Exploration of a method on architectural education through design process

Different from other educations at the architectural education with the basis of architectural design process; focused on the `design? concept which aimed to the student to gain the ability of `Making Architectural Design?. This study is based upon the analysis of 3 factors; PERSON-PROCESS-PRODUCT. In the analysis of the `PERSON?, this research is aimed to look for the ability factors and personal aptitudes of student designers according to Kolb?s (1984) Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). On the other hand the design `PROCESS? is examined with the `Five Stages of the Sensational Thinking Model? of O?Neill and Shallcross (5R) and the `PRODUCT? is assessed with sucess performance of the student designer at the end of the design process. A research was conducted tı evaluate the releationships and correleations between `PERSON-PROCESS-PRODUCT? at two different University, in the department of Architecture. Implemented in the second year design studio, the participants of the research were observed their behaviors through 14 weeks. The product which was gained at the end of rhe design process of 14 weeks, were assessed by their design instructors. At the end of this research it was found that according to Kolb?s Experiential Learning Theory as much as the converging and th accomodating learner, there are also assimilating learners, too, through second year architectural students. And it was also observed that the person who has specific learning style behave differently from the other persons who has different learning style through the design process at 14 weeks. Especially the research is tend to investigate the definition of `successful? and `unsuccessful? student designers also specify the behaviors of these successful design students through design process and the effects of the factors that makes them successful. Consequently, at the end of this research it was found that the converging learners are more successful than the other learners and `successful student designer? has a specific properties like they make well design researches at the beginning of the design problem, they can understand the design problem, they can take risks.Key Words: Kolb?s Experiential Learning Theory, Architectural DesignProces, Five Stages of the Sensational Thinking Model ofO?Neill and Shallcross, Creativity.