Impact of culture on construction education in South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of culture on construction education in South Africa with a view to determining how cultural backgrounds influence students’ behaviour. The data used in this paper were derived from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data were collected through a detailed assessment of related literature. The primary data were likewise collected via a structured questionnaire aimed at 130 respondents who were students registered for Construction Management (CM), Quantity Surveying (QS), Civil Engineering and Building Science at a South African higher education institution. Out of the collected 130 questionnaires, only 101 were usable, representing a response rate of 78 per cent that was deemed viable for statistical analysis for this study. Data received from the questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics procedures. The higher education institution used for the study has a variety of students and lecturers: through this study it is evident that the cultural background of the students shapes their attitudes and values, knowledge base as well as the skill set and these, in turn, influencing classroom behaviours, their study habits, their writing styles and faculty student interactions. The study concluded that culture is an important concept when it comes to education, especially construction education, which needs to be managed appropriately. The study, therefore, recommended that in order to manage cultural differences, students need to be aware of the cultural backgrounds of those with whom they work and interact since failure to manage cultural differences in a collaborative learning environment could possibly lead to student failure.