5.1. Assessment of Learning

So, 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.

In education, assessment focuses on three key areas: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning. Cognitive assessment evaluates a person's mental skills and knowledge, such as understanding concepts and solving problems. Psychomotor assessment measures skills related to physical actions, like hands-on activities or lab work. Affective assessment relates to emotional aspects, such as attitudes and values derived from educational experiences. Understanding these aspects helps educators develop a well-rounded approach to teaching and evaluating student performance.

Think of cognitive learning as studying for a driving test: you memorize traffic rules (cognitive). Psychomotor learning is practicing driving skills, like steering and parallel parking (psychomotor). Affective learning is understanding the responsibility of driving safely and considering the lives of others on the road (affective).

A lot of taxonomies which has 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 developed to classify educational learning objectives. Initially introduced in 1956, it ranked cognitive skills from lower to higher order: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The taxonomy was updated in 2002, with 'synthesis' and 'creation' placed at the top, emphasizing the importance of creating new ideas as a higher-level cognitive skill. This evolution reflects the changing nature of education that values creativity and innovation.

Imagine learning to cook. Initially, you learn basic recipes (knowledge), then you understand why ingredients work well together (comprehension), and eventually, you start experimenting with your own recipes (creation). Just like with cognitive skills in Bloom's Taxonomy, cooking requires progression from understanding to creating.

And now, in the present generation of architecture, we are talking about not only the digital forms because of various fabricated models, where technology has been advanced and also we are looking at the digital processes as well.

Architecture education has evolved with the advancement of digital technology and processes. Students are learning to use digital tools to create architectural designs, allowing for the creation of complex forms and structures that were previously impossible with traditional methods. This shift has changed how architectural concepts are developed, allowing for innovation and experimentation in design.

Think of traditional architects like artists who only had pencils and paper. With the rise of digital tools, it's like giving them a powerful computer that allows them to create stunning 3D models and simulations. Just as artists can now explore endless opportunities in digital art, architects can innovate with their designs through technology.

But in this process, what we are missing is the ground realities, in fact, there are many models like CAD simulation model, like this is one of my students work where they try to simulate the lighting aspects and as well as you know the climatic aspects of it. So, in this process, you know when you do a design, when you have to test back how it works in this context, on a simulation level, yeah, maybe it will give you some hint.

While technology provides new possibilities for architectural design through simulations, it also risks detaching students from real-world conditions, or 'ground realities.' Simulations can be useful, such as testing how different lighting affects a building's atmosphere, but they may not fully capture how a structure interacts with its environment. Therefore, blending digital tools with physical experiences remains crucial in architecture education.

Imagine cooking with a high-tech oven that tells you exactly how your dish is progressing. While it provides valuable feedback, if you rely solely on it without tasting your food or observing how cooking alters its properties, you might miss essential aspects of culinary art. Similarly, architects must not rely only on simulations but also on real-world interactions to fully understand their designs.

And an 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 and typically includes a structured progression: starting with foundational concepts, followed by integration of various elements such as structural design and construction costs, and culminating in advanced specialization. The education framework emphasizes exploration, evaluation, and the need for hands-on experience, which promotes practical understanding of architectural principles.

Think of this as a comprehensive training program for becoming a chef. First, you learn the basics of cooking (fundamentals), then you explore different cuisines and techniques (integration), eventually specializing in a particular type of food (specialization). Finally, you gain real kitchen experience where you evaluate your dishes and further refine your skills.

And then, we move on to the advanced specialization you know, your focus will be oriented but in the teaching you know, it is not just about what you teach, how much they have learnt, this is assess that it is not about how much you have thought but how much they have learned is more important. I have taught Snoopy to whistle but I can’t hear him whistle, I said I taught him not he had learned, so this is where the gap has to be analysed.

In advanced specialization, the focus shifts to not just teaching content, but ensuring that students genuinely learn and can apply their knowledge. This highlights the importance of measuring learning outcomes rather than just the volume of information taught. The metaphor of 'teaching Snoopy to whistle' illustrates the concept of a teacher’s responsibility to ensure that learning has occurred, emphasizing the need for assessments that reflect true comprehension and skill acquisition.

It's like teaching a child to ride a bike. You can show them how it's done, but if they never practice and learn to balance on their own, they won’t be able to ride. Just because you’ve taught them, doesn’t mean they've learned the skill. Effective assessment should show how well they can ride, not just how well they followed your instructions.

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 is one problem and also the site interactions become very less and they mostly end up in sitting on a table and drafting things you know.

The shift towards digital tools in architecture can lead students to neglect the hand skills they developed early in their education. As they advance and focus more on computer-aided design (CAD) software, practical site experience and hands-on skills may diminish. This disconnection can be problematic as effective architecture requires a balance between digital proficiency and real-world application.

Imagine a sculptor who starts by chipping away at a stone but later opts only to create designs on a computer. While digital tools are powerful, if they forget the tactile skills of carving, their artwork may lack depth and understanding of the material. In architecture, students must remain connected to physical practices even as they embrace technology.

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