Children and Architecture: Architectural Design Education for Young Children in Turkey

Abstract

No discipline exists in a vacuum. Science education involves aspects of language, literacy, math, and even music. Language arts education includes explorations of concepts and ideas from history, science, the arts, and more. A holistic education takes a systems approach in which individual parts—science education, math education, etc.—are combined to build a stronger and more integrated curriculum, in which students and teachers are encouraged to make connections and draw correlations among diverse disciplines. With some creativity, arts education can be easily integrated into any lesson plan. Representing concepts through visual and musical forms can reinforce and augment learning in all subjects. In this article, the author examines an architecture education program in Turkish elementary schools, and its effect on overall learning and student engagement.

Acknowledgments

This article is dedicated to my advisor, Anne Taylor, for her continuing interest in and support for my research projects.

Notes:

Notes

¹ The author conducted the post-doctoral project in New Mexico, United States, titled, “The Adaptation into Turkish Culture of the Design Education Program (Architecture and Education Program for Children), Analysis of Its Effectiveness and Extending the Use of the Program” (Project No. 110K269), funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey between 2010 to 2012.

² The survey data collection was conducted in a written format, so it was planned to be administered to student participants from 2nd through 5th grade. Data were collected from 123 students, as five students were absent on the date of data collection.

³ Descriptive analysis involves the use of direct quotations in order to fully reflect the content examined, interpret it, and present it to a target audience. To this end, data are first described systematically and clearly. Then, descriptions are explained and interpreted in order for conclusions to be drawn (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2006). Content analysis is defined as classifying and summarizing written or verbal data for a specific purpose, measuring certain variables or concepts, and reviewing and categorizing the data to arrive at certain meanings (Fox, 1969).