Enhancing Employability Skills in Year 1 Architecture Curriculum

Contemporary undergraduates present challenges that are not fully addressed by the contemporary university learning environment. Ofparticular relevance to this project are the ‘transition’ issues that are common to many first year undergraduates progressing from the‘shallow’ learning environment of secondary level education to the ‘deeper’ learning environment of university education.‘Failure to establish meaningful and effective transition for undergraduates can lead to academic underachievement. The importance of aidingstudents’ transition into higher education is reinforced by appreciating that undergraduates are likely to arrive with learning strategies suitable to school and college life, which are less effective in university environments...’Vinson, D. et al. (2010) Investigating the relationship between student engagement and transition, Active Learning in Higher Education, 11 (13), p.131This project seeks to foster a considered, active engagement of the student cohort with research that informs their learning environment andenhances their learning experience, allowing the students to become co-creators of their curriculum.Aims:- Facilitate student engagement as co-creators in research and learning;- Actively engage students with learning that addresses the ‘transition’ issues that are common to first year undergraduates;- Develop a peer-reviewed curriculum development process that will involve both Architectural education and Architectural practice;- Enhance (employability skills and prospects) through embedding of considered ‘employability skills’ in the first year Architectural curriculum.