AN INTEGRATIVE FIRST YEAR CIVIL ENGINEERING COURSE « Initiation à la pratique professionnelle » Kenneth Johns Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

Common curriculum reform goals: Increase perseverance Increase perseverance Build-in professionalism, its ethos and values Build-in professionalism, its ethos and values Integrate learnings Integrate learnings Include transverse or soft skills, including teamwork Include transverse or soft skills, including teamwork Apply theory immediately or learn- while-doing (e.g. PBL) Apply theory immediately or learn- while-doing (e.g. PBL) Contextualise learning Contextualise learning

Our context (Québec) CEGEP system; two college years after american-style high school CEGEP system; two college years after american-style high school (similar to Bacc International) Co-op or sandwich program Co-op or sandwich program High admission standards High admission standards

Some particularities of Civil Engineering: Often done outdoors! Often done outdoors! Infrastructures, rather than products Infrastructures, rather than products Fractioned Construction industry Fractioned Construction industry Projects under contract; adversarial relationships Projects under contract; adversarial relationships Design practices Design practices Relationship to Environment and to International Development Relationship to Environment and to International Development

Student needs and doubts Have I made the right choice? Have I made the right choice? What is Civil Engineering anyway?!! What is Civil Engineering anyway?!! If I do stick with this, If I do stick with this, Who will I work for?Who will I work for? Where will I work?Where will I work? What are my opportunities?What are my opportunities? Will this work be compatible with my values?Will this work be compatible with my values? Will this be worth a big part of my life? Will this be worth a big part of my life?

Induction Induction is the successful transition into university Good Practice: Good mix of challenge and reassurance Good mix of challenge and reassurance Group activities Group activities Activities integrated into the academic program Activities integrated into the academic program

Initiation à la pratique professionnelle (IPP) GOALS: Present, make this career real Present, make this career real Prepare for first work placement Prepare for first work placement Begin work on students personal goals Begin work on students personal goals Contextualise learnings from other courses, and Contextualise learnings from other courses, and Include development of Teamwork and Communication skills Include development of Teamwork and Communication skills

IPP 1 Career preparation 6 former students present their careers thus far Men, women Men, women Public and private sector Public and private sector Small and large firms Small and large firms Outdoors and indoors Outdoors and indoors Design Design Management Management

IPP 2 History (!) A history of building materials and technologies Masonry, wood, iron and steel, concrete, tensile materials Masonry, wood, iron and steel, concrete, tensile materials Who was doing our job Who was doing our job Impacts on society Impacts on society

IPP 3 Writing exercises Which visitor was most inspiring as a model for you? Which visitor was most inspiring as a model for you? Work placement crisis scenario Work placement crisis scenario A private testing contract possibility: A private testing contract possibility: bid,bid, contract detailscontract details claim for extra paymentclaim for extra payment A note to your boss A note to your boss

IPP 4 Technical report Recent examples: Recent examples: Hong Kong AirportHong Kong Airport The Roman Road systemThe Roman Road system EurotunnelEurotunnel Suez CanalSuez Canal Content: Content: project planning and budget,project planning and budget, politics,politics, execution,execution, impacts, andimpacts, and a student-chosen major Themea student-chosen major Theme

IPP 4 Report contd Objectives: Technical report writingTechnical report writing Oral presentationOral presentation Teamwork, andTeamwork, and What civil engineers deal withWhat civil engineers deal with

IPP 4 Report contd done in teams of four, imposed by staffdone in teams of four, imposed by staff Myers-Briggs is usedMyers-Briggs is used day of intentional team-building gamesday of intentional team-building games The report is in a formal, realistic technical format and is presented 6 months later to a jury of academic staff

IPP 5 Job Site Vocabulary What is that half-buried concrete thing? What is that half-buried concrete thing? Where and how do they make that big steel girder? Where and how do they make that big steel girder? What is that big piece of equipment? What is that big piece of equipment?

IPP 6 Construction management Whos who on the job site? Whos who on the job site? Who are they paid by? Who are they paid by? What are their responsibilities and concerns? What are their responsibilities and concerns? To whom may I speak? To whom may I speak?

IPP 7 Ethics What kind of situation can develop? What kind of situation can develop? What are the issues? What are the issues? How will I decide what to do? How will I decide what to do? Minimal theoretical notions Minimal theoretical notions

IPP 8 Life-cycle analysis Life cycle concepts and cost Life cycle concepts and cost Green building Green building Environmental stewardship and engineering Environmental stewardship and engineering

IPP To Sum Up Involves the precocious presentation of subjects usually seen much later! Encourages: Eyes to be opened, awareness Eyes to be opened, awareness AHA! Insights AHA! Insights Motivation Motivation Mature learners. Mature learners.

Impact of IPP and our reform Drop-out rates Intake groups followed longitudinally After first 12 months (original cohorts) After 5 years (all participants) BEFORE reform ( ) 21.1 % 32.8 % SINCE reform ( ) 6.3 % 9.5 %

Comments about IPP It definitely helped me understand what Civil Engineering is all about It definitely helped me understand what Civil Engineering is all about It made sense of other subjects It made sense of other subjects It made me glad I chose Civil Engineering It made me glad I chose Civil Engineering

Some survey scores Score: 8.4 on 10 for: This course fostered a sense of belonging to the programme, the department and the profession Score: 8.9 on 10 for: It made real and visible my career possibilities in Civil engineering, and helped me begin thinking about my professional future

Conclusions Most or all of the Departments objectives are met, for most of the students Most or all of the Departments objectives are met, for most of the students Retention and motivation of the students is very high Retention and motivation of the students is very high

A comment we hear from staff, and former students I wish I had been offered a course like this when I was a student!

Merci! Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada