An Inquiry Into Computers In Design Education

We are living in an increasingly computerized world. It’s often been said that computers have triggered a second industrial revolution, to characterize their impact on our lives. Driven by the notion that computer literacy is mandatory for success, computer has now become a standard tool in architectural offices across the US and around the world. Academic institutions in US are actively integrating computers into the curricula and some are even requiring their students to purchase computers. This affects all schools of architecture. Educational theorists, recognizing that computers are here to stay, caution more computerizing may not necessarily result in more learning [AHERN, 2001]. While computers’ potential for enhancing innovative exploration in the design studio is widely reported in literature, many design educators see a pressing need to establish a critical appreciation of the ways in which computer affects the student learning, teaching practices, and studio culture [BALFOUR, 2001].