A critical analysis of Building Services Engineering as a learning environment

This paper addresses the issues of study support, programme alignment and feedback for directed learning within the Building Services Engineering Programmes delivered at Northumbria University. The author draws on experience both as a past student on the course and subsequent recent teaching experience in order to reflect critically upon the teaching methods used and also the student experience. Project work is a focal aspect of the programme and can, the author believes, be supported more effectively by the active encouragement of study support. Issues of programme alignment and the consequences of programme miss-alignment are discussed. The work of Biggs [2003] supports the author’s observations and belief that students must both expect to succeed and also see clear value in succeeding if they are to be well motivated. The issue of the correct sequencing of the delivery of the learning activities within different modules is discussed. The importance of providing effective feedback for directed learning material is also discussed as a key issue since without effective feedback students engagement with directed learning diminishes.