Teaching Beyond the Curriculum
Abstract
This paper posits that digital tools facilitate and uniquely enhance the learning of all stakeholders in a global educational ‘live-build’ activity. We present a Case Study of a student entry to the ‘Solar Decathlon Middle East’, an international sustainability-focussed competition for higher education institutions co-hosted at World Expo 2020 in Dubai. The paper draws on reflections from key participants in the project, staff and students, to further evaluate the impact of this experience on their subsequent careers in consultancy, entrepreneurship, construction and education. The three-year project connected a significant range of stakeholders, many online and remote from the physical build. The context of this educational activity demanded innovation in digital collaboration, reinforced by the global pandemic, throughout which the student team’s reach and engagement fostered direct relations to over 40 industry partners from the UK, Middle East and EU. The project consisted of an active multidisciplinary group of over 120 undergraduate and postgraduate students across multiple global campuses. This was achieved by the student-led agile and experimental use of digital tools including productivity apps, collaboration platforms, BIM tools, calculation software and social media. Students were supported and encouraged to explore, learning through enquiry. This open-ended ‘challenge-based-learning’ pedagogy led to extraordinary success, and also valuable learning from failures. The breadth of the experience led to widespread learning of personal purpose, impact and resilience, alongside promoting technical innovation in construction. The paper explores the efficacy of this pedagogic framework in driving innovation and developing professionals equipped to face the global Climate Emergency.
Alex is an RIBA/RIAS Chartered Architect and fellow of the RSA and the HEA. She is Strategic Projects Lead for L&T at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. Alex is devoted to education that inspires learners, confronting the challenges of the Climate Emergency. She is pioneering programmes for higher education syllabi, working between construction subjects and with professionals outside HE. She believes that smart education and training, honing trans-disciplinary communication and social skills, will deliver the technical evolution of the construction industry, and inspire future generations.
Jessica Haskett, former Team Leader and Construction Manager for SDME, now in full-time employment as Design Manager for UK wide major contractor, Kier. Jessica co-formed the start-up team and drove student decision making in a multi-disciplined, collaborative approach to learning and implementing, across the full three year project major works. Jessica continues to work with emerging talent for Kier and recently won Future Talent of the Year 2023 at a UK Business South awards.
Jairis Alvarez Trujillo, former Communications and Marketing Coordinator for SDME, now with a full-time role as Computational Designer in Building Engineering for a worldwide company, RINA Consulting. With Jairis and the team’s managerial and organizational skills, the team successfully secured the 3rd place in the communications contest. Jairis’s duties encompassed supervising subteam tasks, nurturing PR relationships and creating marketing campaigns.
Sonia Piorek, one of former Team Leaders and Advisors for SDME. As a co-founder she wore many hats to develop the team ranging from Growth to Engineering roles. After graduating, she joined a Silicon Valley startup as their first employee and helped building a global company alongside experienced entrepreneurs. Active in the Venture Capital space she supports more investment into hardware innovation.
Sana Hafsa, former Team Leader and Building Services Lead for SDME, is currently delivering sustainability consultancy and integrated project management for megaprojects in the MENA region. Sana’s SDME engagement began during the pandemic in technical roles, shifting to wider organizational support in Dubai near the construction phase. She was recognized as Graduate of the Year 2022 by CIBSE and ASHRAE for accomplishments during university and her professional career.