Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

Although architectural theory remains a vital element of design education, educators face ongoing challenges in developing effective assessment strategies amidst the increasing presence of generative Artificial Intelligence tools and the reluctance of some architecture students to engage deeply with complex theoretical materials. This session explores alternative approaches to teaching and assessing architectural theory in response to the growing reliance on artificial intelligence for the production of essays and research papers. While not dismissing the importance of written assignments, the study proposes an additional mode of assessment that leverages the creative and visual strengths of design students. In this approach, students in theory courses at the American University of Sharjah are assigned readings from foundational texts, such as those by Kenneth Frampton or Jane Jacobs, and are tasked with translating the theoretical arguments into diagrams. These diagrams serve a dual purpose: to deepen students’ comprehension of complex theoretical concepts and to communicate these frameworks to a broader audience, including those outside the discipline of architecture. Drawing on two years of student work, the paper reflects on the outcomes of this pedagogical experiment, analyzing both the effectiveness of the diagrams in capturing theoretical ideas and their graphic quality as communicative tools. By rethinking assessment strategies in history and theory courses, this study contributes to the ongoing redefinition of pedagogical practices, highlighting how design-oriented approaches can enrich theoretical understanding while fostering skills relevant to both academic and public discourse.