Developing Construction Knowledge and Technical Representation Through Experiential Learning in Architectural Education: A Pedagogical Approach Using 3D-Printed Building Kits

Abstract

Construction courses in architectural education aim to help students understand the
relationships between building systems and enable them to express this knowledge through
technical representations. However, observations conducted in the Department of Architecture
at Yeditepe University indicate that students experience difficulties in translating three
dimensional building assemblies into two-dimensional technical representations, particularly
through section drawings. In response, an experience-based pedagogical approach has been
developed within the scope of construction courses through an action research methodology.
Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, the study is conducted through the use of
reconfigurable building kits produced with 3D printing. This paper focuses on the
methodological framework developed for the evaluation of section drawings within this
ongoing research. In the study, section drawing is approached as a practice that makes
students’ relational thinking processes regarding building systems visible, and a multi-layered
evaluation approach integrating process-based, representational, and conceptual data is
proposed.