Sub Questions
CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The complexity of the research problem required that data had to be obtained from different sources in order to understand the broad context in which architectural education at universities of technology is situated. Historical evolution of architectural education in the international knowledge society, the critical discourses around the purpose of higher education, the actual understanding of the different learning sites in South Africa and the opinions and perspectives of students and academic staff at these institutions, defined the research design and methodology.
2.1.
Research Design
Architectural education and practice have historically always been greatly influenced by broad universal philosophical paradigms and theories. The African context provides particular challenges to this ‘universal’ view, however, in order to posit a credible alternative, it was first necessary to conduct a thorough and in-depth review and critique of contemporary European and North American models. The colonial paradigm of architectural education across the continent generally, but in South Africa specifically, has particular resonances which have determined both the scope and nature of the research methodology. This thesis required a combination of empirical and non-empirical sources, therefore primary and secondary data collection methods had to be employed. A combination of auto-ethnographic enquiry, empirical data gathering, interviews, case studies and legislative documents/reports was used, leading to a broader and more historically situated understanding. Case studies and interviews were vital in order to obtain specific information about the nature of curricula, pedagogic approaches and learning spaces as well as the strategic objectives and development plans of schools of architecture, particularly at universities of technology.
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2.2. Research Methodology
The research methodology is determined by the problem statement, hypothesis and research questions. This necessitates a blended approach of review and analysis of research, which employs both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Qualitative analysis is vital to the critical review of the historic theoretical and philosophical paradigms that have shaped the character of contemporary architectural education and practice. This is due to the nature of the research which is predominantly informed by a critical position on the status and value of architectural education and practice to society. The synthesis of various theoretical and philosophical approaches to the research problem is vital towards developing an appropriate and responsive theoretical framework for a new model of architectural education.
Quantitative analysis is also necessary in order to understand primary data obtained from the case studies of the relevant schools of architecture in South Africa. Spatial data, infrastructural evaluation, interviews and discussions are all essential to the development of a conceptual framework for the proposed new model. Interviews with the relevant academic staff, managers and students, as well as the review of prospecti and institutional handbooks of the case study sample, are necessary in order to find information on the strategic focus and direction of the various schools. The research data would further illustrate the educational composition and pedagogic approaches of the various architectural learning sites (ALSs).
The theoretical and conceptual framework of the dissertation begins with an outline of the broader philosophical and theoretical paradigms influencing architectural education through the critical analysis of secondary sources. This is followed by the interrogation of primary sources which looks deeper into the defining characteristics of universities of technology as well as the changes in educational and professional legislative frameworks in South Africa.
The development the new model requires a synthesis of primary and secondary data to inform its conceptual framework. Therefore, although the primary sources will produce statistical data for quantitative analysis, this will have to be further subjected to a deeper qualitative analysis.
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2.2.1. Secondary Sources:
Secondary sources will be extensively reviewed in order to develop a better understanding of the existing body of knowledge in this area of research. Literature review, including precedent studies, will be critically analysed against the key research questions in order to position and develop a theoretical and conceptual framework for a new model of architectural education. A critical and comparative analysis of available literature will assist in contextualising architectural education and practice within broad theoretical and philosophical paradigms. This is vital in developing a deeper understanding of the intrinsic and underlying factors that influence architectural education and practice. All theoretical analyses are to be co-related to the focus area of this research.
Furthermore, critical analysis is informed by general and universal theories and philosophies which are contextualised within the research problem.
In addition, literature review also focuses on the historical evolution of architectural education and learning space development in order to determine the roots of architectural education and practice.
This is necessary, firstly, as the South African architectural education models have been largely inherited and adapted from influences of the pre-democratic dispensations. Secondly, the historical evolution of architectural education in South Africa, with particular focus on technical institutions of higher learning, exist mainly in literature sources.
Historical precedent with regard to teaching and learning are vital in order to test the practical application of pedagogic theories and concepts. The selection of international precedents explains the historical systems and models of architectural education that ultimately impacted on the South African architectural education system. Such historical examples, largely drawn from Northern hemisphere examples, comprise schools of architecture such as Ecole De Beaux-Arts (France), Liverpool University (UK), The Architectural Association (UK), Bauhaus (Germany), Vienna University of Technology (Austria), MIT (USA) and the Illinois University (USA). Examples from Africa comprise Kumasi University (Ghana), University of Nairobi (Kenya), Jama Kenyati University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya) and University of Lagos (Nigeria). These examples are useful to establish how the respective institutions evolved from colonial heritage and established their regional identities and relevance in their respective social contexts. Pedagogy and learning spaces at the relevant “schools” of architecture are critically reviewed to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses in context and in their applicability to the South African architectural
27 | P a g e education system. Lessons learnt from precedent studies will be vital towards informing the conceptual framework for a new model of architectural education in South Africa. The literature review comprises critical qualitative analyses of a variety of texts as well as abstract spatial data such as maps, drawings and photographs. Sources accessed are mainly in the form of books, journals, web-based articles, videos, films and conference notes on architectural education and learning space development.
2.2.2 Primary Sources:
2.2.2.1. Auto-ethnographic enquiry
The vast and diverse academic and practice experience of the author was relevant to this research.
The author is a practicing architect, an academic, a researcher and is also involved actively in the two principal legislative bodies governing higher education and the architectural profession, namely the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP), respectively. Furthermore, the researcher has an education background in both the dual streams of higher education in South Africa, namely, the vocational skills training stream at a technikon as well as the academic stream at a traditional academic university. In addition, he has worked as an employee at various scales of practice, in all four professional registration categories of SACAP, namely, Draughtsperson, Technologist, Senior Technologist and Architect. This life experience is valuable in the qualitative analysis and evaluation of complex interlinked methods and processes that characterise architectural education and practice.
2.2.2.2. Documents, Policies and Blueprints
Policies, guidelines and regulations pertaining to the transformation of higher education and the architectural profession requires reference to Acts of Parliament and Government Papers and their resultant influence on professional bodies such as SACAP and the CHE. The post-apartheid transformation of higher education, on the one hand, and the architectural profession on the other, requires analysis of all legislated sources in order to understand the transformation of the
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Institutional guidelines, policies and handbooks of the relevant universities provide valuable information regarding the vision, mission and strategic objective objects as well as quality control measures and the programme structures and curricula of the respective universities.
The analysis of building plans and photographic records of learning spaces at the relevant institutions, to be discussed under Case Studies, are necessary to understand the state of the respective learning spaces and also how they may have transformed with changes in institutional identity and/or pedagogic approaches.
2.2.2.3. Case studies:
Case studies of relevant Architectural Learning Sites (ALS) are undertaken in order to develop understanding of the curricula, pedagogic approaches and learning spaces of the respective architectural learning sites. The case studies are analysed to determine the key characteristics that determined the unique identity of universities of technology. Case studies also trace the evolution of the institutions from technical institutions to universities of technology and comprehensive universities - institutional change inevitably results in changes in curricula, pedagogies and learning spaces. The development of a new model will synthesise the data extracted from case studies with the information drawn from the literature review.
The interviews and discussions with respective key stakeholders at the various institutions subject of the case studies are important to determine the strategic foci, transformation of institutional identity and curriculum foci, and the respective challenges of these institutions.
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