KA6000 - Building Advice Centre

You will learn through a combination of lectures, practical workshops, practical surveys and presentations.
Lectures will be used to reinforce and focus key issues, concepts, techniques, tools and topics, in effect acting as a framework for professional surveying practice.
You will also receive lectures related to Health and safety, risk assessments and working at height, this normally delivered by the Head of Health Safety and Sustainability at the University.
You will take part in a practical workshop that will reinforce how and why to use the most appropriate surveying and inspection equipment and further reinforce health and safety aspects of on-site surveying.
A major part of your learning is by attending, observing and then participating in in-class presentations made by all of the various groups within your cohort. This group and peer learning ensures a wide exposure to all of the projects being undertaken.

Your main support is via formative feedback to the groups presenting on their projects during the timetabled classes. Support will also include formative feedback from tutors during informal group meetings held outside of the core teaching times. In addition tutors will provide very detailed formative feedback on the project report drafts. The management files will be created and managed utilising PebblePad. Finally, tutors will respond to any questions posed via the module’s discussion board at the University’s eLearning Portal so that the whole group can benefit.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO1: You will undertake survey, appraisal and feasibility studies in a justifiable and professional manner
• MLO2: You will critically assess the differing needs of clients and other stakeholders

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO3: You will research and evaluate data and communicate results to a range of stakeholders

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO4: You will develop an understanding of global professional ethics and the rules of conduct for building surveying
• MLO5: You will develop and apply a reflective approach to learning and personal development

You will undertake three group projects through the academic year and these will contribute 75% of the overall module assessment. The actual assessment will be via management files for each project. These will be assessed sequentially with both formative and summative feedback provided to reinforce and improve your learning for the subsequent projects. The projects will assess MLO1-5.

In semester 2 you will undertake an individual reflective practice report that will account for the remaining 25% of the overall module assessment. This report will further assess MLO5.

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You will carry out live surveys related to building defects, feasibility studies and asset management planning for real clients under the direction of qualified academic staff. This effectively creates a surveying practice environment allowing you to further develop your appraisal and evaluation knowledge and skills. Formative, constructive feedback occurs almost constantly throughout the module and summative feedback is delivered sequentially allowing you reinforce and improve your learning. Research rich learning occurs via you undertaking student-centred enquiry, researching in-depth the projects you are allocated. The knowledge and skills developed will improve your technical building surveying attributes alongside the inter-personal soft skills, significantly enhancing employability.