Building information modeling-enhanced team-based learning in construction education

Construction industry has experienced a variety of changes in terms of operation and organization, which bring about higher requirements to the construction education. Modern technologies, such as the building information modeling (BIM), are a profound driving factor to these changes. This research aims at identifying the industry expectation and satisfaction for construction graduates and finding an appropriate pedagogical approach. This paper began with a retrospective review on the construction education evolution; then analyzed five exemplar undergraduate construction programs within the U.S. Associated Schools of Construction (ASC); and identified three critical areas in current construction education which are information technology, collaborative leadership and practical innovation. An approach of BIM-enhanced team-based learning (TBL) was discussed to effectively satisfy both construction industry demands and student feature careers. The integration of BIM and TBL is believed to raise the teaching effectiveness of construction knowledge in science, technology, management, collaboration and practice.