Appendix 4

Prof G A R Parke
"Teaching practice and outcomes -
a JBM and personal view"

A JBM view

Teaching practice
Teaching andandoutcomes
practice outcomes––
a JBM and personal view
a JBM and personal view
The issues and challenges
Gerry Parke

The issues and challenges University of Surrey

21st September 2009

Gerry Parke
University of Surrey

21st September 2009

Composition of the JBM:
The JBM: • All appointments are made by the institutions, normally for 3
years.
• Founded in 1977, now completing our 32nd year.
• 20 member Board: 10 from industry, 10 academic members,
broadly representing the interests of participating institutions.
• Original institutions: ICE, the Municipals and IStructE.
• Chairman rotates: industry / academic.
• CIBSE a member for a time. • 30 strong panel of visiting moderators, including Board
members – visiting teams comprise 2 academics and 2 from
industry + secretary.
• More recently: IHT and IHIE have joined ICE and
IStructE on the JBM.

The main activities of the JBM: The JBM guidelines, 2009

• To formulate and publish guidelines agreed upon by the member institutions
for the design of Civil Engineering courses for Bachelors and Masters degrees.
• To undertake accreditation of the educational base both for institution
membership and the award, by license, of the ECUK CEng and IEng
designations.
• ECUK licence requires the institutions to formally accredit, so the JBM makes
recommendations to the institutions for them to consider and adopt.
• The JBM guidelines seek not to be prescriptive, but rather to recognise the
diversity of university provision throughout the UK with different emphasis
between one university and another.
– The JBM accredits degrees at some 55 departments on a 5-year cycle.
All programmes should place emphasis on a fundamental and
thorough understanding of the principles of engineering
science. Students should be able to identify, understand and
apply the principles with confidence. An understanding of the
concept of stability and modes of failure will compliment this
understanding. In broad terms the development of engineering
sciences (including relevant mathematics) should constitute
around fifty percent of the programme, with the emphasis
dependent upon the nature of the degree programmes.

1
 The JBM guidelines 2009 The JBM guidelines – 5 core subjects:
LIST A

Teaching practice and outcomes –

The engineering content of the programme should be constructed
• Structures,
• Materials,
around at least five core subjects from those listed over page.
• Geotechnics.
These core subjects should reflect the aims of the degree
and a minimum of two core subjects chosen from List B.
programme, and they should embrace theory, analysis, design and
a JBM and personal view
engineering practice. They should also provide an appropriate
integration of the engineering sciences, mathematics, mechanics •
LIST B
Fluid mechanics (hydraulics),
and materials. • Surveying (geomatics and measurement),
• Transport infrastructure engineering,
• Public health,
The issues and challenges •
•
Construction management,
Environmental engineering and
• Architectural technology.

Gerry Parke
University of Surrey

21st September 2009

The JBM guidelines 2009 The JBM guidelines –
The engineering subjects should be taught in the context of design
with appropriate account of issues of:
broadening subjects:
• Communication skills,
• sustainability, • Managing risk & health and safety,
• health and safety risk management, • Leadership & team working,
• construction. • Computer & IT skills,
• Sustainability & environmental understanding,
Each issue should form a continuous and integrating thread • Quality systems,
running through the programme, exposing students to a thorough
mixture of engineering principles, the concept of stability, modes • Individual project,
of failure, conceptual design, analysis and their synthesis. • Multi-disciplinary design project (MEng).

The JBM guidelines -1998 The JBM guidelines -1996

To provide the minimum requirements of engineering
science and technology, at least 50 percent of the course
should consist of subjects involving calculation,
experiment, observation and deduction. In addition,
mathematics at a high level must form a significant part
of the course. A further minimum of 25 percent of the
course should be devoted to subjects directly relevant to
engineering, which broaden the students’ appreciation of
work in the construction industry and the interaction of
the engineer with business, society and the natural
environment.
About 60% of the course should be taken up by subjects
involving calculation, experiment, observation and
deduction. Of the remainder, there should be sufficient
mathematics to form a suitable basis for the engineering
subjects and a content, amounting to about 25% of the
total, in other subjects relevant to engineering which
broaden the students’ appreciation of the work in the
construction industry and the interaction of the engineer
with society and with the environment.

2
 Civil Engineering @ Surrey Teaching the fundamentals of
Structural Analysis and Design
Teaching practice and outcomes –
Teaching hours / week
1979 2009

This is not a simple task! This is not just about

1st year 23 20
understanding shear force, bending moment and
2nd year
a JBM and personal view
3rd year
21
19
18
16
deflection diagrams.

Approximate Students need to be inspired and excited about

Student/Staff ratio 9:1 20:1
structural engineering.

The issues and challenges

Gerry Parke
University of Surrey

21st September 2009

Teaching the fundamentals of
Teaching the fundamentals of Structural Analysis and Design
Structural Analysis and Design
Analysis and design of structures need to be completely
interwoven.

Students need to develop a ‘feel’ for structures:

Bending frames Trusses

Cable systems Membranes
Arches Shells

Developing this ‘feel’ for structures is greatly assisted by

spending time in industry during the course.

British Columbia Place Stadium, Vancouver

(http://www.location-maison.creationscaro.com/images/BC%20place%20stadium.jpg)

Teaching the fundamentals of Teaching the fundamentals of

Structural Analysis and Design Structural Analysis and Design

The Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

(URL:http://architecture.about.com/od/greatbuildings/ig/Stadium-and-Arena-Pictures/Georgia-Dome.htm Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia.
(http://www.wayfaring.info/2009/01/20/would-you-walk-across-it/).

3
 Teaching the fundamentals of Teaching the fundamentals of
Structural Analysis and Design Structural Analysis and Design

Teaching practice and outcomes –

StatoilHydro
a JBM and personal view Troll West –
North Sea
Norway
((http://abduh137.wordpres
s.com/2008/04/30/offshore-
platforms-and-the-
hurricanes/)

The issues and challenges

The Grand Canyon Skywalk Bridge, Arizona.
http://news.cnet.com/2300-13576_3-6198360-8.html?tag=mncol

Gerry Parke
University of Surrey

21st September 2009

Teaching the fundamentals of Teaching the fundamentals of
Structural Analysis and Design Structural Analysis and Design

Hartford Coliseum collapse, 1978. The bombing of the Federal building in Oklahama city.
(http://www.911myths.com/aPlaza_Big.jpg).

Some key points to cover: Possible solutions to consider:

The fundamental principles allowing evaluation and
review.
A range of hand techniques, including their
limitations, sufficient to allow the competent
checking of computer output.
The matrix Stiffness method and FE formulation.
Plastic collapse methods, ductility and robustness.
Overall stability and the many forms of buckling.
Connection behaviour.
¾The JBM could be tougher with its requirements and not
accredit the weakest courses.
¾Employers could be more discerning and not employ weak
graduates.
¾Industry could engage more with universities by helping with
Industrial Advisory Boards, tutoring students, sponsor more
Industrial Chairs.
¾The Professional Institutions could lobby the Government to
think carefully about the next Research Assessment Exercise
and its impact on the teaching of students.

Thank you for listening.