ABSTRACT
Education in the built environment has had a tradition of lecture, studio and print based instruction, where the principal subject matter i.e. buildings under design and construction, cannot be brought physically into the classroom. This paper discusses significant uses of the new Internet technology in the context of building and construction studies. Whilst many of the pedagogical issues relating to incorporation of web based instruction into teaching programs are covered, if not hotly debated elsewhere, this paper can act as a guide to educators developing web learning resources in this particular field of undergraduate education.
The authors experience is related through research being undertaken into the creation of a dynamic construction project archive using the format and tools of the web. The main purpose of this real life construction project made ‘virtual’ is to exploit web technology to simulate the site visit experience and provide both visual and text information that can enrich the teaching process through experiential learning. Additionally, as the design and construction industry moves closer towards using the Internet in project environments and exchange of information, students exposure to emerging web technologies can greatly improve their understanding of a technologically advanced design and construction workplace.
