Abstract
Heritage architecture education is important to develop contextual understanding and cultural consciousness among architecture students. Conventional teaching approaches are inadequate to cultivate students' cultural knowledge of specific places and community contexts. This chapter addresses this gap by evaluating how problem-based learning (PBL) as a teaching approach in a measured drawing module contributes to cultural consciousness among architecture students. It adopts quantitative survey research design to evaluate students' cultural consciousness based on knowledge of place identity, understanding of community social contexts, and recognition of community cultural contexts. Two student cohorts completing the module participated as respondents, providing insights into PBL's impact. The findings substantiate the adoption of PBL as an effective pedagogy to enhance students' cultural consciousness, by developing contextual and cultural sensitivity in design cognition. It is also useful in guiding the design of teaching approaches for culturally related subjects in other disciplines.
TopAddressing The Need For A Problem-Based Learning Approach
As scholars generally agree that local values should be given equal respect in architecture education, it is considered important to adopt a place-based approach in understanding the contexts that constitute these values. Ng (2013) observes that placing emphasis on contexts enables students to cultivate sensitivity towards a place while also expanding design creativity. Similarly, Nikezić & Marković (2015) have highlighted the value of place-based learning in enhancing students' awareness of spatial-cultural contexts, thereby influencing their environmental literacy and developing a sense of responsibility. However, conventional teaching approaches towards heritage architecture education often adopt a generic learning scope that lacks real-world contexts involving specific places, communities, and cultural systems. This may not sufficiently engage students in developing a deeper cultural understanding of unique places and community contexts.
In response to this, Smith & Sobel (2004) suggest a learning process that emphasises the connections between place and society, allowing real issues affecting specific localities and communities to be addressed. Consequently, an effective educational approach in heritage architecture should integrate a problem-solving framework, incorporating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) to develop students’ ability to address real issues related to place and society.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Problem-Based Learning: An instructional method that utilizes problems to help students develop problem-solving abilities and acquire fundamental knowledge.
Cultural Context: Values and activity systems of the community.
Measured Drawing: A standardised method of documenting the existing architectural conditions of a building.
Social Context: The settings depicted by social variables and society values of a particular place.
Cultural Consciousness: Understanding and recognition of diverse cultures, resulting in a deeper knowledge and appreciation of other individuals and contexts.
Place Identity: The perceived meanings derived from the spatial setting that determine the values associated with the human relationship with the place.