INCREASING THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY THROUGH SIMULATION BASED LEARNING SYSTEMS

By:

LIGHT CHOBYA and PETER WAKABI-WAISWA

ABSTRACT

The number of women in the construction industry is much lower than men and this is partly contributed to by few opportunities offered to women. On the other part, the lack of incorporation into construction engineering and management curricula of tasks that improve the abilities of students to manage the complex dynamics, pressures, and demands of construction sites is becoming critical to meet the demands of the construction industry. These goals are neither easy nor cheap to incorporate using traditional educational tools. This paper reviews the role computing and information technology in general and of simulation in particular, can play in increasing the number of women, in construction engineering. The paper provides an overview of a simulation based interactive TRAnsportation and Civil Engineering (TRAC) programme that is applied by several countries including Tanzania

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Tanzania as in many other countries the number of women in the Construction Industry is very low compared to that of men. The construction industry activities include planning, design, construction, management and operation of building and civil works. Various factors have contributed to the lower participation of women in the construction industry these include:
· Lack of confidence as a result of societies considering construction related activities are for men and not women
· Lack of role models and career guidance for women
· Cultural beliefs that engineering and construction related activities are for men
· Engineering and technology being viewed as tough subjects for women
· Inadequacy of information and opportunities related to construction activities
· Lack of information, technology and networking
· Insufficient instructional methodology at early stages of schools such as simulation that stimulate students to perform various activities

For the case of Tanzania, low participation of women in construction is reflected in many areas. For instance, according to (Mugalula, 2003), out of 3,000 registered contractors only 38 are women. Furthermore, surve34y done by the Engineers Registration Board (ERB) shows that out of 4,438 Registered Engineers only 2% are women with 1.5% of them being professional engineers. Registered consultant engineer or firm owned by women are also very few.

INITIATIVES CARRIED OUT

It has been rare to prepare a student at the early stages of primary or secondary school by exposing them to technical subjects related to the construction industry.

While it is not easy to prepare students for the challenges of participating in construction projects, the instruction methods used in majority of construction engineering and management curricula rely, for the most part, on traditional methods such as exposing students to applied science courses. The traditional teaching methods, though capable of providing students with the skills necessary to solve the real world problems encountered in construction, there are several limitations that do not permit them to have the requisite penetration such as conveying complex engineering knowledge effectively. Also, given the fact that very few female students are given the chance to reach engineering courses due to unavailability of adequate resources, cultural beliefs and others, it becomes difficult to increase on their numbers in the construction industry.

Other than the factors that affect the individual students, the instructors or institutions are faced with problems that hinder effective instruction. As an example, visits to construction sites or site training would constantly complement the more conventional classroom instructional tools. However, there are various complicating issues that make it impossible to rely on the sites. Foremost, the instructor cannot control the availability of a project at the necessary stage of completion. Also, visits of larger groups to construction sites may not be welcome, involve risk, and are unpractical. The high cost of site training is a further impediment to its extensive use for construction education. Computing, and information and communication technologies in general and simulation in particular have the potential to act as excellent tools to complement construction engineering and management education, which implicitly causes an increase in the participation and/or role of women in the construction industry.

The issues that need to be addressed in construction engineering instruction are manifold and range from issues related to the enhancement of the learning abilities of students to curricula integration and the inclusion in the curricula of hands-on, real-world experiences. In the following paragraphs we describe some of these issues as well as some potential solutions to shortcomings.
· The improvement of the learning abilities of students: One of the efficient ways of improving students' learning and making the learnt knowledge stick almost permanently is to make them actively participate in the learning process. It is thus important to provide possibilities for the students to actively use and explore the new concepts as they learn them. Computing technologies such as course material on removable media such DVD/CD-ROM and the Internet can be helpful in complementing the instruction. Further, computerized simulation of real-life scenarios can allow for a learning experience to take place.

· Knowledge fragmentation: Current curricula do not give students a holistic view of their field of study. A typical undergraduate program in engineering includes curricular components such as mathematics and basic sciences, humanities and social sciences, engineering sciences, engineering design, and civil engineering core courses. Also, the conventional civil engineering curriculum, implemented at most African universities and other higher institutions of learning, focuses on unlinked and independent core and support courses that convey knowledge in fragments. Often students neither retain nor are able to utilize knowledge acquired in previous courses.

· Quite a few students in Africa have that luxury of attending University and Higher Institutions of learning

· It is always implied that engineering, which lead to the construction know-how should be for men. There are several areas in engineering that do not require long hours of exposure to difficult conditions such as the sun or to lift heavy stuff. These include such activities as project estimation, plan drawing, procurement, internal finishes, project management and landscaping, among others.

· Also, most instructional methods consider very few types of learners. Effective instructional method should consider three types of learners: visual (learning by looking, seeing, viewing and watching), auditory (learning by listening, hearing, and speaking) and kinaesthetic (learning by experiencing, moving and doing).

DESIRABLE SOLUTIONS

To address these shortcomings, there is a need to develop curricular instruments that will require students to pool their knowledge to solve authentic real-world problems. Project-based learning where learning evolves around real-world projects that span various disciplines, can also be implemented to address these shortcomings.

· Providing hands-on experience: The incorporation of a practical element in construction engineering and management is of foremost importance. However, as discussed above, several factors complicate or even prevent the use of extensive site training. Computer-based solutions that simulate the environment of construction, with all its complex and dynamic relationships between different factors, can, however, bridge the gap between the classroom and the construction site by allowing the students to take actions and learn from the responses to these actions.
· This system can be used as an instructional tool for students to introduce practical construction management concepts. Most of the challenges listed above can be addressed by this system and as such improve the participation of the girl child in the construction industry through the use of ICT.
· With the system availed at such levels, the consequence will be an increased number of girls attending construction engineering courses and this will result in an increase in both the proportion and number of women in the construction industry.

TRAC PROGRAMME

The acronym TRAC means TRAnsportation and Civil Engineering. It was developed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). It is a computer-based hands-on programme. The programme has the following objectives:
· To enhance science subjects such as Math, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
· To connect student to the real world of transportation, civil engineering and applied science
· To inspire students to consider careers in field of science, transportation and applied technology

Currently, TRAC Programme is implemented in only four countries worldwide. These are the United States of America, Costa Rica, South Africa and Tanzania.

In 2000, the TRAC Programme was introduced in Tanzania to the Tanzania Transportation Technology Transfer Centre with the support of United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Three schools were selected to be pilot. These are:
· Mzizima Secondary School (Private - Co Education School)
· Azania Secondary School (Public - Boys School)
· Jangwani Secondary School (Public - Girls School)

The System was introduced after signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and the Tanzania Transportation Technology Transfer Centre through the Ministry of Works. Thereafter, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the schools and the Centre. School Teachers and supervisor attended TRAC Trainers Course.

OVERVIEW OF THE TRAC SYSTEM

The TRAC System is a PC based system that makes use of simulation and practitioner involvement to incorporate practical experiences in the construction and civil engineering curricula. The Interactive Learning System uses an interactive and adaptive learning environment to train students in the area of planning of construction processes. The system is process oriented and mimics the challenges faced by a construction manager on a real life project. It teaches students to apply their natural skills to get knowledge of construction materials and methods, estimating, scheduling, resource allocation and utilization, fleet size determination, productivity and cost calculations, and decision-making in relation to construction processes.

This system also takes into consideration such factors as environmental issues, sanitation, water works, security, etc. and as such it prepares students for real-life experiences. Thus, with this system, adequate experience of the complexity of the dynamics of a construction site is provided to the students.

· The system is PC based and as such it can be deployed at several remote locations. The fact that it is PC-based allows it to be deployed in several points and as such very many girl-children may benefit and also result in effective dissemination of the system.
· The system internally utilizes discrete event simulation, gaming, and stochastic methods to provide an interactive system that mimics the real construction processes.
· It also utilizes multimedia databases to provide students with an interesting view of the selected construction processes and equipment.
· Practical content relevant to construction processes and equipment is included in the system. Practitioner involvement clearly allows students to learn more about the construction management profession.
These salient features of TRAC, and similar systems, make it possible to have a deep penetration into the populace and as such permit women play a visible and significant role in construction engineering.

TRAC programme modules include:
1. Bridge Builder - allows a student to explore structure engineering. The Student is able to build a bridge by constructing members by considering various forces, loading (truss dead load, deck load and traffic load). A student is able to select different types of materials for bridge members such as carbon steel, high strength low alloy steel etc. or if the member is solid bar or hollow tube.

2. Sim City - Allows a student to explore urban and transportation planning. This module allows a student to build an environmental friendly city by providing transportation systems such as railways, roads, ports etc.; recreational centres; libraries, heavy and light industries; schools and colleges; utilities such as water and power supply at a given amount of money.

In this module a city has to be built in a certain time frame, otherwise a student is voted out by the community. There is a service of various advisors such as an Environmentalist, City Mayor etc. The system warns a student that he has designed a city without water supply or electricity, therefore, residents will not pay revenue.

3. Traffic Engineering - The module includes a Yellow light problem and clearing up traffic congestion
4. Magnetic Levitation Train - Student manufacture a Maglev vehicle model and test it to levitate
5. Motion Detectors - The Modules allows a student to understand Newton's Law of Motion

A critical factor in the success of the TRAC System is the student interaction process. The system can be utilized to encourage student undertake construction materials and methods, construction estimating, construction scheduling, and construction project management courses. Additionally, the system will be utilized in other civil engineering courses, introductory pre-engineering courses and demonstrations to prospective transfer students. The TRAC System permits the students to use it in four different modes:

Mode 1: Browse through the construction process database. This will permit students to learn about construction technologies and methods, equipment and material usage, and the underlying tasks and their sequence. Equally, the student can also browse through the construction equipment database and obtain information regarding the general specifications of the equipment, performance factors, equipment use and technology.

Mode 2: Involves calculation of the result without real testing. For instance, for the case of bridge building, calculation can be performed without having the truck drive across the bridge

Mode 3: This mode is the interactive simulation and gaming mode. The system provides the student with real life construction scenarios, and permits him/her to develop and implement a solution, study the response of the system, and then iteratively improve the solution. For instance, in bridge building, during animation the truck of 80,000 pound attempts to pass across the bridge and if the bridge is not of adequate strength, the bridge collapses into the river.

Mode 4: This is the review mode. It allows reviewing of the results of the latest analysis

A number of steps have to be followed by a student in this mode. At the outset, the student selects a problem scenario and how he/she will develop a solution.

ACHIEVEMENTS

To-date achievements related to TRAc programme are as follows:
· The Tanzania Transportation Technology Transfer Centre Coordinates and promotes the TRAC Programme in Tanzania.
· The Centre distributed 3 TRAC PAC to schools.
· The Centre facilitates exhibitions of TRAC students during various technical forums.
· TRAC programme inspires students in secondary schools. Students understand more science subjects than before.
· The TRAC programme is one of the strategies to address work force development issues at early stages.
· The TRAC programme provides equal environment for both schoolgirls and boys to learn construction industry related activities. This particular feature will assist demystify the concept that engineering is not for women, and will assist build confidence in women that they can be as effective as men when it comes to subjects viewed as tough.

The TRAC Programme incorporates modules that address various methods that cater for all three types of learners. Such methods include application of different types of visual aids, demonstrations, group discussions, brainstorming and simulations. Others are reading silently or aloud, sharing of experiences, group discussions, listening and writing, and movement activities.

The utilization of the TRAC System provides a problem-based cooperative learning environment for construction engineering and management education. It provides students with a practical laboratory and an opportunity to understand practical applications of the technical skills learned in the classroom. Further, students will benefit from practitioner involvement, will have the chance to improve their team skills, gain knowledge on construction equipment, construction processes and techniques, construction simulation, and the various interactions between these.

The application of computing for instruction clearly show the trends in education using computing and information technology can improve the involvement of the girl child in the male dominated construction industry. These trends are altogether understandable given the challenges educators and students face in instruction/learning nowadays. Systems like TRAC clearly cater for these needs by providing a system that permits active and interactive modes to improve learning effectiveness, a multi-disciplinary approach including knowledge on construction processes and techniques, construction simulation and the various interactions to reduce fragmentation and improve the students' use of their creativity, knowledge, and simulation to improve the students' understanding of the dynamics and complexities of the construction industry activities. The value of ICT and simulation based learning in general, can not be over emphasised, given the fact that it provides an enabling environment for learning such as practitioner involvement from which students can profit in manifold ways ranging from guidance, reduced cost, deeper penetration to improved industry knowledge. Therefore, the effective use of ICT and simulation based learning systems such as TRAC can go a long way in increasing the role and/or participation of women in the construction industry by demystifying the myth that construction engineering is not for women; remove the cultural beliefs that deter women from joining the industry and the provision of the requisite instructional methods and mediums.

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LIGHT CHOBYA received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from UDSM in 1987. Prior to beginning her Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Transportation at West Virginia University, She is a certified Instructor and Master Trainer of the National Highway Institute of the United States of America. She is currently working with the Tanzania Transportation Technology Transfer (TanT2) Centre as a Programme Engineer. Prior to joining the TanT2 Centre, she worked with NCC and the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Institute. She is coordinating TRAc programme in Tanzania. She has written numerous papers both national and international.

PETER WAKABI-WAISWA received his Bachelor of Statistics (2.1) degree from Makerere University in 1990 and a distinction Master's degree in Computer Science from National University of Science & Technology, Zimbabwe in 1997. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science and is a Certified Novell Administrator. He is currently working as a Commonwealth ICT Expert to the National Construction Council, Dar es Salaam, TZ. Prior to joining NCC he worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers as Information Technology (IT) Consultant; Makerere University as Lecturer; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as LAN Manager/Administrative Analyst.