Using Construction Equipment Simulators to Teach Learning Curve Theory

Repetitive construction activities often experience a learning effect that cause the unit cost to decrease as the number of completed units increases. Construction engineering and management students must be able to model this effect to accurately estimate and schedule such operations. A course module including presentation of learning curve theory, an assignment requiring the repeated performance of a simulated operation, and analysis of the resulting performance data was designed to focus on the knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis levels of Bloom’s taxonomy of skills in the cognitive domain. The module resulted in excellent knowledge regarding learning curve theory and its application within the construction industry. A separate assessment vehicle revealed student proficiency at the highest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.