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Computer Simulation for Construction Education Using the Structure-Behavior-Function Theory: A Pilot Study on Learning Estimating Concepts

ABSTRACT A computer simulation based on the structure-behavior-function (SBF) theory is developed and tested to study its impact on teaching construction estimating. While students eventually excel at estimating, grasping basic estimating concepts often presents a challenge to many students when they start learning estimating. It requires students to have a solid understanding about the relationship between actual construction and a typical estimating process to derive a good estimate. A computer simulation of a simple construction estimating process presents an opportunity for students to meet the challenge. One hundred and nine junior year students in a construction management department at a major state university in the southeastern United States participated in the study. The experimental group had sixty students using the simulation; while the control group had forty-nine students without using the simulation. The results showed that the simulation significantly improved students in learning both estimating concepts and processes (p = .05) and a significant portion (90%) of students felt that the simulation was helpful in learning estimating, but inconsistencies exist. The authors also identified and discussed limitations related to the findings.