Case Base For Delivering Integrated Education With Multimedia Decision Support

This paper illustrates the use of a multimedia case-based system designed to enhance the learning process by providing decision-support for integrated education in construction engineering as well as with other engineering disciplines. Sections of digital videos related to construction methods and materials, schedules as well as design alternatives have been collected to compile knowledge of construction activities and products from different construction projects. Cases are designed to compose sets of scenarios useful in analytical and decision-making processes for the delivery of integrated teaching. This consists of using compiled predefined representations including sections of digital videos capturing real construction site activities and products for the composition of new sets of situations useful to several management processes and engineering concepts under a current/new study. Several scenarios have been illustrated and findings summarized including advantages and limitations for further research and implementation. The case-based system will provide the educator with an effective tool to deliver the construction knowledge by integrating several concepts in the course, which will help prepare engineers to solve real construction situations. The benefits are drawn from an enhanced flexibility in manipulating the knowledge to evaluate alternatives using real visual sections of videos to effectively convey the integrated processes among disciplines. Example tasks include the selection from several compiled choices, viewing, composing, and decomposing cases. This flexible user-technology interaction furnishes direct visual understanding and integration of several engineering concepts in the processes. Use of the case-based system will allow (1) integrated teaching with other educators; (2) enhanced students understanding and visualization of the concepts involved; and (3) collaborative access with and/or among students to complete assignments and problem-solve. Implementation requires the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team to develop substantial sets of case studies relating the concepts of different engineering programs.