Search Results (44)

This study addresses a persistent gap in architectural education research. Although sustainability and digital transformation have been widely discussed, relatively few studies have examined how these agendas are embedded across the full formal structure of an undergraduate curriculum, rather than being explored through isolated courses or individual studio interventions. In response to this gap, the article investigates how sustainability and higher education transformation are incorporated into an undergraduate architecture curriculum through program learning outcomes, course learning outcomes, course content, and teaching methods. The case examined is an undergraduate architecture program at a foundation university in Istanbul, Türkiye. Adopting a document-based single-case design, the study employs a multi-layered analytical framework that brings together curriculum mapping, directed qualitative content analysis, intensity coding, and SDG alignment across program outcomes, course outcomes, course content, and teaching methods. The analysis is organized around six thematic areas: climate action and environmental performance, disaster resilience and safety, digital and technological transformation, governance, law, and ethics, inclusivity and user well-being, and lifelong learning and professional adaptability. These thematic areas are then aligned with the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the program level, 19 of the 38 program learning outcomes were found to align directly with sustainability and transformation, indicating the presence of a clear institutional core rather than a merely symbolic or fragmented commitment. The strongest concentrations appear in climate action, environmental performance, disaster resilience, digital representation and BIM-based coordination, accessibility, and ethics; however, these strengths are distributed unevenly across the curriculum. The study concludes that future reform should focus on horizontally integrating this existing SDG-oriented core through stronger curricular sequencing, closer connections between studios and assessment, and more pedagogically diverse forms of delivery. Full article

The Construction Industry-related degree programs in higher education institutions are substantially significant platforms for mandating the excellence of Construction Management Education (CME). The quality enhancement in the built environment is achieved through CME, where contemporary education and research yield advanced construction methods for Industry. The education delivery in Building Construction Science/Technology/Management disciplines is planned through the designated policies of the State and regulatory authorities in the United States of America, in addition to the individual vision and mission of the institutions. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the rubrics and teaching methodologies have shifted to an advanced mechanism in higher education. In this research, concentrating on the same aspect of transformations in Construction Education allied with the use of modern tools, various undergraduate programs like Building Construction Science or Construction Management, use of modern education has been focused on; thereby concentrating on ‘Studio’ education as the key objective of this research. The continuing education goal in CME is to deliver life-long learning skills to students, so that they achieve sustainable development as qualified professionals later on. Henceforth, Studio teaching is discussed in this research for its impact on students’ expertise, knowledge development and life-long learning. Studio education is a unique dimension in technical disciplines such as Architecture and Construction Science, and, therefore, to achieve the essential objectives of ‘Studio Instructional Technology’, the students are introduced to real-world challenges, so that they can visualize and ultimately innovate solutions for the industry. This paper determines the effectiveness of teaching practices that instructors are expected to utilize while formulating the concepts and skills in students during Design or Structural Studios at the undergraduate level. Utilizing a structured and methodologically robust analytical research, the study formulates evidence-based recommendations for optimizing Studio-instruction pedagogies within undergraduate degree programs of CME. Full article

Musicking-as-play is an ontological conceptualisation that equips us to look at music-making practices in new ways in order to reveal future potentials for music education. This article discusses a theory-testing case study which applies the ‘musicking-as-play’ lens to what is, from the outside, often viewed as the least creative and most restrictive professional music-making context: the highly repetitive environment of the musical theatre band. If ‘musicking-as-play’ is present there, the thinking goes, then the conception is sufficiently robust to be applied more generally and to influence how music performance is taught. Following detailed observations of their working practices, five band members of a long-running West End musical in London and an experienced musical director were interviewed about their professional experiences. Many of these musicians had performed the show well over 1000 times, up to eight times a week for many years. Questions were based on a theoretical framework which sets play in relief alongside ritual, work and communitas. Findings confirm that the musicians perceived their work as a form of play, and a number of context-specific characteristics of play are identified. Implications for conservatoire pedagogies are discussed. Full article

Over the past five years, generative AI has carved out a major role in architecture, especially in education and visual idea generation. Most of the time, the literature talks about AI as a tool, an assistant, or sometimes a co-creator, always highlighting efficiency and the end product in architectural design. There is a steady rise in empirical studies, yet the real impact on how young architects learn still lacks a solid theory behind it. In this systematic review, we dig into peer-reviewed work from 2015 to 2025, looking at how generative AI fits into architectural design education. Using PRISMA guidelines, we pull together findings from 40 papers across architecture, design studies, human–computer interaction and educational research. What stands out is a clear tension: on one hand, students crank out more creative work; on the other, their reflective engagement drops, especially when AI steps in as a replacement during early ideation instead of working alongside them. To address this, we introduce the idea of “AI sparring”. Here, generative AI is not just a helper—it becomes a provocateur, pushing students to think critically and develop stronger architectural concepts. Our review offers new ways to interpret AI’s role, moving beyond seeing it just as a productivity booster. Instead, we argue for AI as an active, reflective partner in education, and we lay out practical recommendations for studio-based teaching and future research. This paper is a theoretical review and conceptual proposal, and we urge future studies to test these ideas in practice. Full article

Despite growing emphasis on sustainability across engineering disciplines, empirical evidence on how structured interventions shape students’ sustainability knowledge and understanding remains limited. This study introduces and evaluates a set of purposefully designed sustainability modules integrated into an architectural engineering design studio. It addresses a persistent gap in student knowledge due to insufficient and non-coherent integration of sustainability topics. Noting the increased necessity to tackle complex sustainability challenges by systems thinking and applied design, the modules were designed to support learning across five progressive steps: foundational concepts, specialization and peer teaching, hands-on assessment, project-based integration, and reflective synthesis and future implementation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the modules were tested through pre- and post-intervention assessment, supported by statistical analysis (t = 41.92, p < 0.001) and qualitative feedback from students and instructors. The findings suggest significant improvements in students’ sustainability knowledge and in-depth engagement when incorporating active and collaborative learning strategies. Similarly, project-based learning and peer learning exercises were seen as most effective in fostering comprehension and applied understanding. The iterative approach of refining module’s content and delivery based on students’ feedback—such as incorporating reflective prompts in later sessions—improved conceptual clarity and strengthened student learning needs and relevance to the study topic. By addressing the gaps in knowledge and curriculum integration, this exploratory study offers a transformative framework to integrate sustainability into engineering curricula and highlights the importance of pedagogical strategies in promoting sustainability competencies within engineering. Full article

The review examines the impact of structural literacy on learning the discipline of architecture at the undergraduate level, as well as its influence on design processes. To bridge the knowledge application gap between structural literacy and design application in architecture, this review synthesizes published work on learning through the application of structural literacy in design processes. It also considers learning outcome assessment, design effectiveness measurement, and new learning approaches. The review aimed to compare hands-on learning with traditional learning methods, measure teaching methods, identify new learning methods, measure the impact of structural literacy on design and learning outcomes, and observe collaborative practices across diverse disciplines. The review conducted a comprehensive survey of international research on undergraduate architecture education using mixed, qualitative, and quantitative methods. The results indicate that active, hands-on collaborative learning approaches are more effective than continuous lecture-based approaches in enhancing structural comprehension and design integration. Although financial and access constraints restrict large-scale applications, digital and physical modeling software enhances conceptual understanding and design exploration. Although institutional and curricular barriers limit its application, interdisciplinary working enhances communication skills and facilitates structural integration. Curriculum revisions that initiate structured subjects early, with design studio linkages, strengthen student motivation and design efficiency. These findings indicate the extent to which collaborative frameworks and integrated teaching impact the development of structural literacy. The review emphasizes the need for curriculum revisions and interdisciplinary instruction to equip architecture students with the skills necessary for practical, creative, and contextually aware design work. Full article

As architectural educators interested in community engagement and learning about everyday practices in the city, we recognize that teaching community engagement in a practical rather than abstract way is key. This paper presents community-engaged architecture and design pedagogy as potential methods for informing the shift in the role of the architect from top-down to ground-up. This paper presents the author’s pedagogical experimentation based on 25 years of teaching live projects in socially engaged architecture and activism. It describes how a pedagogy combining architecture and activism resulted in the development of an interdisciplinary commons curriculum. The curricula aimed to increase the influence of design practitioners in the development of deliberatively democratic neighborhoods by creating new design practices and outputs. Teaching the political role of the architect from the ground-up rather than from the traditional top-down perspective is challenging, as only a few historical case studies can legitimize and inform its development. This paper describes the content of two pedagogical formats. The ‘Architecture and Activism’ postgraduate architecture and design studio and the following ‘Design for Cultural Commons’ interdisciplinary design postgraduate program. They were both designed to have real-world influence. The ‘Design for Cultural Commons’ postgraduate program enabled the development of a curriculum ranging from modules in social science, art and politics to systems thinking, which is required knowledge for complex neighborhood practices. The city was used as a field of study to discover new knowledge through students’ community engagements. Various theoretical frameworks were employed to develop new forms of emancipatory pedagogy, helping the author unlearn the norms of conventional architectural education. The practice of recalibrating architectural canons and values into a common-based curriculum development is discussed through the framing of learning commons. Full article

This case study examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into undergraduate architectural education through a 2024–25 core studio teaching experiment at Zhejiang University. A dual-module framework was implemented, comprising a 20 h AI skills training module and in-class ethics discussions, without altering the existing studio structure. The AI skills module introduced deep learning models, LLMs, AIGC image models, LoRA fine-tuning, and ComfyUI, supported by a dedicated technical instructor. Student feedback indicated phase-dependent and tool-sensitive engagement, and students expressed a preference for embedded ethical discussion within the design studio rather than separate formal instruction. The experiment demonstrated that modular AI education is both scalable and practical, highlighting the importance of phase-sensitive guidance, balanced technical and ethical framing, and institutional support such as cloud platforms and research-based AI tools. The integration enhanced students’ digital adaptability and strategic thinking while prompting reflection on issues such as authorship, algorithmic bias, and accountability in human–AI collaboration. These findings offer a replicable model for AI-integrated design pedagogy that balances technical training with critical awareness. Full article

This entry is based on the premise that pressing issues of climate change, social injustice, and post-COVID practices appear to have superseded some essential values of architectural and design pedagogy, leading to improvements in content that may be offset by a loss of focus on the core curriculum. The entry reimagines architectural pedagogy by arguing for a transformative shift from traditional product-based education to a process-oriented, inquiry-driven approach that cultivates critical thinking and empirical making, predicated upon experiential learning. It aims to integrate rigorous critical inquiry into both studio-based and lecture-based settings, thus critiquing assumed limitations of conventional approaches that prioritise final outcomes over iterative design processes, dialogue, and active engagement. Employing a comprehensive qualitative approach that incorporates diverse case studies and critical reviews, the analysis is divided into two main threads: one that places emphasis on the studio environment and another that focuses on lecture-based courses. Within these threads, the analysis is structured around a series of key themes central to experiential learning, each of which concludes with a key message that synthesises the core insights derived from case studies. The two threads instigate the identification of aligned areas of emphasis which articulate the need for active engagements and reflection, for bridging theory and practice, and for adopting interdisciplinary and experiential approaches. Conclusions are drawn to establish guidance for a future direction of a strengthened and pedagogically enriched architectural education. Full article

Despite a global trend toward socially engaged higher education, architectural pedagogy continues to grapple for a coherent approach that systematically and genuinely integrates socio-cultural dimensions into design studio teaching practices. Defined as the interwoven social, cultural, and political factors that shape the built environment, the socius is treated peripherally within architectural pedagogy, limiting students’ capacity to develop civic agency, spatial justice awareness, and critical reflexivity in navigating complex societal conditions. This article argues for a socius-centric reorientation of architectural pedagogy, postulating that socially engaged studio models, which include Community Design, Design–Build, and Live Project, must be conceptually integrated to fully harness their pedagogical merits. The article adopts two lines of inquiry: first, mapping the theoretical underpinnings of the socius across award-winning pedagogical innovations and Google Scholar citation patterns; and second, defining the core attributes of socially engaged pedagogical models through a bibliometric analysis of 87 seminal publications. Synthesising the outcomes of these inquiries, the study offers an advanced articulation of studio learning as a process of social construction, where architectural knowledge is co-produced through role exchange, iterative feedback, interdisciplinary dialogue, and emergent agency. Conclusions are drawn to offer pragmatic and theoretically grounded pathways to reshape studio learning as a site of civic transformation. Full article

To address the technical bottlenecks of low path planning efficiency and insufficient point cloud coverage in the automated 3D scanning of complex structural components, this study proposes an offline method for the generation and optimization of scanning paths based on CAD models. Discrete sampling of the model’s surface is achieved through the construction of an oriented bounding box (OBB) and a linear object–triangular mesh intersection algorithm, thereby obtaining a discrete point set of the model. Incorporating a standard vector analysis of the discrete points and the kinematic constraints of the scanning system, a scanner pose parameter calculation model is established. An improved nearest neighbor search algorithm is employed to generate a globally optimized scanning path, and an adaptive B-spline interpolation algorithm is applied to path smoothing. A joint MATLAB (R2023b)—RobotStudio (6.08) simulation platform is developed to facilitate the entire process, from model pre-processing and path planning to path verification. The experimental results demonstrate that compared with the traditional manual teaching methods, the proposed approach achieves a 25.4% improvement in scanning efficiency and an 18.6% increase in point cloud coverage when measuring typical complex structural components. This study offers an intelligent solution for the efficient and accurate measurement of large-scale complex parts and holds significant potential for broad engineering applications. Full article

We are confronted with an urgent imperative to transition from merely minimizing harm to developing sustainable, regenerative, and net-positive solutions that systematically restore ecosystems, achieve decarbonization, and enhance health outcomes. This study presents a phased Digital Sustainable Regenerative Design Studio framework, which was implemented in a third-year architecture studio at the Canadian University of Dubai. This methodology incorporates bespoke environmental simulation tools alongside quantitative metrics for climate adaptation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and health outcomes to inform creative design solutions. The students devised interventions across 20 urban plots in Dubai. A comprehensive analysis, encompassing real-time engagement with computational tools, reflective journals, feedback sessions, project analysis, and surveys, was conducted to assess the framework’s effectiveness in enhancing students’ comprehension of regenerative design and to examine their responses to complex, interdisciplinary challenges. Key findings reveal improved student performance in applying regenerative design principles and the formulation of strategies for climate-adaptive urbanism. The results suggest that this educational framework has the potential to influence and enhance pedagogical approaches, fostering architects committed to advancing sustainable, regenerative, and climate-adaptive urbanism. Full article

Adopting educational technology remains a critical challenge in developing countries, particularly given limited resources and the urgency of achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 by 2030. This paper aims to create and validate a model for educational technology adoption for developing countries (ETADC) that addresses the gaps in existing models by incorporating education-specific factors and local contexts. The ETADC model integrates foundational theories with local and educational elements within the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework, empowering educators to enhance teaching–learning experiences for a tech-driven world. The ETADC framework includes six components—four sourced from established theories and two based on research into the experiences of in-service and pre-service teachers in developing countries regarding educational technology adoption. These components formulate an appropriate model for evaluating, identifying, and implementing educational technologies within developing countries’ educational contexts. Validation through meta-analysis and two-stage structural equation modeling in R Studio version 4.4.0 with data from 30 high-impact studies (sample size N = 8934) confirmed the model’s effectiveness, showcasing a strong fit and significant path coefficient. This model has been used to evaluate certain educational technologies for further adoption. ETADC offers a practical and scalable roadmap for sustainable EdTech adoption, potentially supporting educational transformation and development worldwide, particularly in under-resourced contexts. Full article

Planning education has a responsibility to provide students with theoretical and practical training to address real-world issues. This study explores studio teaching as an engaged pedagogy, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches to education for sustainable development (ESD) and themes from the American Planning Association’s (APA) Future Trend reports. Focusing on two senior capstone projects at the University of Cincinnati involving 34 students, the study emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary methods and APA trend integration in fostering critical thinking and higher-order reasoning. Capstone projects show students’ active engagement with innovative planning concepts (e.g., climate migration, innovative ways of goods’ delivery, and expanding third place’s concept). Such active and innovative learning outcomes not only deepen students’ understanding of urban planning but also equip them with critical cognitive and professional skills, which are necessary as professional planners as well as forward thinkers. The experiences and findings presented can help other programs articulate the benefits of studio-based courses. The findings offer experience-based guidance for similar initiatives in planning studios globally and support the ongoing transformation of sustainability education to prepare students for complex, real-world problem-solving. Full article