University of Technology Sydney

16900 Construction for Developing Communities

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: School of the Built Environment
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): ( 16631 Construction and Development Process OR ((48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10214 Bachelor of Construction Project Management OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10215 Bachelor of Construction Project Management Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09079 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10004 Bachelor of Design Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10325 Bachelor of Design Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10265 Bachelor of Design Photography OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10266 Bachelor of Design Photography Bachelor of Arts International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10271 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10272 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10322 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10273 Bachelor of Design Animation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10274 Bachelor of Design Animation Bachelor of Arts International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10356 Bachelor of Design Animation Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10304 Bachelor of Design Product Design OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10305 Bachelor of Design Product Design Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10323 Bachelor of Design Product Design Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10306 Bachelor of Design Fashion and Textiles OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10307 Bachelor of Design Fashion and Textiles Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10321 Bachelor of Design Fashion and Textiles Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10308 Bachelor of Design Visual Communication OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10309 Bachelor of Design Visual Communication Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10324 Bachelor of Design Visual Communication Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10420 Bachelor of Construction Project Management Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10423 Bachelor of Design Interior Architecture Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10424 Bachelor of Design Animation Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10428 Bachelor of Design Product Design Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10429 Bachelor of Design Fashion and Textiles Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10430 Bachelor of Design Visual Communication Bachelor of Languages and Cultures)))
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Requisite elaboration/waiver:

Faculty approval required to enrol. Students must go through a faculty selection process to be granted permission to enrol in this subject, before submitting an e-request.

Description

This subject offers students the opportunity to experience the process of the design and construction of residential or small scale developments in developing communities. It involves students in the planning and construction of residential or small buildings in disadvantaged communities either within or outside Australia. The subject is project based and includes instruction on both the customs and culture of the relevant community and the construction methods relevant to that community. The main focus of the subject is an on-site residential workshop where students participate in construction teams working on real community projects.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Prepare a project plan relating to a building project in a developing community
2. Understand the logistical and resource issues relating to construction in developing community locations
3. Demonstrate an appreciation of teamwork and the delivery of a construction project in a developing community context
4. Recognise the economic and social challenges facing the world in housing the disadvantaged
5. Produce a risk management plan for working in a developing community
6. Understand the complexities associated with delivering a construction project in a developing community context

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Work effectively in multidisciplinary and culturally diverse contexts. (A.2)
  • Apply a variety of communication skills and technologies in professional contexts. (C.1)
  • Work effectively in project teams in professional contexts. (C.2)
  • Operate effectively within the social, legal and technical framework of the design and construction process. (P.1)
  • Apply the body of knowledge underpinning construction project management practice. (P.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

The learning activities in this subject involve a variety of block mode lectures, workshops, remote off-campus ‘hands-on’ construction activities for 7 - 10 days duration (either within Australia or overseas depending on the project) and online teaching strategies.

Block mode lectures are used to deliver specific knowledge regarding the management of a construction project in a developing community.

Project-based group learning activities during the 5 to 10 day workshop are used to provoke participatory discussions and encourage multidisciplinary teamwork for the construction of community facilities. The exact tasks to be performed by students will depend on the needs of the community and the skills of the student group but it is expected that housing will be the main priority. Work will be carried out in conjunction with not-for-profit organisations.

All students are expected to attend all lecture and workshop sessions, and follow suggested learning patterns and activities. Students are also encouraged to participate actively in the group discussions that occur during the course.

UTS staff believe that collaborative peer learning enhances individual learning. During the workshop component you are required to work in groups to achieve the project objectives. To facilitate this, some of the assessments are framed in such a way as to encourage group-based learning.

This subject includes field-trips to developing communities to enable students to directly experience the planning, logistics and risk management that remote construction activities entail.

There are a number of online resources used to support the learning objectives of this subject. A detailed overview of the pedagogy and associated tasks and assessment items are included in the subject documents. Also online are essential and recommended readings. Significantly, the readings support the lectures by providing students with an overview of issues that accompany remote construction activities. It is also important to note that the essential readings will introduce students to the lecture content.

All documents are accessible from UTS Online that support the learning objectives of this subject. A detailed brief, associated tasks and assessments, and additional documentation will, therefore, be uploaded to this subject’s UTS Online portal. The location of all documents referred to in any assessment task will be detailed in such a way as to make it is easily accessible to students. To further assist learning in this subject, essential and recommended readings, lectures, as well as previous student work, will be available.

Students will have several opportunities to receive feedback during the subject. The feedback provided will vary in form, purpose and in its degree of formality:

Formative feedback will be provided during the learning process, typically provided verbally by the subject's teaching staff. It will address the content of work and a student's approach to learning, both in general and more specific ‘assessment orientated’ terms. It is designed to help students improve their performance in time for the submission of an assessment item. For this to occur students need to respond constructively to the feedback provided. This involves critically reflecting on advice given and in response altering the approach taken to a given assessment. Formative feedback may also, on occasion, be provided by other students. It is delivered informally, either in conversation during a tutorial or in the course of discussion at the scale of the whole class. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during meetings or studio sessions.

Summative feedback is provided in written form with all assessed work. It is published along with indicative grades online at UTS REVIEW. Summative feedback focuses on assessment outcomes. It is used to indicate how successfully a student has performed in terms of specific assessment criteria.

Content (topics)

The content of this subject covers the following topics:

  1. Overview of the project
  2. Details of the culture and other relevant aspects of the project community
  3. Details of the construction materials and processes particular to the project community
  4. Project planning and logistic management necessary for the project.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Project Plan (Group)

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment task is for students to understand what is required to develop a design proposal and the necessary supporting documentation, including Project and Risk Management plans.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2 and 5

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, P.1 and P.2

Type: Report
Groupwork: Group, group assessed
Weight: 30%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Demonstrate the ability to develop a project plan for constructing a building in a disadvantaged community 34 1 C.2
Demonstrate the ability to plan within the logstical and resources constraints when building in a disadvantaged community 33 2 P.2
Demonstrate the ability to develop adequate responses to the risk associated with building in a disadvantaged community 33 5 P.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Workshops (Individual)

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment is for students to demonstrate their abilities to work effectively in groups to achieve the intended design and construction outcomes, taking onto account the cultural and geographical context of the assignment.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

3, 4 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.2 and C.2

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Demonstrate insight into the economic and social challenges facing a building project in a disadvantaged community 34 4 C.2
Demonstrate an appreciation of team dynamics and their effect on project outcomes 33 3 C.2
Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities associated with delivering a construction project in a developing community context 33 6 A.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Reflective Journal (Individual)

Intent:

The purpose of this assessment is for students to demonstrate their skills as reflective practitioners.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.2 and C.1

Type: Journal
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Demonstrate an appreciation of team dynamics and their effect on project outcomes 50 3 A.2
Demonstrate insight into the economic and social challenges facing a building project in a disadvantaged community 50 4 C.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Students must achieve a minimum aggregate mark of 50% to pass this subject.

Required texts

Not required

References

Not Applicable