Abstract:

Students’ pre-course perceptions of a module provide insight relative to their understanding and appreciation of a module and challenges that the lecturer may encounter.

The purpose of the study reported on is to determine the pre-course perceptions of construction management students towards the Organisational Behaviour module, based upon a self-administered questionnaire survey conducted in a South African university. The students were surveyed at the inception of the presentation of the module at first year level.

The salient findings include: the Organisational Behaviour module will assist students with understanding and performance relative to most of the subjects that the module is ‘related to’; knowledge and skills relative to twenty-two aspects addressed by the Organisational Behaviour module are more than important as opposed to less than important in terms of managing both the business of construction and projects, and most of the students believe they will utilise the learning they have acquired in Organisational Behaviour at work.

Based upon the findings it can be concluded that students have a degree of understanding and appreciation of the module ‘Organisational Behaviour’ module prior to exposure thereto, and they understand and appreciate the importance and role of the module to their programmes and discipline.

It is recommended that such research be conducted on an annual basis, and a preparatory lecture module ‘The role and importance of ‘Organisational Behaviour’ should be evolved for first time ‘Organisational Behaviour’ students.

Keywords:

Construction Management, Geometric Drawing, Perceptions, Students.