大学教養課程における建築教育の試み

Whilst architecture courses are offered as professional education, housing courses are more often taught as a part of home economics and teacher training; their targets therefore are K-12 teachers and ultimately pupils. Housing has great potential to make a good general education course for non-majors at the college level because it is related to various academic fields. Housing requires attention to the environment and the society, and they are so familiar to students that observation and analysis can be started almost immediately without much preparatory study. Housing can provide ample opportunity to learn problem solving and communication, which is exactly what current general education is expected to offer. Basic knowledge about structural and environmental engineering is more needed as modern houses are high-technology based, and we encounter problems such as climate change and recurring natural disasters. School teachers are trained to teach but may not have enough knowledge and skills in architecture or engineering, which makes them hesitant to teach this subject. College professors, on the other hand, have more knowledge and may offer a good general education housing course, only if they have the skills and consideration for teaching the general public. If more students study housing in general education, architecture majors and non-majors may have an opportunity to study together and understand each other, which may improve the relationship of professionals and citizens in the future.