Go and see and touch and feel - an introductory case study for civil engineering students

Civil engineering students often have difficulties visualising abstract theoretical concepts in early stages of their education in structures. Over the last few years we have developed a structural experience for our students that helps to make these abstract concepts concrete. Embedded in this experience are strategies that reflect both 'good teaching' practice and relevant management strategies. We have developed a case study with accompanying worksheets that become the scenario for rich assessment tasks for later university theoretical work. Australian Technology Park (ATP) is an excellent site for such an experience because the 'new' structure has been built inside the 1800s structure and both are visible. The number and variety of structural elements and materials used at the ATP is unparalleled in a site so accessible to our students. The strategies students learn during this experience also provide transferable learning to use on other structures they encounter generating deeper, life-long learning. Student feedback has indicated that this experience is worthwhile. The development of this experience has led to the documentation of the case study to the point where it has now become a self-guided tour booklet that can be used by school teachers and their students in relevant subject areas as well as members of the public interested in engineering history at the ATP. This paper details the experience with reference to the underpinning educational theories.