Remote collaborative multi-user informal learning experiences: design and evaluation

This paper presents a customizable system used to develop a collaborative multi-user problem solving game. It addresses the increasing demand for appealing informal learning experiences in museum-like settings. The system facilitates remote collaboration by allowing groups of learners tocommunicate through a videoconferencing system and by allowing them to simultaneously interact through a shared multi-touch interactive surface. A user study with 20 user groups indicates that the game facilitates collaboration between local and remote groups of learners. The videoconference and multitouch surface acted as communication channels, attracted students’ interest, facilitated engagement, and promoted inter- and intra-group collaboration—favoring intra-group collaboration. Our findings suggest that augmentingvideoconferencing systems with a shared multitouch space offers newpossibilities and scenarios for remote collaborative environments and collaborative learning.

Electronic Construction Collaboration - Phase 1, 2009

Bridge construction projects are becoming increasingly complex as the demand for context-sensitive solutions, aesthetic designs, and accelerated bridge construction becomes more prevalent. In addition, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) is entering a phase of design and construction of large border bridges, such as the I-80 (let 2008 for $56 million) and US 34 bridges over the Missouri River and I-74 over the Mississippi River. Compared to typical construction projects, these bridges generate more contractor Requests for Information (RFIs), Value Engineering (VE) proposals, Requests for Changes (RFCs), and shop drawings. Management of these submittals is a significant challenge for Resident Construction Engineers (RCEs) and other Iowa DOT staff. In addition, some submittals require cross-departmental and project consultant reviews. Commercially available software exists for managing submittals and project collaboration teams; in-house solutions may also be possible. Implementation is intended to speed construction submittal review time, reduce incidence of delay claims, and free up Iowa DOT staff from project management administrative tasks. Researchers from Iowa State University working with the Iowa DOT conducted a multi-pronged approach to indentify a web-based collaboration solution for Iowa DOT bridge projects. An investigation was launched to determine the functional needs of the Iowa DOT. Commercially available software programs were also evaluated to find what functionality is currently available. A Request for Proposals (RFP) was written to select a commercial web-based collaboration solution for pilot testing. In the second phase of research, a solution will be selected and implemented on two pilot projects. Lessons learned from these pilot projects will assist the Iowa DOT in developing and implementing a long-term solution to improve the management of Iowa DOT bridge projects.

Coordination and collaboration in European research towards healthy and safe nanomaterials

Nanotechnology is becoming part of our daily life in a wide range of products such as computers, bicycles, sunscreens or nanomedicines. While these applications already become reality, considerable work awaits scientists, engineers, and policy makers, who want such nanotechnological products to yield a maximum of benefit at a minimum of social, environmental, economic and (occupational) health cost. Considerable efforts for coordination and collaboration in research are needed if one wants to reach these goals in a reasonable time frame and an affordable price tag. This is recognized in Europe by the European Commission which funds not only research projects but also supports the coordination of research efforts. One of these coordination efforts is NanoImpactNet, a researcher-operated network, which started in 2008 promote scientific cross-talk across all disciplines on the health and environmental impact of nanomaterials. Stakeholders contribute to these activities, notably the definition of research and knowledge needs. Initial discussions in this domain focused on finding an agreement on common metrics, and which elements are needed for standardized approaches for hazard and exposure identification. There are many nanomaterial properties that may play a role. Hence, to gain the time needed to study this complex matter full of uncertainties, researchers and stakeholders unanimously called for simple, easy and fast risk assessment tools that can support decision making in this rapidly moving and growing domain. Today, several projects are starting or already running that will develop such assessment tools. At the same time, other projects investigate in depth which factors and material properties can lead to unwanted toxicity or exposure, what mechanisms are involved and how such responses can be predicted and modelled. A vision for the future is that once these factors, properties and mechanisms are understood, they can and will be accounted for in the development of new products and production processes following the idea of "Safety by Design". The promise of all these efforts is a future with nanomaterials where most of their risks are recognized and addressed before they even reach the market.

Handbook for the design of intercultural policies: summary of the original Spanish version

Local governments need minimum common criteria to manage the social dynamics of diversity. This Handbook defends the strategy of interculturality as a public political approach, based on a way to interpret interculturality as a positive resource, as a public cultural and a collective good. It is an approach that promotes the equitative interaction as a way to generate a cohesive common public space. This Handbook provides the reader with the conceptual and practical instruments to help (and inspire) those territories which would like to integrate interculturality as an urban project.It aims to serve as a ground for discussion to jointly work in local administrations and other government levels, fororganizations and institutions, as well as for cultural, political and citizens collectives. Results are presented asan action by the Red de Ciudades Interculturales (RECI), within the Intercultural Cities framework by the Councilof Europe, with the collaboration of Obra Social "La Caixa".

Supporting older people’s independent living at home through social and health care collaboration

Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin ikäihmisten kotona asumista sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon yhteistyön näkökulmasta. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli lisätä ymmärrystä iäkkäiden kotihoidon asiakkaiden voimavaroista arjesta selviytymisen näkökulmasta, ja tutkia miten asiakkaiden hoito sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon yhteistyönä toteutuu. Tutkimus oli poikkileikkaustutkimus, jossa sovellettiin kuvailevaa ja vertailevaa tutkimusasetelmaa. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin yhden länsisuomalaisen kunnan kotihoidon asiakkailta (≥65 v.) ja heitä hoitavilta ammattihenkilöiltä. Kotihoidon 21 iäkästä asiakasta kuvasivat omia voimavarojaan arjesta selviytymisen näkökulmasta sekä kokemuksiaan hoidon toteutumisesta ammattihenkilöiden yhteistyönä. Aineisto kerättiin avoimella haastattelulla ja analysoitiin sisällön analyysillä. Lisäksi 25 kotihoidon ammattihenkilöä: 13 kotipalvelun työntekijää, 11 kotisairaanhoitajaa ja lääkäri kuvasivat kokemuksiaan iäkkään asiakkaan hoidon toteutumisesta ammattihenkilöiden yhteistyönä. Aineisto kerättiin fokusryhmähaastattelulla ja analysoitiin sisällön analyysillä. Näiden tulosten sekä aikaisemman kirjallisuuden perusteella laadittiin strukturoitu kyselylomake, jolla analysoitiin ja vertailtiin asiakkaiden ja ammattihenkilöiden näkemyksiä siitä, miten asiakkaiden hoito sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon yhteistyönä toteutui. Esitestausten jälkeen kyselylomake lähetettiin 200 kotihoidon asiakkaalle ja 570 heitä hoitavalle kotihoidon työntekijälle: 485 kotipalvelun työntekijälle, 81 kotisairaanhoitajalle ja 4 lääkärille. Kyselyyn vastasi 120 asiakasta (60 %) ja 370 ammattihenkilöä (65 %). Ryhmien välisten erojen tarkastelussa käytettiin ristiintaulukointia, Pearsonin khin neliötestiä ja Fisherin tarkan todennäköisyyden testiä. Iäkkäiden asiakkaiden kuvauksissa voimavarat muodostuivat elämänhallinnan tunteesta ja toimintatahdon säilymisestä. Asiakkaat ammensivat arkeen voimaa harrastuksista ja sosiaalisesta verkostosta, mutta ulkopuolisten asettamat elämisen ehdot, terveydentilan heikkeneminen sekä yksinäisyys asettivat ikäihmisen ja hänen voimavaransa suurten haasteiden eteen. Tulokset osoittivat, että ammattihenkilöiden toiminta oli osittain ristiriidassa ikäihmisten omien odotusten kanssa, eikä se kaikilta osin tukenut asiakkaiden omia voimavaroja. Ammattihenkilöt tekivät hoitoon liittyviä päätöksiä ja toimintoja asiakkaiden puolesta, vaikka asiakkaille itselleen oli tärkeää elämänhallinnan tunne ja toimintatahdon säilyminen. Asiakkaiden voimavarojen tukemista moniammatillisena yhteistyönä vaikeuttivat ammattihenkilöiden vaikeus tunnistaa asiakkaiden omia voimavaroja sekä niitä uhkaavia tekijöitä, tiedon kulun ongelmat, tavoitteeton ja epäyhtenäinen tapa toimia sekä ammattihenkilöiden vastakkain asettuvat näkemyserot ja toimintatavat. Asiakkaiden ja ammattihenkilöiden näkemykset toteutetusta hoidosta erosivat toisistaan tilastollisesti merkitsevästi (p<0.05). Asiakkaat arvioivat sekä itsenäiseen toimintaan tukemisen että fyysisen, psyykkisen ja sosiaalisen tuen toteutuneen työntekijöitä huonommin. Yhteistyön kehittämishaasteita kotihoidossa ovat asiakkaan oman elämänsä asiantuntijuuden vahvistaminen, toimintakulttuurin muuttaminen asiakaslähtöiseksi tavoitteelliseksi toiminnaksi, ammattihenkilöiden roolien ja vastuun selkiyttäminen sekä tiedon kulun menetelmien kehittäminen. Tutkimus vahvistaa gerontologisen hoitotieteen tietoperustaa ja tuottaa uutta tietoa, jota voidaan soveltaa sosiaali- ja terveysalan koulutuksessa ja johtamisessa

Situational awareness concept in a multinational collaboration environment : challenges in the information sharing framework

Technological capabilities are built to support different types of collaboration, and this gives the justification to widely observe, how activity environments are influenced by technology. Technology as an enabler can be addressed from different perspectives, other than merely technological. Dynamic, evolving environment is at the same time interesting but also challenging. As a multinational collaboration environment, the maritime surveillance is an good example of time critical and evolving environment, where technological solutions enable new ways of collaboration. Justification for the inspiration to use maritime environment as the baseline for understanding the challenges in creating and maintaining adequate level of situational awareness, derives from the complexity of the collaboration and information sharing environment elements, needed to be taken into account, when analyzing criticalities related to decision making. Situational awareness is an important element supporting decision making, and challenges related to it can also be observed in the maritime environment. This dissertation describes the structures and factors involved in this complex setting, found from the case studies that should be taken into account when trying to understand, how these elements affect the activities. This dissertation focuses on the gray area that is between a life threatening situation and normal everyday activities. From the multinational experimentation series case studies, MNE5 and MNE6 it was possible to observe situations that were not life threatening for the participants themselves, but not also basic every day activities. These case studies provided a unique possibility to see situations, where gaining of situational awareness and decision making are challenged with time critical crisis situations. Unfortunately organizations do not normally take the benefit from the everyday work to prepare themselves for possible emerging crisis situations. This dissertation focuses on creating a conceptual model and a concept that supports organizations – also outside the maritime community – to improve their ability to support gaining of situational awareness from the individual training level, all the way to changes in organizational structures in aiming for better support for decision making from the individual level to the highest decision making level. Quick changes and unpredictability are reality in organizations and organizations do not have the possibility to control all the factors that affect their functioning. Since we cannot be prepared for everything, and predict every crisis, individual activities inside teams and as a part of organizations, need to be supported with guidance, tools and training in order to support acting in challenging situations. In fact the ideology of the conceptual model created, lies especially in the aim of not controlling everything in beforehand, but supporting organizations with concrete procedures to help individuals to react in different, unpredictable situations, instead of focusing on traditional risk prevention and management. Technological capabilities are not automatically solutions for functional challenges; this is why it is justified to broaden the problem area observation from the technological perspective. This dissertation demonstrates that it is possible to support collaboration in a multinational environment with technological solutions, but it requires the recognition of technological limitations and accepting the possible restrictions related to technological innovations. Technology should not be considered value per se, the value of technology should be defined according to the support of activities, including strategic and operational environment evaluation, identification of organizational elements, and taking into account also the social factors and their challenges. Then we are one step closer to providing technological solutions that support the actual activities by taking into account the variables of the activity environment in question. The multidisciplinary view to approach the information sharing and collaboration framework, is derived especially from the complexity of decision making and building of situational awareness, since they are not build or created in vacuity, but in the organizational framework by the people doing it with the technological capabilities, enabled by the organizational structures. Introduced case studies were related to maritime environment, but according to the research results, it is valid to argue, that based on the lessons learned it is possible to create and further develop conceptual model and to create a general concept to support a wider range of organizations in their attempt to gain better level of situational awareness (SA) and to support decision making. To proof the versatile usage of the developed concept, I have introduced the case study findings to the health care environment and reflected the identified elements from the trauma center to the created concept. The main contribution to complete this adventure is the presented situational awareness concept created in the respect to NATO concept structure. This has been done to tackle the challenge of collaboration by focusing on situational awareness in the information sharing context by providing a theoretical ground and understanding, of how these issues should be approached, and how these elements can be generalized and used to support activities in other environments as well. This dissertation research has been a several year evolving process reflecting and affecting presented case studies and this learning experience from the case studies has also affected the goals and research questions of this dissertation. This venture has been written from a retro perspective according to ideology of process modeling and design rationale to present to the reader how this entire journey took place and what where the critical milestones that affected the end result, conceptual model. Support in a challenging information sharing framework can be provided with the right type of combination of tools, procedures and individual effort. This dissertation will provide insights to those with a new approach to war technology for the organizations to gain a better level of awareness and to improve the capabilities in decision making. This dissertation will present, from the war technology starting point, a new approach and possibility for the organizations to create a better level of awareness and support for decision making with the right combination of tools, procedures and individual effort.

Yrittäjyyskasvatuksen arvoja etsimässä. Design-tutkimus opettajankoulutuksen opetussuunnitelmien kehittämisessä

This research is a survey on values related to entrepreneurship education and a participatory action research on entrepreneurship education curricula in teacher education. Research problems, rising from the practical development work, were solved by several methods, following the principles of design-based research. Values related to entrepreneurship education were studied among teachers, headmasters, teacher educators, researchers and officers in the field of entrepreneurship education in 16 European Union countries. Fifteen most important values related to entrepreneurship education were listed based on two qualitative surveys (N 124 and N 66). Values were also surveyed among Finnish teacher trainees (N 71). Results of the surveys show that the values given by the teacher trainees did not differ much from the ones given by the professionals already working in the field. Subsequently, emergence of these values was studied in documents that steer education. The values gathered in the surveys did not occur in the documents to a substantial degree. Development of entrepreneurship education curricula in teacher education was conducted by means of participatory action research. The development project gathered 55 teacher trainers from 15 teacher education organisations in Finland. The starting point of the phenomenon based project (see Annala and Mäkinen 2011) was the activity plan created for developing entrepreneurship education curricula. During the project, the learning of the teacher educators proceeded in a balanced way as brightening visions, stronger motivation, increasing understanding and new practices, following Shulman and Shulman’s model (2004). Goals of the development project were set to each teacher educator acquiring basic knowledge on entrepreneurship education, organization of obligatory courses on entrepreneurship education, and making entrepreneurship education a cross-curricular theme in teacher education. The process increased the understanding and motivation of teacher educators to develop and teach entrepreneurship education. It also facilitated collaboration as well as creating visions on entrepreneurship education. Based on the results, the concept of enterprisingness was defined, and recommendations were given for developing curricula in entrepreneurship education.

Mapping the Value Network Potential in Cross-sector Collaboration: Case welfare Services for Elderly in Finland

Value network has been studied greatly in the academic research, but a tool for value network mapping is missing. The objective of this study was to design a tool (process) for value network mapping in cross-sector collaboration. Furthermore, the study addressed a future perspective of collaboration, aiming to map the value network potential. During the study was investigated and pondered how to get the full potential of collaboration, by creating new value in collaboration process. These actions are parts of mapping process proposed in the study. The implementation and testing of the mapping process were realized through a case study of cross-sector collaboration in welfare services for elderly in the Eastern Finland. Key representatives in elderly care from public, private and third sectors were interviewed and a workshop with experts from every sector was also conducted in this regard. The value network mapping process designed in this study consists of specific steps that help managers and experts to understand how to get a complex value network map and how to enhance it. Furthermore, it make easier the understanding of how new value can be created in collaboration process. The map can be used in order to motivate participants to be engaged with responsibility in collaboration and to be fully committed in their interactions. It can be also used as a motivator tool for those organizations that intend to engage in collaboration process. Additionally, value network map is a starting point in many value network analyses. Furthermore, the enhanced value network map can be used as a performance measurement tool in cross-sector collaboration.

The role of product features on buyer-supplier collaboration in packaging industry

The thesis presents the study relative to the collaboration between suppliers and buyers in packaging industry with the impact of product features. The main purpose of this study is to examine the importance of product characteristics on collaboration to develop better packaging and to figure out how buyer-supplier collaboration in the supply chain perspectives is conducted and managed in packaging industry. The theoretical part reviewed some basic frameworks of collaboration including the scopes and levels of collaboration, risks as well as powers of collaboration, relationship and some key factors for successful collaboration. Followed by the overviews of packaging industry with the main issues related to product characteristics in packaging. By using the qualitative method, secondary data consisting of articles, reports, websites and primary data through interviewing some well-known packaging companies and case companies are collected in the thesis. The empirical result emphasized the importance of product features’ analysis in packaging industry since it plays a central role in the materials, design process, production and innovation with the role of collaboration. Collaboration in packaging is vital for packaging companies to survive and grow in the competitive environment. Finally, some key factors for effective collaboration were summarized based on the perspectives of packaging companies. It is highly recommend building a long-run collaboration with their customers due to undeniable benefits With increasingly importance of collaboration in packaging industry, further studies may be conducted.

L’influence du développement durable à travers la formation universitaire en design industriel

Aujourd’hui, nous savons qu’environ 75 à 80% des impacts environnementaux des produits sont déterminés lors de la conception. Le rôle du designer industriel est donc crucial pour arriver à une forme de développement plus viable. Cette recherche tente de cibler les champs de connaissances qui devraient faire partie de la formation des professionnels du développement de produits pour y intégrer les aspects environnementaux. Après une recension de la littérature en design industriel, en pédagogie et en environnement, l’étude de terrain a été conduite en deux temps. Selon des critères prédéfinis, des programmes universitaires « spécialisés » en environnement/développement durable, au Québec, ainsi que des formations en éco-conception, offerts en France, ont été analysés. L’étude de terrain a été complétée par un entretien en profondeur semi-dirigé avec un consultant, qui aide des entreprises québécoises à intégrer l’environnement en développement de produits. L’analyse des informations recueillies met en évidence la nécessité de transformer rapidement les formations universitaires en conception de produits. Le nouveau cursus de design industriel devrait; 1. Intégrer les connaissances relatives aux impacts environnementaux; 2. Encourager le travail en équipes multidisciplinaires pour enrichir la collecte d’informations relative aux projets de développement; 3. Établir une collaboration étroite entre les établissements d’enseignement et les industries, ce qui est essentiel à la compréhension des enjeux de développement de produits et services (culture de l’entreprise, coût, délais, logistique, réglementation, etc.).

Le processus de design visuel communicationnel : tensions et négociations dans l’industrie publicitaire

L’industrie publicitaire est un travail quotidien de collaboration entre deux « hémisphères » distincts : l’un de nature commercial et l’autre de nature créatif. Des individus qui favorisent des aspects logiques et rationnels se doivent de collaborer avec des individus qui favorisent des aspects intuitifs et artistiques, ce qui suscite des tensions. Cette mise en relation s’opère au travers d’un processus, que nous nommerons processus de design visuel communicationnel car il permet de relier la communication au design, approche que nous adoptons dans ce mémoire. L’industrie publicitaire s’est dotée d’outils permettant de faciliter le processus de design visuel communicationnel, dont le brief créatif. Notre recherche propose d’observer la manière dont les « commerciaux » et les « créatifs » perçoivent leur travail quotidien en agence et comment le brief créatif est réquisitionné. Nous adoptons une posture interprétative pour tenir compte de la complexité du phénomène et nous mobilisons une série d’entrevues pour répondre à nos questions de recherche. Nos questions de recherche sont les suivantes : de quelle manière les « commerciaux » et les « créatifs » négocient-ils les tensions lors du processus de design visuel communicationnel? Quels rôles le brief créatif occupe-t-il au sein de ce processus? Les résultats nous renseignent sur les transformations et les innovations qui émergent des tensions entre les « commerciaux » et les « créatifs » et sur l’importance que revêtent les caractéristiques communicationnelles du brief créatif dans le cadre du processus de design visuel communicationnel.

L’impact d’une simulation sur des dispositifs mobiles et en situation de collaboration sur la compréhension de l’effet photoélectrique au niveau collégial

L’innovation pédagogique pour elle-même s’avère parfois discutable, mais elle se justifie quand les enseignants se heurtent aux difficultés d’apprentissage de leurs étudiants. En particulier, certaines notions de physique sont réputées difficiles à appréhender par les étudiants, comme c’est le cas pour l’effet photoélectrique qui n’est pas souvent compris par les étudiants au niveau collégial. Cette recherche tente de déterminer si, dans le cadre d’un cours de physique, la simulation de l’effet photoélectrique et l’utilisation des dispositifs mobiles et en situation de collaboration favorisent une évolution des conceptions des étudiants au sujet de la lumière. Nous avons ainsi procédé à l’élaboration d’un scénario d’apprentissage collaboratif intégrant une simulation de l’effet photoélectrique sur un ordinateur de poche. La conception du scénario a d’abord été influencée par notre vision socioconstructiviste de l’apprentissage. Nous avons effectué deux études préliminaires afin de compléter notre scénario d’apprentissage et valider la plateforme MobileSim et l’interface du simulateur, que nous avons utilisées dans notre expérimentation : la première avec des ordinateurs de bureau et la seconde avec des ordinateurs de poche. Nous avons fait suivre à deux groupes d’étudiants deux cours différents, l’un portant sur une approche traditionnelle d’enseignement, l’autre basé sur le scénario d’apprentissage collaboratif élaboré. Nous leur avons fait passer un test évaluant l’évolution conceptuelle sur la nature de la lumière et sur le phénomène de l’effet photoélectrique et concepts connexes, à deux reprises : la première avant que les étudiants ne s’investissent dans le cours et la seconde après la réalisation des expérimentations. Nos résultats aux prétest et post-test sont complétés par des entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées avec tous les étudiants, par des enregistrements vidéo et par des traces récupérées des fichiers logs ou sur papier. Les étudiants du groupe expérimental ont obtenu de très bons résultats au post-test par rapport à ceux du groupe contrôle. Nous avons enregistré un gain moyen d’apprentissage qualifié de niveau modéré selon Hake (1998). Les résultats des entrevues ont permis de repérer quelques difficultés conceptuelles d’apprentissage chez les étudiants. L’analyse des données recueillies des enregistrements des séquences vidéo, des questionnaires et des traces récupérées nous a permis de mieux comprendre le processus d’apprentissage collaboratif et nous a dévoilé que le nombre et la durée des interactions entre les étudiants sont fortement corrélés avec le gain d’apprentissage. Ce projet de recherche est d’abord une réussite sur le plan de la conception d’un scénario d’apprentissage relatif à un phénomène aussi complexe que l’effet photoélectrique, tout en respectant de nombreux critères (collaboration, simulation, dispositifs mobiles) qui nous paraissaient extrêmement utopiques de réunir dans une situation d’apprentissage en classe. Ce scénario pourra être adapté pour l’apprentissage d’autres notions de la physique et pourra être considéré pour la conception des environnements collaboratifs d’apprentissage mobile innovants, centrés sur les besoins des apprenants et intégrant les technologies au bon moment et pour la bonne activité.

Structure de fonctionnement des charrettes en design urbain

Ce document s’inscrit dans la foulée des préoccupations mondiales sur le devenir des villes au XXIe siècle. Il questionne les façons de faire qui contribuent à un développement de qualité des cadres de vie des citoyens. Les processus d’idéation de type atelier et charrette sont retenus en regard de leurs valeurs mobilisatrices et consensuelles qui répondent aux principes du développement durable. La problématique posée concerne l’adaptation de leur structure de fonctionnement au contexte local dans lequel il s’applique et de leur performance à induire les résultats escomptés. Une analyse comparative de trois études de cas révèle que le processus d’idéation se singularise en fonction des modalités de communication nécessaires pour progresser dans la démarche de planification des projets et conjointement à ceci, confirme que leur performance réside en leur capacité de rassembler l’ensemble des acteurs du projet en un même lieu. À l’issue de notre étude, nous fournissons un procédurier préliminaire pour diriger la mise en œuvre de processus d’idéation localement.

Overview of an innovative EU-China collaboration in education and research in sustainable built environment

This paper introduces an international collaboration of EU and Asia in education, training and research in the field of sustainable built environment, which attempts to develop a network of practical and intellectual knowledge and training exchange between Chinese and European Universities in the field of sustainable building design and construction. The projects funded by the European Commission Asia Link program, UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, British Council and the UK Engineering Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) have been introduced. The projects have significant impacts on promoting sustainable development in built environment in China. The aim of this paper is to share the experiences with those who are interested and searching the ways to collaborate with China in education and research.

Construction safety and digital design: a review

As digital technologies become widely used in designing buildings and infrastructure, questions arise about their impacts on construction safety. This review explores relationships between construction safety and digital design practices with the aim of fostering and directing further research. It surveys state-of-the-art research on databases, virtual reality, geographic information systems, 4D CAD, building information modeling and sensing technologies, finding various digital tools for addressing safety issues in the construction phase, but few tools to support design for construction safety. It also considers a literature on safety critical, digital and design practices that raises a general concern about ‘mindlessness’ in the use of technologies, and has implications for the emerging research agenda around construction safety and digital design. Bringing these strands of literature together suggests new kinds of interventions, such as the development of tools and processes for using digital models to promote mindfulness through multi-party collaboration on safety