Towards Sustainable Nigerian Architectural Education

Abstract

Architectural education comes from a long tradition of technical and artistic apprenticeship which is evolving in Nigeria and around the world. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between design education (what), learning styles (how) and personality types (who) in a bid to develop sustainable, inclusive teaching strategies for the 21st century and beyond. The quantitative study assessed the preferred learning styles and predisposition for the five genetic personality traits in students of Architecture at the University of Jos, and juxtaposed the findings against their performance in design studio. The study findings showed that Accommodators and Divergers who were the highest performers in design studio were also the more likely to exhibit openness and conscientiousness. Convergers were more willing to accept criticism from their mentors and peers, and Assimilators were more prone to neurosis displayed as fear of disappointment and anxiety when they performed lower than their contemporaries. The study findings encourage continued monitoring of evolving teaching and learning styles, as well as cognisance of students' distinctive personality types to guide educators in developing teaching modules and methods that will be enduring and effective for holistic architectural education.