Bim as a Tool to Develop Collaborative Capacities in Master's Students

Abstract

During the last years, engineering projects of buildings and infrastructures make use of a new methodology, based on the 3D simulation of the elements of the project. It is the BIM (Building Information Modeling) methodology. In some countries it is already a common practice in large projects. Europe countries are developing legislation for public initiative projects to be prepared and presented in this format. However, in University education the use of these systems is still performed at a low level, perhaps because one of the fundamentals of the methodology is collaborative work, which hinders the individual evaluation of the student. This limitation may be justified in undergraduate studies, of a more generalist nature, but in no way should it be in the Master's, where the student must be trained in a specialized manner and in the latest and most advanced technologies, and also should be able of team work. For this reason the BETI Innovation Group (Biosystems Engineering Teaching Innovation) of the Technical University of Madrid is trying to implement teaching based on challenges using BIM methodology. The students of different Masters and courses will develop a collaborative engineering project using BIM methodology and procedures. In this way the students develop very diverse competences: collaborative work, organization and planning, leadership, management of ICT technologies, non-verbal communication, etc. Master students must organize themselves following the professors' guide to jointly achieve the challenge of developing a project that the professors propose to them. As many challenges as necessary will be proposed, so that 10 to 20 students collaborate in each project. Students will be assigned roles and tasks, following the guidelines of the professors, will establish their deadlines and milestones, which must be met so as not to harm others. The project will cover a complete academic year, since in one of the Masters the students will work on the project in two courses, one belonging to the first semester and another to the second semester. The grades will be based on the work done by the students, not being so important the final result. The BIM methodology allows building the virtual model with different levels of development (LOD), which makes it easier for students to work on this model in diverse courses with progressive specialization.