A preliminary study on architectural students’ views about their aspirations and expectations

• Main Author: Héctor Pantoja-Ayala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University College London 2006-04-01
• Series: Educate~
• Online Access: http://www.educatejournal.org/index.php?journal=educate&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=30

This paper presents the research design and shares some of the early findings, of a qualitative and quantitative study. It focuses on architecture students’ views regarding the effectiveness of a flexible educational process that guides them in realizing their professional aspirations and expectations in the setting of México City. The paper is written with the following issues in mind: first it suggests that a students’ prior academic background poses difficulties for them in understanding an interdisciplinary educational process; second, that the short time officially assigned to students in their course, in which to develop the design of a building, poses additional difficulties for them. Third, it argues that students’ own views have to be taken into account and understood when considering the approaches applied to them in their education. The paper uses the concept of aspirations as a means to understand students’ dispositions and attitudes, as revealed in a series of researcher revelatory ‘moments’. A key aim of the paper is to describe the hidden principles of communication among students that may shed light on their views