Developing Construction Information Systems Courses Based on Collaboration between Industry and Academia

Abstract

The technological advancements of the twenty-first century have great potential for improving the construction industry’s low levels of productivity. Many companies are adopting new technologies to help them in their everyday work and automate some of their tasks. With the increased demand for skilled workers who are able to adapt to the new technological changes, it is essential for schools to provide their students with the necessary skills to enter the market and be successful professionals. This research presented the results of a Delphi study conducted to assess the level of knowledge in technological topics expected from graduates when joining the industry. The expectations were measured from the industry side and the academic side and compared based on the job position. Based on the collected results, two graduate construction technology courses were designed and described in this paper. These courses covered topics related to information modeling, reality capture, visualization techniques, generative design, robotics, and automation. The paper also assessed the use of virtual reality and collaborative online platforms for building information models for class group projects. It also discussed the benefits of using these technologies from the viewpoint of students and instructors.