Practical and Creative: Using Problem Based Learning in Live Projects with Architectural Technology Students at UCLAN

Gaynor Wood, & Ann Vanner
Abstract below..

The paper explores the use of Problem Based Learning   (PBL) to develop and deliver an innovative and exciting teaching project within the School of Built Environment at UCLAN.

PBL seeks to encourage students to become partners in the learning process, identifying their learning needs and applying their existing knowledge to a specific problem or project.

Boud  and Feletti write that “Problem-based learning starts with problems or situations rather than the exposition of knowledge. Students acquire knowledge and skills through a staged sequence of problems in context, together with associated learning materials and support from facilitative tutors”

(1977: 76)

Students from the Architectural Technology course were challenged to undertake a building project for an external client, Ancient Arts Archaeology in Conwy.  The company is based in a redundant Grade 2 listed church, and wanted a new, green office building in the nave. Using the building as the necessary “trigger” for the EBL exercise, we tasked fourteen students to research a design and then to build straw bale structure for the clients.

The exercise took four weeks in the classroom to research and a full weekend to build. The project was extremely intensive and student teams were soon undertaking project management, client negotiation and design development.

Students reflected on their experiences, in particular the generic and specialist skills they felt they developed and how they had used them in a different context. Finally, as lecturers we also reflected changes we had made to our teaching styles, and whether our expectations of our students and their learning had changed.

The success of this project is leading to the development of an enterprise module, incorporating based EBL teaching and learning initiatives. Students will be working with external clients on live, costed projects. Reflection on their skills development and attitude to enterprise opportunities will be a strong assessment element within this module.

References

Barratt, T.  and Moore, S. eds., 2011.  New Approaches to Problem Based Learning Revitalising tor Practice in Higher Education. Oxon: Routledge

Boud, D. and G. Feletti. 1977. The Challenge of Problem-based learning. London: Kogan Page.

 Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy: Special Interest Group, 2009.   Problem-based Learning . [online ]. HEA (published 2009) Available at : < http://www.pbldirectory.com/downloads/pbl-toolkit.pdf>[ Accessed   May 2012 ]