Developing a holistic teaching and learning framework for construction management education: a systematic literature review Open Access

The construction industry operates within a highly dynamic environment where transient workers and management repeatedly coalesce in temporary and bespoke project environments (Benhart and Shaurette, 2014). This complexity engenders omnipresent challenges in meeting project objectives such as time, cost and quality (Kim and Irizarry, 2021). Construction managers with higher educational attainment demonstrate greater proficiency in project planning and coordination, which contributes to improved construction project outcomes (Kukah et al., 2022). They also tend to perform strongly across the areas such as project management, cost management, quality management and risk management (Almashhadani and Almashhadani, 2023). Therefore, continuous education and professional growth are essential for construction managers to thrive in the dynamic construction industry.

In recent years, the demand for construction management (CM) graduates has increased demonstrably (Batouli et al., 2022). Herein, the CM is a discipline that involves: “effective planning, organisation, application, coordination, monitoring, control and reporting of the core business processes of marketing, procurement, production, administration, accounts and finance necessary to achieve economic success and/or profitability enterprise or organisation engaging the provision of construction facilities” (Harris et al., 2021, p. 1). Education is a significant factor that drives the successful practice of CM (Almashhadani and Almashhadani, 2023). Learning in this field takes place through active engagement, both in and out of traditional or online classrooms (Coffey and Clarke, 2021). In this context, higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in encouraging students to acquire the prerequisite construction knowledge and skills to ensure productivity gains on projects (Abbasnejad et al., 2023).

However, an ongoing sector transition driven by the fourth industrial revolution (Newman et al., 2021), has created a notable gap between contemporary industry demands and the traditional skill sets of recent CM graduates (Elenany and Ahmed, 2023). CM programs must therefore adapt to industry changes to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared to embrace rapid technological developments and effectively tackle emerging industry challenges (Benhart and Shaurette, 2014). Consequently, HEIs should acknowledge the importance of CM education and offer comprehensive curricula that address all facets of the industry (Almashhadani and Almashhadani, 2023). In addressing this need, it becomes essential to explore the role of effective pedagogies that support student learning and industry readiness in the discipline of CM.

The term “pedagogy’ is seldom defined in today’s academic circles and often encompasses myriad meanings ranging from specific teaching models to broader educational philosophies (Friesen and Su, 2023). The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “pedagogy” as the: “art, science, or profession of teaching.” According to Peterson et al. (2018), pedagogy refers to: “repeated patterns or sets of teaching and learning practices that shape the interaction between teachers and learners” (p. 8). The authors (Peterson et al., 2018) further explained that pedagogical approaches are specific strategies, methods or frameworks used to guide these teaching and learning practices. Hence, pedagogy embodies techniques used to teach students, while pedagogical approaches are the specific methods educators use to teach within those techniques.

The CM curricula in HEIs mostly include theoretical lectures, while also encompassing a broader range of experiential learning methods, such as hands-on activities, collaborative projects, site visits, guest lectures and other active learning strategies, along with the use of continually evolving software tools and technologies (Cribbs and Naganathan, 2023; Wetzel and Farrow, 2023). With the emergence of COVID-19, several innovative teaching and learning approaches have been introduced to enhance students’ educational experience (Sunindijo, 2016; Burton et al., 2021). For example, these include digital teaching and learning (online) (Fang, 2024) and web-based virtual gaming (Sepasgozar, 2020). These innovative digital, online and distance learning pedagogies became dominant in CM curricula, replacing traditional face-to-face teaching, as they were considered an inevitable mode of delivery during the pandemic (Abbasnejad et al., 2023).

Despite the increasing use of technology and other innovative pedagogical methods during the post-pandemic period, there are limitations to how effectively they can be incorporated into CM curricula. For example, studies have found that well-designed digital teaching and learning formats have failed to provide students with adequate information required to gain essential CM skills (Wong et al., 2021). Recent studies have also revealed a negative impact on CM students’ performance, particularly in numeracy and entrepreneurship skills, due to the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic (Leong, 2021). Incorporating new innovative teaching and learning pedagogies in the CM curricula has been problematic even before the pandemic (Barison and Santos, 2010; Leite, 2016). Key reasons include a lack of student engagement and limited collaboration with educators and peers, which are elements essential in CM education (Gu et al., 2017; Abbasnejad et al., 2023). Therefore, CM programs must take more deliberate steps towards designing teaching pedagogies that better prepare students for practical site-based positions such as project and construction managers.

Preparing CM students for their professional careers must include a wide range of both technical and interpersonal skills, such as working with various teams, problem-solving and dealing with clients (Love et al., 2020; Posillico and Edwards, 2024). These skills are essential to meeting the construction industry’s needs (Kim and Irizarry, 2021). Given the constantly evolving viewpoints on higher education, it is imperative that the CM curricula align with current market demands (Asutosh et al., 2023). Therefore, academics involved in CM must conduct research and disseminate their insights and experiences through scientific research publications. This practice of sharing knowledge enhances curriculum development by promoting expertise and best practices (Posillico et al., 2022).

To date, research related to teaching and learning in the CM discipline has not explicitly confirmed which form of pedagogy, whether innovative, traditional or blended, is more effective for CM programs (Abbasnejad et al., 2023). The authors (Abbasnejad et al., 2023) emphasised that a balance must be maintained between online components and in-class activities in CM education to avoid overwhelming students and educators. Accordingly, educators play a crucial role in deciding how to integrate or differentiate different forms of pedagogy depending on the specific requirements of the courses they are delivering. Although research on teaching and learning in CM has been conducted over decades, promoting different pedagogical approaches in isolation, no single study has yet consolidated the full range of applicable pedagogies into one comprehensive framework for the CM discipline. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a study that helps educators understand which pedagogies they could apply, either independently or in a blended manner, in their CM-related courses. In addressing this gap in the body of knowledge, the current study aims to discern pedagogies that are applicable to CM education, to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes in HEIs. Consequently, this inductive study focuses on addressing two research questions as follows:

Concomitant objectives are to: (1) identify pedagogies that can be applied in CM education; and (2) explore how student engagement and learning outcomes can be enhanced in CM education through teaching and learning. Consequently, this study synthesises extant literature to develop a comprehensive teaching and learning framework for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in CM education within HEIs.

Couched within an interpretivist philosophy and inductive reasoning (Bayramova et al., 2023), a systematic literature review (SLR) was adopted as a methodical and rigorous approach to developing a deeper comprehension of the phenomenon under investigation (Ali et al., 2017). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) was specifically adopted to enhance transparency in the article selection process and augment the reporting quality of the review (Sierra, 2022). The following subtopics describe the steps undertaken throughout the SLR process.

This study commenced by carefully choosing relevant search engines and keywords to mitigate bias and incorporate a diverse array of sources via an exhaustive search of peer-reviewed literature (i.e. journals and conferences). Four databases were selected viz.: Emerald Insight, Science Direct, Scopus and Taylor and Francis and incorporated for the SLR, as they offer large repositories of studies (Wijewickrama et al., 2021; Ali et al., 2017). Keywords considered in a subsequent search query are “pedagogy” OR “teaching and learning” OR “curriculum” OR “assessment” AND “higher education” AND “construction management” (the Boolean operators “AND” is used to link the two fields, and “OR” is to combine the two fields). The article searches initially began in January 2024 and were repeated in June 2025. The search period was set from 2013 to 2024, aiming to identify the most recent pedagogies applied in CM education over the past decade.

Figure 1 presents the methodological process used for extracting articles from these aforementioned databases. First, the keyword search recognised 895 publications and was recorded in Microsoft Excel for further screening. Then, the article search was performed using the search query and duplicate (19) and irrelevant (608) articles were removed from the list before screening. In this step, articles from other subject areas (such as Medicine, Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Nursing, Immunology and Microbiology and Psychology) were eliminated due to irrelevancy. Subsequently, the inclusion criteria were used to assess the relevancy of each paper by screening the title, abstract and keywords. Herein, 106 articles were excluded from the process except for journal articles and conference proceedings in the English language. Excluded articles were either: not written in English (6); and/or were irrelevant for various reasons, such as: not related to CM (77) and being thesis/discussions/conference abstracts/editorials (23). Then, the filtered 162 articles were assessed by reviewing the complete text, and the articles not available to refer to the full text were excluded from the list. Under this final quality screening, the articles were checked to assess their association regarding the topic, methods, findings and contribution to the knowledge (Wijewickrama et al., 2021). A final sample of articles (52) was concluded as representing articles with the most significant content and findings for the present study.

Descriptive analysis is crucial for an SLR because it provides a robust basis for the subsequent content analysis (Prajapati et al., 2019). Descriptive analysis was conducted by reviewing the article sources, analysing the publication years, research methods used and the data collection locations. Subsequently, a content analysis was conducted to examine the content of the selected articles in relation to the established research questions. According to Seuring and Müller (2008), the structural dimensions formed by analytical categories establish the primary themes in content analysis. These structural dimensions and analytical categories can be determined through either a deductive or an inductive approach (Azungah, 2018). In the deductive approach, primary themes of the study are developed based on the existing literature and what is already known about the topic under investigation. With deduction, the aim is the test existing theory. In contrast, the key themes emerge directly from the data in an inductive approach, which are then used to build new theories or conceptual understandings. This study adopted an inductive approach as it is primarily suitable for exploring under-researched areas and develop new insight (Proudfoot, 2023), such as holistic teaching and learning practices in the CM discipline.

Following the PRISMA guideline helped enhance the transparency and rigour of this SLR, while reducing the risk of introduced logical fallacies (e.g. potential bias) (Drucker et al., 2016). In line with the guideline, predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were strictly applied thus, reducing the potential bias in refining the articles for the review (refer to Figure 1). Furthermore, to enhance the reliability of the results and mitigate the risk of potential bias in content analysis, the review was conducted in two steps. First, two researchers were independently involved in screening titles and abstracts, and disagreements were resolved through discussion. Second, all the refined articles were reviewed and analysed by one researcher, and later the remaining researchers revised, refined and finalised the structural dimensions and analytical categories that contributed to the development of the study’s conceptual framework. Similar methods were employed in SLRs by Prajapati et al. (2019) and Wijewickrama et al. (2021) to improve the rigour of their studies; hence, these past works help justify the current approaches adopted.

Table 1 presents the distribution of articles based on their source of publication and illustrates that 90% of the articles extracted were journal articles, and the remaining 10% were papers from conference proceedings. Most articles were published in journals such as the International Journal of Construction Education and Research (frequency (f) = 12 or 23%), Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management (f = 3 or 6%) and European Journal of Engineering Education (f = 3 or 6%). The selected articles are from 24 different journals, ranging from CM and education-specific journals to those focused on engineering, sustainability, advanced science and technology. This diversity reflects the interdisciplinary nature of CM education, which integrates insights from other fields. Table 1 also reports the Q ratings of these journals, based on the Scimago Journal and Country Rank (SJR) database. Accordingly, 77% (f = 40) of the journal articles were published in Q1 and Q2 journals. A majority of the conference articles (f = 4 or 8%) were from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition, a long-established annual conference held for over 125 years and recognised as one of the most prominent conferences in engineering education (American Society for Engineering Education [ASEE], 2025). The remaining conference article was sourced from the proceedings of the International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century, which is also a Scopus-indexed conference. The reputable status of the publication sources raises confidence in the overall quality and the substantial impact the current SLR could add to existing CM education literature.

Figure 2 illustrates the distribution of extracted articles based on their geographical location of data collection. Most articles (f = 23 or 44%) originated from the United States of America (USA), with the United Kingdom (UK) (f = 7 or 13%) and Australia (f = 6 or 12%) constituting the next highest research contributors. The remaining 16 articles were conducted within 13 other countries. This distribution indicates that developed countries are leading research endeavours in this field, while developing countries are showing an increasing interest in contributing.

Table 2 summarises the research methods used in the selected articles, categorising them into two thematic categories, namely: mono-method research and multi-method research. Most articles (f = 40 or 77%) used a single research method for data collection. Among these, the questionnaire survey was the most commonly applied method (f = 19 or 37%), followed by case studies (f = 9 or 17%), and interviews (f = 6 or 12%). Additionally, 12 (or 23%) of the total articles used a multi-method approach, and three (or 6%) were employed both interviews and questionnaire surveys for data collection.

Figure 3 presents the annual distribution of articles included in SLR over the 12-year period from 2013 to 2024 and illustrates that research studies conducted in CM teaching and learning have increased significantly over this time period. The percentage of publications has increased from 2% in 2013 to 13% in 2024. Noticeably, 2022 has the highest publication percentage, which is 17% of the total articles extracted over the decade from 2013 to 2024. Besides, the years 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024 also have a considerable number of publications in this study area. It can be observed that interest in conducting research in this area has increased over the past three years, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addressing the first research question: “what pedagogies can be used in CM education at HEIs?”, the content analysis conducted found that there are five main pedagogies commonly used in CM programs at HEIs viz.: (1) digital pedagogy, (2) student-centred pedagogy, (3) partnership pedagogy (industry involvement), (4) problem-based learning (PBL), and (5) flipped classroom pedagogy. The following subsections comprehensively describe each of the abovementioned approaches with reference to the refined literature.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional face-to-face teaching in HEIs, including CM programs, rapidly shifted to technology-enabled and smart learning environments. This transition compelled the educators to adopt the digital teaching and learning approach, necessitating a focus on the readiness and quality of online education (Leong, 2021; Ebekozien et al., 2024). In this context, educators significantly benefited from adopting advanced digital pedagogical approaches, such as the resilience approach and agile methodology (Abbasnejad et al., 2023). Herein, the agile methodology involves collaboration between learners and educators, utilising technology to generate content and improve skills. The resilience approach emphasises organisational, social and technical support as key components. By employing these approaches in the digital pedagogy, students can easily acquire theoretical and practical knowledge through dynamic classroom experiences, which offer them the opportunity to recognise and comprehend the complexity of construction works (Kolaric et al., 2017; Abbasnejad et al., 2023).

Educators use a variety of methods to integrate technology into curriculum in the digital pedagogy (Xu et al., 2018). For example, video games are a new medium for imparting knowledge across disciplines, including CM (Shanbari and Issa, 2019). There is a concerted attempt to integrate simulation software into CM education to familiarise students with essential aspects of the construction environment. Moreover, integrating building information modelling (BIM) education into the conventional curricula is a way of adopting the digital pedagogy in CM programs in universities (Dan et al., 2023). For example, Sepasgozar (2020) noted that web-based 3D BIM games can be used in CM education, which provides students with a unique opportunity for self-directed learning and collaborative project work, with a wide range of potential applications (including operations, safety, risk analysis and construction informatics). Ghanem (2022) proffers that virtual reality (VR) technology can be integrated with BIM, enabling students to comprehend the real-world context of a construction project more effectively.

Despite increasing efforts to adopt digital pedagogy, additional resources are still needed to fully implement it. For instance, Ali (2019) emphasises that for digital pedagogy, students must be familiarised with fundamental principles of collaboration (both in online and traditional teaching environments) and ensure that they have prerequisite knowledge of the software and hardware required for collaborative work in online platforms. Furthermore, Gomis et al. (2023) revealed that platforms such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which promote information sharing and active learning, are needed for the adaptation of the digital pedagogy. Samarasinghe and Piri (2022) stated that it is crucial to establish comprehensive guidelines that address key teaching and learning areas. These areas (Samarasinghe and Piri, 2022) include adapting course assessments and learning objectives for online teaching, setting rules and standards for recording, assessing necessary technology and infrastructure requirements, and identifying specific training needs. Moreover, to enhance the quality of online education, advanced information technology (IT) tools and methods must be employed (e.g. VR, high-quality microphones, online polling programmes and animated educational videos) (Abbasnejad et al., 2023). Educators must also possess sufficient knowledge and hands-on experience with these technologies and IT tools, and methods to effectively impart a robust understanding to their students (Wang et al., 2022).

However, in disciplines like CM, where learners are involved in activities like field trips, interpretation of technical drawings and creation of 3D models, the digital pedagogy for teaching and learning encounters greater challenges, especially in facilitating substantial teacher-student interaction (Abbasnejad et al., 2023). For example, Sohuma et al. (2024) identified issues such as poor class attendance, unreliable internet connections, limited technical skills, and inadequate infrastructure as key barriers to effective online learning in CM education in South Africa. These factors can negatively affect students’ academic performance, especially when digital pedagogy is implemented in isolation. Additionally, although there is a growing trend towards adopting digital pedagogy, HEIs have been unsuccessful in delivering the most recent and relevant industry best practices relevant to this pedagogy (Cribbs and Naganathan, 2023). Therefore, further research is needed in this area to improve the effectiveness of adopting this pedagogy in CM education, which is lacking in the current literature (Abbasnejad et al., 2023; Sohuma et al., 2024).

Lam et al. (2016) suggest that one of the effective pedagogies for teaching and learning in the CM discipline is the student-centred which encourages active student participation through presentations and discussions. Furthermore, the student-centred pedagogy always focuses on “students” by incorporating various learning styles and interactive activities that help develop their critical thinking and interpersonal skills (Suresh and Rajest, 2019). Manoharan et al. (2022) proposed a student-centred curriculum guide to improve construction supervision practices, which can aid those involved in curriculum development when designing or revising curricula. For courses that involve mathematics, student-centred approaches have benefited students who are academically weak or struggling, while teacher-centred lecture methods are more effective for enhancing the learning and proficiency of academically advanced students (Lee et al., 2016). Systematically reviewing the literature revealed that several approaches fall under the student-centred pedagogy for teaching and learning (i.e. game-based learning (GBL), self-determination, peer teaching, team teaching and project-based learning).

There is promising evidence showing that incorporating instructional games in construction-related curricula can motivate students to learn and grow as professionals. Therefore, academics in HEIs have begun adopting cutting-edge instructional techniques, such as educational games to enhance student learning outcomes (Hayhow et al., 2019; Castronovo et al., 2022). Additionally, Oo and Lim (2016) revealed the inherent potential in GBL for both guided and self-learning. The authors (Oo and Lim, 2016) noted that GBL tools, such as the “Bidding Game” are designed to serve as a secondary learning resource for CM courses that teach construction bidding. Moreover, it provides CM students with a supportive environment to apply what they have learned while receiving constructive feedback. In addition, students could benefit from game-based simulations that integrate self-evaluation and role-playing, simulating real-world experiences and tasks (Subramanian and Najafi, 2019). These instructive games have the latent potential to assist students in acquiring prerequisite skills and knowledge required for future career success (Castronovo et al., 2022).

Sparkling and Sengupta (2023) stated that self-determination is useful in student-centred education settings because it helps to understand students’ thoughts about curriculum. The authors (Sparkling and Sengupta, 2023) further noted that students highly value well-structured courses that have a clear organisation, which is crucial for effective learning, student motivation and achieving success. Besides, students’ sense of competence and their ability to assume an active role in their own education significantly motivates them to learn (Valdes-Vasquez and Clevenger, 2015). Furthermore, Torres (2023) discovered that the peer teaching approach (as an interactive learning method) assists students in overcoming difficulties associated with navigating complex “technology orientated” curricula. In a conventional peer-teaching approach, students individually comprehend the content and then teach it to peers, fostering a collective understanding among the group (Torres, 2023). Despite the existence of multiple definitions, Zhang and Feng (2020) stated that team teaching (consisting of lectures and field visits) is another educational method in which two or more educators collaborate to jointly undertake tasks such as course planning, content delivery, assessment and evaluation. The authors (Zhang and Feng, 2020) further noted that team teaching improves not only communication among educators but also promotes collaboration between students and educators.

Previous researchers have shown that project-based learning (PrBL) is an effective method in higher education that develops greater control over students’ education process (Salmisto and Nokelainen, 2015). CM students have the opportunity to engage in PrBL, which enhances their skills in collaborative teamwork (Sepasgozar, 2020). For example, Rokooei et al. (2017) found that CM students’ perspectives and engagement in construction project management courses were increased after using simulation as an educational tool under PrBL. Torres et al. (2019) showed that by implementing the PrBL, student grades increased by an average of 13% in a CM course. Moreover, Love et al. (2020) mentioned that some active learning methods like training, internship and laboratory-related activities make PrBL more effective. Scott and Fortune (2013) indicated that regular assessment should be part of student-centred teaching and learning, and most importantly, it can help students improve their own knowledge and performance.

As global markets undergo rapid technological and economic changes, educational institutions and the architecture, engineering, construction and operations industry must prepare for a pending transition in the workforce (Al-Atroush and Ibrahim, 2022). Wedawatta (2018) explained that graduates with a broad perspective, strong problem-solving and collaborative abilities, and the capacity to adapt to new environments swiftly are an invaluable sector asset. To ensure that students acquire knowledge about essential industry breakthroughs and enhance their employability, it is imperative for curriculum developers to collaborate with industry practitioners (Zhang and Feng, 2020).

An effective approach to adopting this partnership pedagogy involves engage students in a collaborative project with industry practitioners, which is completed over the course of an academic year. This gives students sufficient time to familiarise with industry, establish a supportive work environment, make design revisions and make group decisions (Ali, 2019; Hsu et al., 2019). Practical experience is essential for success in the construction industry, and internships provide an invaluable option to achieve this (Karji et al., 2020; O-Neill et al., 2024). According to Al-Atroush and Ibrahim (2022), the construction industry is driven by global competitiveness due to increasing deregulation and competition, which engenders a higher aspirational interdependence of the scientific, technological and management competencies within the workforce. Therefore, engaging students in training programs presents an ideal way to pursue partnership pedagogy in CM degree programs in HEIs. Moreover, providing students with proper industrial training helps enhance their skills (Porter and Glick, 2022).

PBL is another pedagogy for teaching and learning that could be applied in CM degree programs because it incorporates specialised competencies and qualities associated with CM teaching and learning (El-Adaway et al., 2015; Salmisto and Nokelainen, 2015; Ikediashi et al., 2024). This pedagogy facilitates the development of students’ problem-solving abilities rather than simply providing them with instructions on how to solve a problem (El-Adaway et al., 2015). PBL encourages students to ask as many questions as needed to clarify their confusion and deepen their understanding of the subject matter (Salmisto and Nokelainen, 2015; Ikediashi et al., 2024). Through PBL, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills and the requisite knowledge (Lee et al., 2016). According to Ahmed et al. (2014), PBL shifts the responsibility of acquiring information for students by employing teacher-led discussions, case studies and overviews. Moreover, Zhang and Xie (2019) mentioned that students are better able to achieve course learning goals when they engage with PBL.

The flipped classroom (a form of blended teaching and learning approach) creates a more collaborative and participatory classroom setting that is appealing to students (West et al., 2022). This pedagogy involves delivering lecture materials to students before the class while additional activities (designed to enhance the knowledge) are conducted during the session (Mojtahedi et al., 2020). Delivering CM courses through a flipped classroom mode is more beneficial than student-centred approaches (cf. Cribbs and Naganathan, 2023). A significant advantage of this pedagogy is that students get the opportunity to access lecture videos and handouts at any time (West et al., 2022). Moreover, through the flipped classroom pedagogy, educators have an opportunity to utilise the lecture time more effectively to delve deeply into the subject matter and critically reflect on the gathered knowledge (Hall et al., 2022).

Table 3 presents a summary of the articles that focused on each pedagogy. Over the past 12-year period, most researchers focused on the digital pedagogy for teaching and learning in CM, accounting for 24 (or 46%) of the studies. This is followed by the student-centred pedagogy (f = 18 or 35%) and partnership pedagogy (f = 7 or 12%).

Figure 4 depicts how each of these pedagogies has appeared in refined studies over the period from 2013 to 2024. There is a noticeable shift in research focus from the partnership pedagogy, flipped classroom pedagogy and PBL towards the digital pedagogy and student-centred teaching and learning pedagogy. Notably, the number of research publications related to digital pedagogy has significantly increased, with f = 6 (or 12%) published in 2022, f = 4 (or 8%) in 2023, and f = 4 (or 8%) in 2024, compared to other years from 2014. This trend highlights the growing emphasis on technology-enhanced approaches in CM education in recent years.

The discussion of the SLR findings is presented in two separate sections viz.: a discussion of descriptive analysis; and a discussion of content analysis.

The SLR indicated a growing interest in teaching and learning among CM researchers over the years. Herein, 90% of research publications used for SLR were journal articles, and most were ranked as “Q1” and “Q2” as per the SJR database (Table 1). The analysis also found that most scientists preferred mono-methods for their research over multi-methods and mixed-methods. The questionnaire survey is the most popular research method (Table 2). An SLR by Cremin and Chappell (2021) (which explored teaching and learning pedagogies across various disciplines) and a review by Aliyu et al. (2021) (on mathematics teaching pedagogies) both found that developed countries like the UK and USA published most articles related to teaching and learning, followed by countries such as China and Australia. Similarly, most of the CM publications come from developed countries like the USA, the UK, and Australia, with developing countries like China and Malaysia following (Figure 2).

In total, 52 publications were extracted, focusing on teaching and learning in the CM discipline. While this is not a large repository of studies, the number of publications ranged from one to six per year between 2013 and 2021. However, there was a sudden increase in publications after 2021, peaking in 2022 before dropping again to six in 2023. This surge in articles published in 2022 is likely because of the impact of COVID-19 and the growing interest in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning through digital platforms (Alshammary and Alhalafawy, 2022). This is evident from the studies published in 2022, which primarily focused on digital pedagogy, followed by the student-centred pedagogy. Despite this increase, the findings are in congruence with the previous work of Posillico et al. (2023) - namely, that research related to teaching and learning in the CM discipline remains limited. This indicates that future research should focus more on this area to enhance CM teaching and learning quality in HEIs.

A student’s curriculum should outline the fundamental facts, concepts, skills and knowledge they need to acquire. A curriculum design should guide educators in their lesson planning and must help to assess student progress (Department for Education, 2023). CM is a wide-reaching discipline in higher education that aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills essential to oversee construction projects efficiently and effectively (Puolitaival and Forsythe, 2016).

Teaching and learning CM in a traditional mode is challenging due to the need for hands-on experience, up-to-date industry knowledge and the integration of diverse subjects like engineering, business and technology (Sepasgozar, 2020). Therefore, researchers have explored innovative pedagogical approaches to address the issues with traditional classroom instruction and evaluation using new technologies, expert mentoring and service learning opportunities (El-Adaway et al., 2015). Given this, different pedagogies for teaching and learning advocate for educators to cultivate essential skills and qualities in students, allowing them to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of these abilities. Students often find that activities which involve active participation (e.g. brainstorming, problem-based activities and open-ended assignments) are more beneficial for their learning. In congruence, this study found five commonly used pedagogies for teaching and learning in CM education.

To effectively educate future generations of CM, conventional approaches must be reconsidered, and students must explore how to utilise the technology they already possess. Hence, digital pedagogy, a relatively new teaching and learning method, has captured the attention of educators in higher education in varying disciplines and extensively in the CM (Hall et al., 2022). The current study found many approaches that fall under digital pedagogy, including technology-centred approach, digitised and VLE, web-based virtual gaming, agile and resilience methodology, tri-constraint approach and BIM incorporation. Herein, the incorporation of BIM and virtual games has emerged as a breakthrough approach in CM teaching and learning (Ozcan-Deniz, 2022). Posillico et al. (2021) observed that CM courses should consider integrating simulations into their curriculum and teaching methods to enhance students’ interpersonal skills. Moreover, VR technologies can potentially improve the quality of teaching and learning in the CM discipline.

Based on the findings of the current study, although much attention has been given to digital pedagogy in CM education at HEIs, previous studies have indicated that employers still prioritise interpersonal skills in CM graduates over digital and technical skills. For instance, Posillico et al. (2023) highlighted that while the public image of many CM programs often emphasises digital and technical skills, the curriculum must place a significant focus on interpersonal skills to prepare industry-ready graduates as the construction manager must manage people as a priority (in the labour intensive construction environment) not machines. Therefore, in alignment with Posillico et al. (2023), this study also suggests that a balance of both technical and interpersonal skills in CM programs is essential for enhancing the student’s employability and career readiness.

In addition to the CM discipline, various other fields where practical experience is crucial have successfully integrated technologies such as VR into their curricula (Sepasgozar, 2020). This integration has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of both teaching and learning processes. For instance, Goh et al. (2021) emphasised that VR could be integrated into mental health nursing curricula, particularly in cases when distance learning is necessary. Gosak et al. (2022) concurred and noted that to assist students in disciplines like health and behaviour change, there is a requirement for digital teaching tools such as simulation software, e-learning and digital guided courses. Moreover, the authors (Gosak et al., 2022) mentioned that through this digital pedagogy, educators can encourage students to become more motivated by utilising digital teaching tools. This in turn, enhances students' knowledge, confidence, skills and experience. These benefits are equally applicable within the CM discipline with the adaptation of digital pedagogy.

Irrespective of the discipline, to be more effective in using digital pedagogy, educators must have a deep understanding of the latest cyberlearning technologies and carefully choose the most optimal combination of technology and teaching style to cater to the varied learning preferences of CM students (Ozcan-Deniz, 2022). This is not a straightforward process and presents numerous challenges such as limited simulation and gaming applications and capabilities. In general, regardless of the discipline, the adoption of digital pedagogy in HEIs has faced several widespread obstacles, including the high initial investment in technology, ongoing maintenance costs, the risk of cybersickness and the lack of “tailored” digital platforms that meet the needs of individual institutions (Samarasinghe and Piri, 2022). For the CM discipline, these challenges are compounded by the limited knowledge of educators to use digital technologies, the accessibility of required technology and software, and the availability of educational materials. However, these challenges can be overcome through various actions such as providing lab facilities and continuing technological support, fostering collaboration with industry and organising workshops and training sessions especially for the instructors to enhance coordination (Ghanem, 2022).

The student-centred pedagogy is another prominent teaching and learning pedagogy that is commonly practised in CM education and includes approaches such as GBL, peer teaching, team teaching and PrBL. Moreover, in this pedagogy, one strategy that works better for relational teaching and learning is taking students on field trips, where they can apply theory in a real-world context. Assessments play a key role in student-centred pedagogy, helping students to be empowered in their learning (Scott and Fortune, 2013). Additionally, Farrow and Wetzel (2021) stated the use of “active learning spaces” such as discussions and review sessions (games or simulations) which encourage students to develop teamwork skills on projects, communicate effectively and solve problems. According to Elenany and Ahmed (2023), collaborative efforts involving subject specialists, educators and students are necessary for the integration of GBL in CM. Supporting this perspective, Bremner et al. (2022) noted that for student-centred pedagogy to be effective in nursing education, motivation and the student-teacher relationship are paramount. However, the authors (Bremner et al., 2022) found that a significant drawback of this pedagogy is the lack of immediate feedback from the educator(s) to the students.

The primary objective of offering CM degree programs at HEIs is to produce industry-ready graduates who can effectively address the pressing professional needs of the construction industry (Aliu et al., 2023). Therefore, the pedagogies for teaching and learning in CM should not be isolated from industry influences; rather, they should be undertaken within the context of strong, positive and effective partnerships with industry stakeholders (Zhang and Feng, 2020). Thus, it becomes evident that incorporating partnership pedagogy into the curricula of CM in HEIs is essential. This pedagogy highlights the importance of collaboration between HEIs and industry, and the incorporation of real-world and simulated learning scenarios in classroom activities, in shaping contemporary CM curricula (Posillico et al., 2022). The partnership pedagogy can provide a more holistic and relevant learning experience for students, preparing them to handle the complexities of the construction industry effectively. Furthermore, this facilitates the alignment of academic content with industry standards and expectations, ensuring that graduates are not only knowledgeable but also adept at applying their skills in practical settings. Therefore, adopting the partnership pedagogy in CM is critically important.

PBL is also a well-recognised and effective teaching and learning pedagogy used in the field of CM education. It is an effective teaching pedagogy not only in CM education but also in mental health nursing education. According to Goh et al. (2021), PBL offers a more engaging alternative to traditional teaching methods, making learning more appealing for students. Lee et al. (2016) highlighted that PBL is more effective than the flipped classroom pedagogy in terms of achieving student learning outcomes. Notably, there is a significant overlap between PBL and PrBL because both emphasise the importance of students working on difficult, real-world problems to facilitate the development of their knowledge, skills and competencies, particularly when dealing with more complicated challenges (Lozano et al., 2017). However, they differ in focus and structure. PBL aims to explore a specific real-world problem through critical thinking, collaboration, research and the development of possible solutions, with the learning process itself being the outcome (Milla Pino et al., 2024). Conversely, PrBL focuses on creating a tangible project, such as a report or prototype, over a longer period. Therefore, PrBL encourages more student autonomy, creativity and ownership of the learning process, which makes it a student-centred pedagogical approach, while PBL is often viewed as a distinct pedagogy.

CM programs are often heavily focused on purely theoretical aspects, which can lead to students becoming disengaged or losing focus during class sessions (Subramanian and Najafi, 2019). To address this, an effective teaching strategy is for theoretical content to be provided to students in advance so that in-person class time can be used for interactive activities (Mojtahedi et al., 2020). This flipped classroom pedagogy supports students as they gain first exposure to learning prior to class, enabling them to devote more time in class to actively processing that knowledge and developing problem-solving skills (Alias et al., 2020). By incorporating hands-on tasks, group discussions or problem-solving exercises during the session, educators can better maintain student interest and create a more dynamic learning environment, reducing classroom disengagement. Therefore, this pedagogy is effective not only in CM disciplinary education but also in other fields such as art and humanities (Subramanian and Najafi, 2019) and nursing (Bingen et al., 2020). For instance, Bingen et al. (2020) noted that in nursing, educators tend to shift from traditional lecture-based classrooms to more interactive, collaborative and student-centred settings. This shift has been positively influenced by technological developments and innovations that can be used with the flipped classroom paradigm, which is also a trend observed in CM education.

When examining each pedagogy and its associated strengths and limitations, it becomes evident that although five distinct pedagogical approaches are commonly used in CM education, their effectiveness remains limited when applied in isolation. Therefore, these pedagogies should be implemented synergistically, depending on the nature and objectives of specific courses delivered within CM degree programs at HEIs. To assist informed decisions about which pedagogies are most appropriate, it is vital to understand the key attributes each offers (Posillico and Edwards, 2024), not only for students but also for educators. In response to this need and based on the findings of the SLR and the discussions presented in this section, this study developed a synergised framework that brings together all five pedagogical approaches in an integrated manner. Figure 5 illustrates this integrated framework and is entitled the: “holistic teaching and learning framework for CM education.”

According to Lindgreen et al. (2021), the framework shown in Figure 5 is a typology-based style framework which developed by combining five distinct pedagogical approaches into a coherent structure that maps both the shared and unique attributes they offer for both students and educators, with additional consideration of industry expectations. Herein, each coloured oval represents a specific pedagogy, and the overlaps indicate shared attributes among multiple pedagogies. All these attributes were listed in the “legend of the framework” table below the infographic in Figure 5. It is difficult to assert that any single pedagogy is the best for teaching and learning in the discipline because each provides unique attributes, sometimes that others cannot deliver. Accordingly, some pedagogies have unique attributes, while others share commonalities. For instance, student-centred and digital pedagogies share several common, yet complementary attributes, including teamwork, motivation, a risk-free environment, knowledge transfer, adaptability to change and collaboration skills.

The outer ring of the framework reflects the key stakeholders in CM education: “Students”, “Industry” and “Educators”. This positioning highlights that each pedagogy contributes not only to student learning outcomes but also engages educators and aligns with industry needs. Therefore, implementing this framework in CM programs at HEIs could effectively bridge the gap between students, educators and industry. However, future research should apply the framework in real-world contexts to assess its effectiveness for preparing student for employment on site. This application will offer HEIs greater opportunities to produce industry-ready graduates equipped to meet sector human resource demands.

Moreover, as individual students have diverse learning styles (Maghiar et al., 2015), adopting a broader approach to teaching and learning can positively impact student engagement and knowledge retention (Friesen and Su, 2023). Therefore, for effective teaching and learning in CM disciplines within HEIs, all pedagogies must be adopted synergistically to yield the best outcomes for both students and educators. However, the adoption of each pedagogy in CM programs should be carefully considered based on the course nature and intended learning outcomes.

This study provides detailed insights into various pedagogies for teaching and learning that can be adopted for the successful delivery of CM programs in HEIs. Consequently, the study offers several implications for the research and practice as discussed follows.

The construction industry is subject to significant transformations, steered by rapid advancements in digital technologies, increasing sustainability demands and advanced workforce expectations. These changes make it necessary to rethink how CM should be taught in HEIs, making graduates not only technically capable and knowledgeable but also adaptable, collaborative and digitally literate. However, there is no consolidated pedagogical framework that is specifically tailored to CM education. While previous studies have examined pedagogies in isolation, this study is the first to provide a unified framework tailored for CM education, synergising five key pedagogies: digital pedagogy, student-centred pedagogy, partnership pedagogy (industry involvement), problem-based learning (PBL) and flipped classroom pedagogy. This addresses the critical need for a holistic understanding of how multiple pedagogies can interact to enhance student learning outcomes and employability in CM.

In alignment with Rocco and Plakhotnik (2009), this framework contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering comprehensive insights on the pedagogies that not only support effective curriculum design in the CM discipline but also recognise the importance of student-industry-educator integration. Future researchers could use this framework as a foundational basis for their studies to investigate which pedagogies are most applicable for different courses within CM degree programs in HEIs across various geographical locations. This can include studies evaluating the impact of different combinations of pedagogies on students' engagement, practical skill development and graduate job readiness. These future investigations will expand the current framework, and the expanded version can then be effectively applied to CM degree programs to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

Besides, future research can explore how the current framework could be dynamically adapted to incorporate emerging pedagogical innovations such as challenge-based learning (Leijon et al., 2022), embodied learning/ experiential simulation (Jusslin et al., 2022) and design thinking (McLaughlin et al., 2022), which can further bridge the gap between theory and practical application in the CM discipline. Given the limited number of studies available in this area, this initiative will contribute to expanding the field and enhancing the quality of CM education delivery in HEIs.

From a practical perspective, the developed framework assists HEIs in understanding which pedagogies for teaching and learning are most applicable to CM degree programmes, alongside their key attributes that benefit both students and educators. This study identified five key pedagogies for teaching and learning applicable to CM education. The synergised framework developed demonstrates to educators that no single pedagogy for teaching and learning perfectly matches CM education when implemented independently. Instead, these pedagogies are more effective when combined, creating a stronger connection between students, educators and industry. The decision regarding which pedagogies to adopt in specific courses should be based on the nature of the course and the intended learning outcomes. However, if the program is considered a standalone one, it must adopt all five pedagogies to achieve the best outcomes.

Moreover, the study’s framework guides educators working in CM higher education to understand the skills and competencies required to develop to ensure successful teaching and learning in their institutions. For instance, with the increasing adoption of digital approaches in CM education, educators must improve their digital literacy and hands-on experience with various technological platforms. This must be balanced with the need for essential interpersonal skills that are required to manage people on construction sites.

This study synthesised the body of literature to develop a comprehensive teaching and learning framework for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes in CM education within HEIs. To accomplish this, 895 articles published from 2013 to 2024 in four databases were initially identified. Among these, 52 articles suitable to answer the research problem were selected for review by following PRISMA guidelines and reviewed using both descriptive and content analysis.

This study identified five key pedagogies that can be incorporated for effective teaching and learning in CM higher education viz.: (1) digital pedagogy, (2) student-centred pedagogy, (3) partnership pedagogy (industry involvement), (4) PBL, and (5) flipped classroom pedagogy. A significant portion of the articles on teaching and learning pedagogies in CM were published in the USA (Figure 2), with 2022 seeing the highest number of publications (Figure 3). In 2022, many articles focused on digital pedagogy, largely due to the widespread adoption of online learning platforms following the COVID-19 pandemic. After a thorough literature review, the study developed a synergised framework for teaching and learning in CM (refer to Figure 5). This framework provides holistic insights, emphasising that no single pedagogy is fully effective when implemented in isolation for the delivery of CM programs. Instead, the best outcomes are achieved when a combination of all pedagogies is adopted in CM degree programs. This integrated model can help HEIs offering CM degrees to create strong connections between students, industry and educators, ultimately producing more industry-ready graduates from their programs.

Even though the methodological process in this study is well-documented and transparent, it has limitations. The current study only incorporated peer-reviewed articles and did not consider grey literature, which could also significantly contribute to the development of knowledge in this field (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017). Additionally, the SLR included only articles published between 2013 and 2024. Therefore, future studies could expand the search to cover a broader timeframe and include grey literature to provide a more comprehensive rationale for their findings. Moreover, the synergised framework that was developed offers a holistic perspective, suggesting that the identified pedagogies should be implemented in combination to yield effective outcomes in CM education. Investigating the most suitable teaching and learning pedagogies for common courses in CM degree programs within a specific geographical location would be a promising area for future research. Furthermore, this review was limited to pedagogies documented within CM education literature, which was refined through inclusion and exclusion criteria of the current study. Therefore, assessing the effectiveness of applying other innovative teaching and learning approaches emerging in broader higher education contexts (e.g. challenge-based learning, embodied learning/ experiential simulation and design thinking) in CM teaching and learning offers a valuable direction for future research. This line of inquiry could build upon the current study’s findings and contribute to expanding research in this underexplored area.

Due to developments in digital technology and the impact of COVID-19, CM programs at HEIs are more inclined to adopt digital pedagogy than other contemporary teaching and learning pedagogies. However, despite this digital revolution, the construction industry remains fundamentally human-centred, with interpersonal relationships being more prominent for project success. Therefore, in CM higher education, human-centred pedagogies play an important role in fostering dynamic interaction between educators, students and industry. Since digital technology alone cannot replace the complex skills required to lead and manage human teams, interpersonal competencies are essential for effective leadership and collaboration. To bridge the gap between industry expectations and graduate readiness, it is crucial to regularly assess and update educational curricula to align with the evolving needs of the construction industry.