Bim as learning media for building construction

Abstract

A fundamental module of any recognized architecture curricula is the understanding of buildings construction. A major component of such understanding is learning how to put together a structure system for a building. The difficulty most students find is not in knowing these structure systems in their abstract form, rather in applying this knowledge while making design decisions. Selecting the appropriate system and adapting it to the difficult conditions that accompany a particular design is the more challenging aspect to grasp. Instructors use various techniques to help students overcome this challenge. These techniques range from simply showing photos to requiring students to construct a building. This paper describes a new technique experimented with by the author. It is based on using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software as a learning media to help students face the challenge. The paper discusses the technique and the details of the experiment through a case study. The paper eventually reports on what the experiment reveals regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using BIM as a learning media.