has a negative effect on the study patterns of undergraduate students. The implications of the amount of time working and the type of work are discussed. The paper concludes by suggesting that universities need a greater awareness of the impact of paid employment on student engagement.