4. Architectural Education Framework

In an education process, there are 3 things; one is the cognitive aspects and the psychomotor aspects and the affective aspects. So, cognitive is talking about the mental capacities which talks about the skills and the knowledge which you learn through the brain and whereas a psychomotor, how you learn through the hand and effective which you learn which goes into your heart you know which had some value of your education.

This chunk highlights three key aspects of education: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. The cognitive aspect deals with mental processes, including memory and problem-solving skills. The psychomotor aspect involves hands-on skills and learning through physical action, while the affective aspect relates to emotional responses and values gained from education. Understanding these areas helps educators create a well-rounded learning experience that addresses different ways people learn.

Think of a chef. The cognitive aspect is knowing recipes and cooking techniques, the psychomotor aspect is actually preparing and cooking the food, and the affective aspect is the passion and emotional connection they have with cooking and food, which inspires them to create delicious dishes.

A lot of taxonomies which have been developed; Bloom's taxonomy is one of it, Blooms have developed 1956, where there is a lower order to higher order, the evaluation was on a peak but in 2002, he brought the synthesis and then the creation into the top in the summit.

Bloom's Taxonomy is a framework used to classify educational goals. Initially introduced in 1956, it categorizes learning objectives from simple recall of facts (lower-order thinking) to higher-order skills like analyzing and synthesizing information. In 2002, the taxonomy was revised to include 'creating' as the pinnacle of the learning hierarchy, emphasizing the importance of innovation and design in education, especially in fields like architecture.

Consider the difference between making a simple sandwich (remembering facts) and creating a new recipe for a gourmet meal (higher-order thinking). A chef can start by recalling ingredients and techniques, but ultimate creativity involves combining these elements in unique ways, akin to the synthesis and creation emphasized in Bloom's revised taxonomy.

And architectural education is a 5-year course and where it starts with a fundamental foundation elaboration, integration, advanced specialization and the last 3 E’s; exploration, evaluation and experience. Here, you start with the small things, basic knowledge of it and then you try to elaborate on further but here this is where we integrate structures, construction, quantity pricing, the financial aspect, so we start integrating.

Architectural education spans five years, moving through various levels of complexity. It begins with foundational principles and gradually integrates various aspects like structural engineering, construction management, and financial considerations. This structured approach ensures that students build on their knowledge step-by-step, preparing them for the diverse challenges they will face in professional practice.

Think of learning to ride a bike. First, you start with understanding what a bike looks like and how to balance. As you get comfortable, you learn to steer and pedal simultaneously. Eventually, you're able to ride freely and even perform tricks. Similarly, in architecture, students start with basic concepts and progressively learn to integrate complex systems and designs.

the moment person is touching his pencil and drawing on the board, it will give him more time to think about the details he is working. If it was a digital thing what happens is mostly, they try to copy and paste from different aspects of it.

This chunk emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning in architecture. When students draw by hand, they engage more deeply with their design process and think critically about the details. In contrast, relying solely on digital tools can lead to superficial copying and a lack of original thought. This highlights the need for a balance between traditional techniques and modern technology in architectural education.

Consider an artist painting a picture. When they use physical paint and canvas, they have to mix colors, manage textures, and think about every brush stroke. However, if they only use digital software, they might rely more on filters and effects without fully understanding how to create something from scratch. The process of making something with your hands often leads to deeper learning.

And also, this is one of the thesis of Vishal, one of my students and he developed a Rohingya’s refugees, sheltered as a project and you can see the handmade drawings of his work. Today, because of the various tools which we are doing, we are having many tools like the CAD simulation tools and energy efficiency orientation today, we are not having anyways, the final year students are not at all using their hand skills which they learned in first year but eventually, they forget about it you know.

This chunk discusses the shift away from hands-on skills in architectural education due to technology reliance. It mentions a student's project addressing the needs of Rohingya refugees, emphasizing the value of original design work. However, there is concern that students are losing touch with hand-drawing skills and site interactions, which are essential for understanding real-world contexts and challenges in architecture.

Imagine a gardener who learns to plant seeds by hand versus someone who only watches videos. The gardener learns through physical interaction with the soil and plants, understanding the nuances of growth. If all they did was watch videos, they might miss crucial details on plant care that come only from hands-on experience. In architecture, those tangible skills are equally invaluable.

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