The Relevance of Applied Education to Urban Sustainability: A Case Study of a Degree Programme in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management in Hong Kong

Applied degree programme is an innovative form of vocational education and training. The aim of this chapter is to examine the challenges and opportunities of the implementation of an existing vocational degree programme and its transformation into an applied degree. Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management, BSc(HALM), which is a degree programme in Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong is used throughout as a case study. The purposes of BSc(HALM), and the methods to achieve them would be examined. Knowledge classification, workplace training and cultivation of transferable skills would be explored. The process of incorporating the positive impacts of COVID-19 would be elaborated to evince the revolution of applied degree programmes. The challenges and potential solutions, at individual, programme, industry and social levels, would be identified and discussed. Teaching and learning experiences would serve as evidence to support the arguments in this chapter. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Improving Students’ Learning Experience Using Simulated Environments in Applied Degree Education in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction

An applied degree education is about using work-integrated learning approaches in student learning. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected how applied education may continue to enrich students’ knowledge of the real world. In various degree programs, a simulated environment is an essential part of the curriculum and applying it to applied degree education cannot be ignored. A simulated environment plays an essential role in linking theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom to the real world. It exposes students to real-world problems but in a controlled simulated environment. This chapter introduces several approaches in creating simulated environments for applied degree programs in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). It discusses the key benefits of using technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and the A Real Organization Unit Simulated as Life (AROUSAL) system, to improve the student learning experience in applied degree education in AEC. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.