A student can ask AI to interpret a construction specification and receive an answer in seconds. But can that student locate the governing requirement, explain what it means, apply it to the work, and justify a conclusion on the jobsite?

For construction management, civil engineering, and construction engineering educators, this raises an important question: Are we preparing students to find answers or to investigate, interpret, and defend their conclusions using contract documents?

AI can help students understand technical information. But when students enter the construction industry, they must also know how to work directly with drawings, specifications, and other project documents. They need to identify the requirements that govern an item of work, understand their implications, and determine what actions may be necessary.

This is particularly important in construction, where specifications can influence material selection, submittals, construction methods, quality control, testing, coordination, payment, and scheduling.

From Finding an Answer to Investigating a Requirement

Consider an assignment involving aggregate used in the reinforced backfill of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall.

A student might ask AI to identify the applicable material requirements. But an AI-generated response alone does not establish which requirements govern the assigned project, where they appear in the contract specifications, or how they affect the work.

A more meaningful learning exercise asks students to investigate the applicable specification, document the evidence, interpret the requirements, and explain what they mean for the work.

For example, students may need to establish what the specifications require, understand the implications for material procurement and quality control, and identify what additional information or clarification may be needed before proceeding.

The objective is not simply to produce an answer. It is to develop the ability to trace a conclusion back to its source and explain the reasoning behind it.

Introducing the Construction Specifications Scavenger Hunt

As part of the Interactive Webbook on Heavy Civil Construction Materials and Methods — Student Edition, Scott Jennings, P.E., and I developed the Construction Specifications Scavenger Hunt to help students build practical experience working directly with State DOT contract specifications.

The application provides a structured environment in which students can explore project requirements, locate relevant information, and document their findings as they develop a better understanding of how specifications govern construction work.

With 90 investigation prompts organized into sections, the application offers a broad range of opportunities to explore contract requirements. Instructors can tailor assignments to a particular specification section, an item of work, or a broader investigation involving multiple sections.

Rather than simply asking students to identify information in a document, the application encourages them to engage with the requirements and consider their significance to construction practice. It also provides a way to preserve their work for review and discussion.

The objective is to help students become more confident and independent when working with the contract documents they will encounter in the field, an essential step in connecting classroom knowledge with construction practice.

Applying the Approach to an MSE Wall

Returning to the reinforced-backfill example, an instructor could assign a specification section governing the material and ask students to investigate its requirements.

Students would examine the applicable provisions, document what they find, and consider how those requirements affect the work. The instructor could then introduce a scenario involving test results, incomplete documentation, or uncertainty about whether a material meets the project requirements.

Students would need to explain what the specification establishes, what the available evidence shows, and what additional information, testing, approval, or clarification may be necessary before proceeding.

The application does not make the material-acceptance decision for them. Instead, it supports students as they work through the information needed to develop and explain their conclusions.

The specific requirements would, of course, depend on the applicable DOT specifications and project documents.

Where Does AI Fit?

The goal is not to exclude AI from construction education. It is to ensure that students learn to use it without surrendering their responsibility to investigate and evaluate information.

An instructor might ask students to complete an initial specification investigation independently, then use AI to explain an unfamiliar term or help them consider the implications of a requirement. Students could subsequently compare the AI-generated explanation with the actual specification and identify unsupported assumptions, omissions, or differences.

This approach keeps the source document central to the exercise. AI may assist with understanding, but students must still establish what the governing document says and explain how their conclusions follow from the evidence.

That distinction matters in professional practice, where an answer that sounds convincing is not necessarily an answer supported by the contract documents.

Opportunities for Construction Management, Civil and Construction Engineering Educators

The Construction Specifications Scavenger Hunt can support classroom assignments, guided exercises, independent learning, and case-based discussions. Instructors can select a single specification section for a focused exercise or expand the investigation across several sections to examine a broader item of work.

For construction management educators, the application can complement instruction in estimating, construction planning, means and methods, procurement, and quality control. For civil and construction engineering educators, it can provide opportunities to connect engineering concepts and material requirements with the contract documents that guide construction.

The application can also complement courses that already cover construction materials, specifications, or construction methods by giving students a structured opportunity to work directly with project requirements.

The broader objective is to help students connect classroom knowledge with the documents and decisions that shape actual construction.

We believe construction materials and methods should not be treated as knowledge students can postpone acquiring until they arrive on the jobsite. Students need opportunities to understand not only what is being built, but also how the work is governed, planned, executed, and evaluated.

The Construction Specifications Scavenger Hunt is one way to support that development.

For construction management, civil engineering, and construction engineering educators: How can we better prepare students to independently investigate contract requirements, substantiate their conclusions, and make informed decisions when they enter construction practice?