Neo-Pedagogical Style for Acculturating the Beginners in Architecture Schools; psycho-social issues

Neo-Pedagogical Style for Acculturating the Beginners in Architecture Schools; psycho-social issues

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Neo-Pedagogical Style for Acculturating the Beginners in Architecture Schools; psycho-social issues



moi university fee structure - By
Aderonmu Adewuyi Peter (MNIA)
Architecture Department, Covenant University, P.M.B. 1023, Ota, Nigeria
Correspondence: Tel: +234-8051703235; Email: peter.aderonmu@rocketmail.com
Abstract
Amidst the charades of events taking place in the landscape of educational training, the search for pedagogical style for beginners to make a choice, kick start and pursue a career and practice in architecture, have been major neglected areas in most schools around the world today. The consequential effect of these have in one way or the other, endangered the vocation of many and misdirected the potentials i.e. skills, gifts, talents, and intelligences of many candidates-students along stream. These pedagogic obstacles have been linked to psycho-social forces: lack of proper guidance and counselling ethos from the early schools, unchecked infiltration of admission process, selfish-ambitious interests, misplaced priorities and assumptions by the candidate-students, parents and guardians. The National education policy (NPE) stakeholders’ i.e. National University Commission (NUC), their subsidiaries, government agencies, and other interested stakeholders need to focus on pragmatic strategies capable of salvaging the victims of these pedagogic traps. This study performed a critical observation and survey on the new entrants of 2012/2013 admitted architecture students of Covenant University as a pretested model. The analysis showed that the status quo of architectural educators, professional and other regulatory bodies of Architecture in Nigeria are yet to develop a pedagogical Style (framework) for procuring and igniting beginning students to kick start, pursue, scaffold and run their career-practice in architecture. The results showed that some parameters are missing out of place, hence, these pedagogical obstacles and traps. Further to this, some hindrances impinging on the beginners’ learning and attitudes were identified and discussed along with suggestions and pedagogic proposals which may aid the Acculturating Processes.
Key words: Beginners, Education policy, Gestalt, Nigeria, Pedagogy, Style
1. Introduction
Pedagogy is the practice of teaching or the study of teaching (LDOCE5); or the study of teaching methods; (OALD6); that is ordered in a particular style. Style is described as a vocabulary, syntax; and syntax expresses the way in which a society feels, responds, thinks, communicates, dreams, escapes.... Syntax is conditioned by the structure of the world in which we believe in. While Style is an expression of a Culture and its social, philosophical, economical, political, and technical structures (Schwarting, 1984). Therefore, the synthesis of syntax and style form a pedagogic style- that includes feelings, response, thoughts, communications, dreams, and escapes as expressed in the culture and structure of a society.
This demands the juxtaposition of a teaching method with an orderly and well structured grouping of learners and learning in terms of proximity, similarity, closure, and simplicity. The art and science of structuring start at beginning year- the foundation of the formative years. In the absence of any unstructured pedagogic style, both teachers and students will certainly lack organization tool to work with and such may eventually breed unstructured buildings and society as well. The teachings of Architecture today are tragically haphazard and lots of students have drowned in the modishness of myths and perceived difficulties of this course and profession. This study, in empathy, considered the Novices or beginners in architectural education who are always enfaced with a lot of interlinking but unpleasant experiences. It starts from the making of a career choice, at the entry points, and during admission processes; many of the novices or beginners alike were either forced or persuaded by their parents and guardians to make architecture as a course they knew nothing about nor possess the required skills, and ordinary level (O’ level) subjects requirements for the course. Other significant factors being overlooked were interest towards the pursuance of this course and abilities to carry on and sustain it. What is emergent now is to devise and develop a  framework of beginners’ Gestalt pedagogy; a configuration that will first make the candidate discover and make right choice of  vocation, cultivate interests, kick starting and pursuing a career and practice in architecture. In this neo-framework, the Gestalt therapy will assist to create a ‘schemata’ required for beginners. It is noteworthy that little or no work has been done to investigate these neglected areas as pertained to most schools around the world today. Therefore, this paper sets to investigate the consequent effects of these psycho-social forces like: lack of effective guidance and counselling units from the early schools, unchecked and unguarded candidates’ infiltration through admission process, selfish-ambitious interest of candidates and parents on the choice of course, misplaced priorities and inordinate assumptions by the candidate, parents and guardians.
2. Gestalt Pedagogy and Beginners’ Experience
Learning is described as an educational process; from known to unknown. It is a process by which people acquire changes in their behaviour, improve performance, re-organize their thinking or discover new ways of behaving and new concepts and information (Adediran, Adesina and Oyewo, 2003). But, in the stance of architects’ education- the men and women with ‘creative strata’ who design our skyscrapers and plazas, churches and museums, our schools and our homes- rests on traditions as old as history. From one generation of architects to the next, there is a legacy of principles and personalities that creates a common bond among veterans and novices alike (Boyer and Mitgang, 1999 op.cit in Spreckelmeyer and Stein, 1999). The personality of a Novice is not attributed to nonentity; but the personal attributes that is new and has little experience in a skill, job or situation (OALD6). This ‘newness’ and ‘littleness’ could still distillate to discover their ‘talents’ and ‘latent’ potentials by Gestalt therapy. If employed as a tool in pragmatic pedagogy, a novice or beginner could be established through this fractional ‘distillation’ process from the onset of their pursuits. 
3. The ‘Missing’ Therapy in the first year architectural education
Over the years, there has been a missing gap that needs to address certain psychosocial issues in architectural education. Such issues as mentioned in section one (1.0) of this paper required a pedagogic style formed pragmatically around educational forces that created such issues-Gestalt.  “Gestalt” is the German word for pattern, English word as “form”. It refers to the idea of “wholeness”. It is also known as any structure, configuration, or pattern of physical, biological or psychological phenomena so integrated as to constitute a unit, with properties which are not derivable from the sum of its parts.

4. The Gestalt theory and Architectural Education
The Gestalt theory had a central idea of "grouping", or aspects of visual and other stimuli which cause the subject to interpret a problem or perceptual event in a certain way. Grouping factors included (1) proximity of elements that are close in space, tend to be grouped together and perceived as one or a few objects, (2) similarity, items that have some similar characteristics tend to be grouped, (3) closure, elements which appear to complete some shape or object tend to be grouped, and (4) simplicity, the tendency to organize objects into simple figures.
moi university fees structure school of business and economics These factors were called the "Laws of Organization". The features of the productive thinking process includes (a) Grouping and reorganizing components of a situation (b) Functioning in relation to characteristics of the whole rather than piecemeal (c) Avoids summing successions of parts or chance occurrences (d) Structural truth leads to sensible expectations and assumptions.
In Wertheimer's model, genuine thinking starts with a problem. The structural features and requirements of the problem cause tension, the strain of which produces vectors that prompt the individual to modify the situation in an improved direction. The process of resolving a problem is to proceed from a bad gestalt to a better one; as in architectural design from a bad form and function to a better or best alternative. These laws of organization have their applicability in the architectural design process; a systematic procedure in which architectural principles (arts and science) coupled with experience to solve design problems in order to meet users’ needs. For instance grouping factors like proximity, similarity, closure and simplicity of design elements helps a designer first at (i) initiation (ii) preparation (iii) proposal (iv) evaluation (v) action and feedback stages. At initiation, problem identification and definition is essential; proximity and simplicity assists a designer to identify the real design problem and state its definition in a simple understandable manner. At preparation stage of design, a designer collects and analyses information previously gathered; the analytic abilities of designers are required at this stage, therefore, grouping closure factor would be necessary in ordering priorities and correlation factors between the analyzed factors. Proposal making employs closure in juxtaposition of design elements to present design ideas in a simple-communicative manner. Since genuine thinking starts with a problem, then it is noteworthy that thinking through to the end proffers solutions to design problems. Therefore, at evaluation stage, rational –productive thinking needs to be engaged by the designer and at action stage all these factors (proximity, closure, similarity and simplicity) are used together to execute and achieve a given project.
5. Nexus of Gestalt and Bauhaus Pedagogy
As Gestalt refers to the idea of “wholeness”, the main fundamental principle of Bauhaus school stated that “form and function should be one”. Architects, painters, and sculptures must recognize anew and learn to grasp the composite character of a building both as an entity and its separate parts. A modern, harmonic and lively architecture is the visible sign of authentic democracy (Walter Gropius). In other words, the success of architectural education is to offer authentic solutions to any design problems; for it is not realized by out-of-shelf formula. 
In the same view, Jean Piaget (a psychologist) stated that” the principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done-intuition and imaginative prowess.
In the same spirit of creative camaraderie, Albert Einstein (a scientist) also supported in his opinion that ‘Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to (r) evolution. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning (constructivist and dialogue). Two things awe me most: the starry heavens above and the moral universe within’. When knowledge is constructed in a beginner, it flows from known to unknown; the same way the skills acquisition grows in a well grounded independent man into full maturation. 
6. The Freshmen Syllabus and Gestalt Experience
The freshmen are fresher than their syllabus. For syllabus had existed before their arrival. Therefore, concerted efforts have been made in the past to revisit the Bauhaus style of indoctrinating the beginners as opposed to Jeff’s and Smith’s argument of formal and informal curriculum incompatibility (1990:15). Aderonmu (2012), recalled from Arts and crafts movement of Bauhaus School pedagogic reforms for freshmen or beginners syllabus (TJA, 2005): that at the beginning, the pragmatic pedagogy through VTE assists ‘individual’s potential to be best manifested through the playful and creative use of different materials relying on instinct- a key pedagogic demonstration of learning-by-doing. In the same vein, Bauhaus was determined in her pedagogic reforms especially in the basic course to (i) free the creative powers of students (ii) make the student’s choice of career easier and (iii) convey to the students the fundamental principles of design for their future carrier. It established precedence in order to breastfeed the Novices or beginners in architectural training.
The essential purpose of architectural education, then, is not only the basic training of beginning practitioners, but also the initiation of students into this common legacy of knowledge, skills, and language, while instilling a sense of connectedness to the human needs that architecture, as a profession, must continually address (Boyer and Mitgang, 1999).

Figure 1: Adopted from Gestalt Theory and Architectural Design Relation (Uzunoglu, 2009; 2011)
Generally, in most architecture schools in Nigeria and some part of the world, during the freshman year of architectural education; there are lectures about introduction to architecture, architectural graphics, and visual communication. These are Gestalt based elemental courses specifically dieted to nurture architecture students in their formative year (beginning year) in preparation for basic first year Design Studio Class in the second year. These exercises are to kick start, pursue, scaffold and run their career-practice in architecture. It also assists in discovering their potentials i.e talents, gifts, genres and other abilities. It improves mental aptitude and sharpens the acquired skills by using the basic concept and principles of designing, in an atmosphere which improves students’ ability in abstract-critical thinking, creative power and aesthetical sensation skills. If this is run in a Gestalt therapeutic manner, students would swim interestingly, in the pool of design studio experience in their second year as a continuum of experiential culture not as a ‘culture shock’ in the early days of resumption.
7. Psycho-social forces
There are a lot of contending forces against a freshman in his first year of learning, especially in the study of architecture. From the author’s eight (8) years studies; as a teacher of introduction to architecture course (year one) and studio instructor (for year three). This is also coupled with his beginner’s experiences in polytechnic and university. At the beginning, the novices or beginners knew little or nothing about the course ‘Architecture’. In the first category, some may have been informed and seen architecture through ugly-coloured spectacles of stress, complexity, expensiveness, sleeplessness and other scaring jargons contained in the design studio myths. The second category may have seen it through rose-coloured spectacles, as a course that is proficient, prestigious, wealthy inclined, prosperously positioned, opportunistic and prestigious. These two (2) categories have created pedagogic obstacles that are closely linked to psycho-social forces like lack of proper guidance and counselling ethos from the early schools, selfish-ambitious interests, misplaced priorities and assumptions by the candidate-students, parents and guardians and unchecked infiltration of admission processes.
7.1 Role of Guidance and Counselling Personnel
For the purpose of educational training and fulfilment in life, many candidates in architecture schools had fallen victims of pedagogic traps and ensnared by these psycho-social forces. In the past, candidates have not been properly guided and counselled before choosing architecture as a career. In the time past, in some missionary guided post primary (secondary) schools, there used to be guidance and counselling department. The role of personnel in this office was to observably guide students in choosing their aggregate subjects perquisites and relevant to their career pursuit. They choose in line with this gestalt principles and would have been well informed and equipped with elementary skill and knowledge (wherewithal) required before their high education studies. For instance, in architecture, the perquisite subjects were technical drawing or fine art, geography, economics, physics, and mathematics. Of which combinations will enable the would-be candidate to succeed and have a smooth ride on the wings of its complexities and ambiguities. Asides from being a prerequisite, it is also the minimum requirement needed to be qualify to write the professional examinations after two (2) years of graduation. But, today, in the first year of study, one has discovered avalanches of misguidance; when asked, why did you come in for architecture? The following were the responses: because (i) one of my parents is an architect (ii) my uncle is an architect (iii) I did not meet up with cut off requirements for my choice of study (iv) there is money in architecture (v) if I do not study architecture my father may dislike or disown me (vi) Initially, i put in for building but I did not make chemistry in my o’ level result, so, I came in for architecture. The question here is ‘who said chemistry knowledge is not needed to study architecture or how best can one supervise concrete mixing, slump test, and concrete casting for different purposes on site.
- moi university main campus opening dateIn addition to this, the selfish ambitions, misplaced priorities and wrong assumptions by some candidates, parents and guardians have misled them to an abyss of unfathomable depth. For instance, some architects-parents pushed their children forcefully without minding the gestalt consequences. Does this child in question cultivate any interest in architecture? Or was there any ulterior motive behind enrolment for succession plan?  Personal investigations, observations and findings as a teacher in a Novice or beginners’ class revealed that majority in this category have failed to understudy the strong points, weak points, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) of their wards-candidates. From SWOT analytic experience, it is believed that one excels with greater confidence at strong points but needs to be scaffolded (if any could be found) at weak points. So, why are the parents not bothered about the excellence and fulfilment of their wards?  The author(as a beginner teacher) recently stumbled (in the early days of resumption) on a year one candidate who had been envisaged to be incapable to cope well in architecture, and he was advised right early to change to a commercial course in which he may likely do well, but his reply was ‘if I dare open my mouth to tell my father that I want to quit architecture, he will kill me, the boy exclaimed ‘my father is a colonel (military man), whatever he says in our home that is what we will all do’. Consequently, this candidate repeated year one twice before being advised to withdraw, indeed he did. The gestalt question is who loose or gain at the end of the day.
7.2 We Cannot Afford to Disappoint nor Fail
The contemporary Societal Demands and strong expectations from Citadel of Learning are very high and Nigeria as a developing country is currently undergoing economic reform. A productive, competent, and flexible workforce is a prerequisite for furthering economic development. The demand for high skilled professional architects is already acute and will become ever more intense as the industrial sector becomes the dominant provider of employment; yet the architectural firms as a sub-sector is unable to respond to the changing labour market requirements of graduates from schools of architecture; only concerned few could pay graduates of what is obtainable in other profession of equal certification (i.e. medicine); some are poorly paid, others would owe their workers some month’s salary, while the rest did not pay at all. Architecture is a highly noble profession, there is need to enliven the dying hope of the rising stars and redeem the precious images of architecture camaraderie. 
Therefore, the accreditation agents (NUC, NIA, ARCON, NBTE etc.) should focus on realities of contemporary demands and pay less attention to charades of prerequisites. It will promote the profession of architecture if prerequisites are stated in a clearly understandable manner. In this way each school will know what to put in place, equipment and tools to update, curriculum to review, and always strive to meet and sustain the required standards-the benchmark standards
Both stakeholders in classrooms and practice should answer to the wakeup call, shun profane babblings, unprogressive apartheid and work together as shepherds’ team not relating like hirelings’ and adversaries. In this way, its curricula, instructional equipment, teaching methods, and evaluation techniques would not be allowed to be antiquated. If carelessly handled, it can lead to inappropriately low internal and external efficiencies. Without intervention at school levels, the mismatch between choices of career, misplace priorities, selfish ambition and unchecked infiltration of candidates at the entry port will culminates into inabilities and non-performance of school graduates. More so, employer requirements will continue, and private sector-led economic growth, as espoused in the country’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) will be compromised. The misdirection is due to lack of guidance into the right vocation or education, outdated teaching skills, with outdated curriculum, machinery and equipment and the lack of consultation with those that matters in the right vocation.
Also, the citadel of learning should sever for excellence during admission process. The enrolment capacities of fifty to sixty (50-60) in a class should also be borne in mind in order to prevent over crowdedness and give room for fundamental one-to-one communication. Architecture school should be allowed to conduct practical examinations during entrance examinations and interviews. It will go a long way to select the best candidates needed for the excellence outputs as expected by the dynamic contemporary society.
8. Fatal Consequence and Regrets
- moi university diploma courses The pedagogic obstacles are eventually the traps that had in the past victimized the architecture candidates. It has made a well-trained landscape architect be locked in a design office; rendered inactive an interior designer to ‘illegally’ take up the work of a medical doctor in an ‘operation theatre space’ by  concentrating on how to dress wounds instead of decorating walls of a public theatre in the cityscape. The consequential effect of these has, in one way, endangered the vocation of many and misdirected the potentials (skills, gifts, talents, aptitudes) and intelligences of many candidates-students along stream.
9. Need for a ‘Gestalt’ Design Studio Class at the Entry Port
There is no doubt; it is noteworthy that the raw materials needed for beginners are in place in most schools of architecture. The beginners’ courses like introduction to architecture, visual communication and architectural graphics. But the ‘modus operandi’ needs to be revolutionized. The revolutionary approach is a reaction to the criticism of the traditional approach to the teaching of architecture, which shows some kind of ‘inappropriateness’ to the contemporary needs of the society (Salama, 2006). Curriculum, ordinarily in Latin was a racing chariot; ‘currere’ was to run (TALD, 2000). Since curriculum is the process by which knowledge contents are transmitted or 'delivered' to students by the most effective methods that can be devised (Blenkin, 1992). Therefore, there is an urgent need to re-organize the beginners experience through curriculum synchronization. This can be achieved by not only forming a Gestalt design studio but making a functional running of it. Among the tools used in running education system are policy and curriculum (Aderonmu, 2012). Bearing in mind that, in the first year, the policy makers or the stakeholders could institute a ‘Vocational project workshop’ where skills, knowledge and aptitude that are harnessed from the ‘trio’ experiences (introduction to architecture, visual communication and architectural graphics) are synthesized into a gestalt (whole form) studio or workshop. This can be tailored to craftworks engagements that will help individual to discover their vocations or calling: Gestalt project workshop could formulate and execute a format of training for architects that will suits the ever increasing definitions of architect, knowing that not every architect can be trained as a designer. It can also make ways for self-employment in diverse fields related to architecture e.g. furniture design and construction, interior designing, modelling, fashion and designing, graphic designing, ceramic designing, Textile designing, fabrication, sculptural designing etc. This can be beefed up with liberal activities like brainstorming, critical, creative and philosophical thinking symposium.
9.1 Description of Gestalt Design Studio
It is founded on the Gestalt’s grouping principles (figure-ground relationship, proximity, similarity, closure and etc.) proportion, balance, unity, variety, rhythm, emphasis and fundamental  principles of architecture (order, arrangement, symmetry, eurhythmy, economy and propriety) can be found very useful in  creating architectural composition; of which exercises are carried out connectively. The main goal of the course is to make the students understand the relation and connection between the Gestalt approach to architectural design studio and the perception of environment. 
Gestalt Grouping Principles are studied in detail in the environmental perception subject in the introduction to Architecture course given in the freshman year.  In this course, the principles of Gestalt Theory are given to the students by using visual materials and it is tried to make them understand the importance of the theory in perceiving their environment. Examples are generally chosen in the field of art and architecture.
 The architectural curriculum are enriched and organized to contribute to the designing process. Students find opportunities to use their knowledge and experiences from other lectures in architectural design studio project, which is the main nerve of architecture. The final product/project of the designing process which is a whole made up of parts, is also a composition. Architectural design is a process which includes systematic observations, classifying/grouping parts, analysing-comparing and gathering groups to make the whole from the parts. The important thing here is to teach students the ways of creating the whole with the help of the other supportive genres.        
Uzunoğlu (2009) advised that in application of Gestalt to architectural education, it is imperative to employ environment-related concrete/visual materials because of the differences between individual ability, culture, perception and abstraction-concretion skills of the students. Also, they are requested to improve their skills by communicating with each other.
As a result we believe that, in order to get a good performance from the student works in design courses, “Gestalt Principles” must be introduced in the contents of first year architectural curriculum to teach students the ways of completing architectural projects by using Gestalt principles, together with other related but interconnected scaffolding engagements.
10.0 Roles of Architectural Educators in Pedagogical Practices of Beginners
In the school of Gestalt, for every therapist, there is always a client. The applicable analogy in the school of architecture; is clients as students and therapists as their teachers. The Gestalt approach holds that dwelling on the past and fantasizing about the future can be ways to avoid the present, and that there is power in facing the present (Corey, 2009). In order to help the patient become more aware of the present moment, Gestalt therapists ask “what” and “how” questions (Corey, 2009). For example, these questions are typical of a Gestalt therapy session: “What are you doing with your feet now?” or “Are you aware of your smile?” (Dolliver, 1991). In the same way, a Novice or beginner in architectural education could be subjected to the same questions on their past (background), their future (aspirations and dreams) and the realities of their present perception on their learning (welfare or faring status). The questions about the past enables teachers to have a grasp of the students’ background schemata i.e. culture, environment, the type of early schools attended, parental impact, peer group influence, exposure levels, etc. Also, questions about students’ future can be asked in order to help mould their thoughts and aspirations by application of Gestalt therapy. The pedagogic therapy will assist to tailor their visions, aspirations, and dreams in line with realities of life. Due to lack of therapeutic involvement in the past, some students have missed their targets, many are found in a vocation where they cannot excel with their abilities and a handful dissipated their virtues in unprofitable ventures. This is purely a waste of years, energy and great disappointment to vocational world. For instance, still in a school of architecture in Nigeria (as experienced and involved practically by the author), Gestalt therapy was always incorporated into the pedagogic schemes of the first year introduction to architecture programme. It was an avenue to encroach in to the aspirations, targets, and dreams of the beginning students. It was found out that at the end of the second, third and fourth year that specific students have started towing uniquely, their area of calling- vocation. Some are found diversifying from architecture to music, fashion and designing, comedy, I.T, furniture making, Logo design and Packaging, Branding, photography etc., the common factor is creativity embedded in the nucleus of architecture-Bauhaus target. The Gestalt therapy employed a follow- up techniques even when the teacher was no longer taking any course with such students.
10.1 Role as Existentialist
Gestalt therapy has roots in existential philosophy, which attempts to address the condition of being human. Existential therapy is applied to help people resolve dilemmas of contemporary life, to confront common feelings such as isolation, meaninglessness, confusion, uncertainty, or embarrassment (Corey, 2009). In the study of architecture, these feelings are not uncommon to students in their beginning year of uncertainty, confusion, and ambiguous assignments. Existential practice attempts to reconcile the limits and tragic elements of human existence with the possibilities and opportunities of human life (Corey, 2009)-by assisting to maximize their latent potentials. Gestalt therapy, because it is existential in nature, is based on an understanding of what it means to be human (Corey, 2009)-empathy not sympathy. In the application of Gestalt therapy to beginners’ architectural education and development, it should be recognized that there is existential fact that individual differences occur from one student to another and these needs to be equally respected without bias. For the fact that a student did not do well in a particular project does not mean he or she cannot excel in another project. Therefore, it is Gestalt-specific that personal characteristics, gifts and talents in these individuals needs to be given adequate observation, understanding, prediction and controlling- the indispensable essence of psychology.
Humans, then, are seen as self-aware beings, able to make choices. Patients have freedom, but they are also assigned responsibility for actions and thoughts. They are challenged to take responsibility for how they choose to be now in the current moment (Corey, 2009). Exploration of the subject’s specific reality is valued, while diagnosis and prognosis is mostly ignored (Corey, 2009). Therefore, a teacher’s pragmatic pedagogy genres should consists being human, liberal, exploring, adventuring, listening, observing, understanding, predicting, controlling and problem solving-resolving.
10.2 Educators as Phenomenological Investigators
In phenomenological Gestalt approach, a teacher is a confidant, custodian and in-loco-parent to the novice or beginner in architectural education processes. In psychological analogy, a “phenomenological” or “experiential” approach refers to the patient’s (beginner architecture student in this case) experience—how he or she experiences things. Phenomenology is a discipline that helps patients(students) stand aside from their usual way of thinking so that they can distinguish the difference between what is actually perceived and felt in the current situation and what is due to past events (Yontef, 1993). Therapy that is both existential and phenomenological focuses on people's existence—relations with others, joys and suffering, and so on—as they are directly experienced. In fact, Gestalt therapy treats feelings in the present and what is observed as palpable and pertinent data (Yontef, 1993). Therapists may ask questions like, “Is my experience the same as yours?” This is usually done by therapist in order to get patients to question their perceptions. In this way, the patient describes his/her feelings while the therapist (architecture teacher) devises pragmatics to proffer solution to the contemporary needs. Description is valued in Gestalt school as prescription is cogent in pharmaceutical world.
Phenomenological inquiry is a method that focuses on what occurs in “the now” or the present moment (Corey, 2009). To help the client (student) gain self-awareness, Gestalt therapists ask questions like “What is happening now?” or “What are you experiencing as you sit there and talk to me?” or “How are you experiencing your anxiety?” (Corey, 2009). If the discussion is about a dream the patient had, the therapist might suggest, “Tell me the dream as though you were having it now” (Corey, 2009, p. 203). This type of enquiry does not go out to expose the student but a way of proffering solutions to the imminent problems i.e. to build confidence that such students can do better and make it in life. Discouraging words and actions must be avoided, while persuading such students to engage in productive activities. This will cultivate their interests in the culture of architecture and enable their sense of belonging to stay within.  
10.3 Practitioner-Client Rapport
Architecture Teachers have unique responsibilities when it comes to application of Gestalt psychology. Because of its existential nature, the relationship is equal and person-to-person (Corey, 2009). The hierarchical barriers have to be broken in order to relate meaningfully and beneficially. It is not master-apprentice mimesis method of imitation and being locked into a particular style; but dialogue is the order of the day. The Architecture Teacher or therapist’s presence is very important for this engagement, as opposed to having a set of technical skills to be used in sessions (out-of-shelf formula). Laura Perls noted that the ideas of person and presence are more important than using techniques, and argued the client (student) and therapist (teacher) invent and create their relationship (Corey, 2009). The therapist is responsible for facilitating the client’s personal process of self-discovery (Corey, 2009). This can be achieved by grouping students into different categories based on their potentials and assigning responsibilities that will help to discover their skills; vocations, talents, latent potentials and gifts along these lines. The client-therapist relationship, according to Corey (2009), must be established before therapy commences, so that the client (student) trusts the therapist (teacher). Trust is of paramount importance. Then, the client is likely to be able to achieve higher levels of awareness Corey (2009; and discoveries.
Corey (2009) suggests that therapists are charged with maintaining a therapeutic atmosphere, one that encourages mental work on the client’s part. Therapists also need to be willing to express their reactions and observations as they occur, much like the patient is expected to do. They provide helpful feedback. They are willing to explore existential episodes like fears and expectations with their clients (Corey, 2009). Therapists are also viewed as artistic participants in the creative process (Corey, 2009).
Confrontation is a part of the client-therapist relationship in the Gestalt framework. Yontef advocates for an “empathic inquiry” focused on awareness when this method is used (Corey, 2009, p. 215). Though the term sounds intimidating, confrontation is not an attack. It can be an invitation for clients to examine their behaviour, attitudes, and thoughts, and to notice incongruities between their verbal and nonverbal expressions (Corey, 2009). Using this technique can be a chance for patients to learn more about themselves. In architectural educational process for a beginner, this can be situated during seminar presentation, brainstorming, critical thinking class and symposium. An architecture teacher might be as simple as making an observation, or saying something like, during your presentation, “You say [I have once visited a construction site], but your comportment is telling me that you have not really gone to [any site].” The next line of action will help the teacher as facilitator to control both the presenter and the atmospheric situation.
10.4 Role as Stirrer of Creativity
Zinker (1977), a noted Gestalt therapist and author of Creative Process in Gestalt Therapy, emphasized creative undertakings like writing, drawing, painting, etc. as therapy. He urged therapists to “treat the whole” of life, to foster the creative process, noting that “each creation is the expressed, behavioural outcome of a multitude of images, fantasies, musings, and thoughts” (Zinker, 1977). Themes that come up during these expressions are to be experienced in the here and now. The creative process, according to Zinker (1977), is a chance for growth. It is a problem-solving process. Art and creativity are opportunities to develop novel concepts out of one’s own sense of daring (Zinker, 1977).
10.5 Role as a Bridge of Unfinished Transaction
When figures emerge from the background but are not completed or resolved, Gestalt therapists suspect that a person is left with unfinished business. For instance, if an assignment or task is given by the teacher (instructor) to group or individual students, it may lead essentially to unacknowledged or unvoiced feelings. This can manifest as non-fulfilment, non-satisfaction, grief, anxiety, guilt, anger, abandonment, rejection, downcast, and a host of other emotions. Because the client is not fully acknowledging what he or she experienced, the unfinished business lingers in the background and prevents the client from being fully self-aware. Gestaltists maintain that many times, when a person has unfinished business, unexpressed feelings result in some physical manifestation— nervous ticks or fidgeting, for instance (Corey, 2009).
It is the therapist’s task to guide the client through this unfinished business in the here and now. Without frustrating or rescuing the patient, the therapist can present situations that evoke similar emotions, and then guide the person through them.
10.6 Role in Dialogue
- moi university websiteDialogue is a very strong tool in the creation of knowledge, acquirement of skills and philosophical propriety. When a teacher (as therapist) engages his in dialogue, the scope of learning increases and the teacher move from a knowledge pot to a facilitator. The hierarchical power of master-apprentice relationship sublimes gradually until solutions are proffered- this is the philosophical essence of dialogue. The culture of respect is more civilized and the camaraderie of teacher-student relationship graduates daily into love and harmony. The Gestalt therapist works by engaging in dialogue; the therapist (teacher) contact with the client (student) is straightforward but caring, warm, and accepting (Yontef, 1993); even honest. Authenticity and candour between both parties is crucial. Dialogue is lived: it is something “done rather than talked about” (Yontef, 1993, p. 4).
10.7 Role in Attention to Body Language
Body language is thought to be a subtle indicator of intense emotions. Corey (2009) says, “Movements, postures, and gestures may communicate significant meanings”. When body language is noticed in sessions, many times the therapist asks the client to exaggerate a movement or tick. This is believed to intensify the feeling attached to the behaviour, bring elucidation as to the inner meaning (Corey, 2009). For instance, clenched fists, tight frowning, grimacing, crossed arms, or shaking hands may be highlighted in therapy. A therapist might ask, “What is this gesture saying? What are you saying with this movement? What is your expression saying right now?”
10.8 Role in Dream Work
At the inception, the beginners must have had a schema of mindset of their dreams about life, aspirations, and goals. These plans-in-situ needs to be protected, cultivated and preserved in the learners. Since the purpose of addressing dreams in Gestalt therapy is to bring dreams back to life and live them in the here and now. Therefore, a Novice could enjoy the scaffold of the teacher (therapist) by convey observed messages of his dreams through the learning activities; assignments, individual and group projects. Each part (of the observations) is presumed to be a projection of the self; the patient (as students) invents scripts for encounters between characters or parts (Corey, 2009). Since clients can act out a conflict between opposing sides, eventually they can accept their inner differences (Corey, 2009). These differences are hidden treasures for Teachers to extract like gold and one day showcase it in the gallery of the hall of fame. Gestaltists believe that dreams are spontaneous expressions of the self, that they represent unfinished situations and contain existential messages about personal struggles (Corey, 2009)
11. Pedagogic Proposals and Recommendations
In a bid to procure sustainability in educational process in Nigeria, the curriculum at all levels must be multidisciplinary i.e. procured for all subjects and courses in schools (primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions).
11.1 The input levels have to be filtered
 Like in the science of computer technology, garbage in is identical to garbage out. The mix of candidates selected for architecture programme at the entry port must necessarily be quarantined. The filtration processes needs to be initiated by checking the requirements relevant to the study course; in architecture, the secondary school subjects mandated are geography, technical drawing/ fine art, physics, English and other science subjects like mathematics, chemistry, further mathematics. This will attract and encourage cream of students who are (i) interested in architecture as a course and profession-practice (ii) vision and mission-oriented (iii) vocationally directed (iv) acculturated attitudes and (v) sense of belonging in the camaraderie of architecture. The school, government, investors (in case of private schools) and other stakeholders must put in place the necessary mechanisms before, during and after graduation (as applied in school curricula). In addition, schools of architecture need to seek approval and concession from regulatory authorities. The concession should be to conduct an entrance quiz asides the normal entrance examinations. It will assist to test candidates’ aptitudes in the area of drawing skills and theoretical knowledge functional to architecture. The successful candidates can now be chosen based on merit performance. Others who have prospects but cannot meet up with the benchmark requirements can be enrolled in a pre-degree course. This needs to be done with enrolment standard of between fifty and sixty in a studio class (50-60). These can only be the strategies that will aid Gestalt-based pragmatic pedagogy and its advancement in Nigeria education system.
11.2 Legal framework on Vocationally Pragmatic (Gestalt) Pedagogy
As stated in NPE; VTE, (2004), reintegration of vocational ingredients in all educational policies; and curricula needs to be addressed. Some existing laws may also necessarily need amendment for the purpose of favouring the establishment and adoption Gestalt-based for multidisciplinary diversifications i.e. arts, craftworks, scientific, technological and other technical productions.
In other words, to develop a legal framework for pragmatic Policy in Nigeria and especially as it relates to architectural education curricula, there is an array of laws and regulations that are applicable to the actualization of the development of man power development and other kinds of sustainability potentials in Nigeria education system. Such laws include the Land Use Act cap 202, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Decree, No 86, Laws of the Federation 1992 (LFN,1990; Aderonmu; Ajayi, and Ajayi; 2012).
11.3 Fostering Quality Pragmatic Pedagogy through Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
In attracting expatriates to realize the Gestalt master plan for architectural education, the is need for availability of personalities who have acquired high sounding skills, acumen, creative aptitudes, and renown scholarships in the areas of educational psychology, sociology, philosophy and other forms of creative education. This could be achieved by a scheme that could be tagged ‘training the trainers’ workshop’. It can be further enhanced in consonance with guidelines of December 2002 resolution 57/254 on the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. UNESCO was designated as lead agency for the promotion of the Decade. These launches planned for a decade-long (2005-2014) of global advocacy and communication-centred effort to: (i) highlight the central role of education and learning - for all people, of all ages, in both developing and developed countries - in the common pursuit of sustainable development (SD); (ii) facilitate links and networking, exchange, and interaction among stakeholders in education for sustainable development (ESD); (iii) provide a space and opportunity for refining and promoting the vision of, and transition to, SD - through all forms of learning and public awareness;(iv) foster increased quality of teaching and learning in ESD(v) develop strategies at every level to strengthen capacity in ESD. Retrieving from DESD (2005-2014) objectives (iv) and (v), it is noteworthy that there is a missing gap which can only be filled by (1) All schools both private and public shall be under the control and management of an instituted national education committee(NEC)-representatives of all stakeholders; comprises of NUC, ARCON, NIA, Teachers, Parents and Guardans- in order to foster benchmark teaching and learning qualities, and (2) All schools subject to this Act, will be under the control and management of the liaison office of the national education council, within the area of jurisdiction of which the school is situated-for adequate and effective monitoring.
The provisions of section 1 and 2 above make it clear that the issues on Gestalt pragmatic pedagogy and quality teaching and learning is held in trust for the stakeholders by this committee(NEC). 
11.4 Fiscal incentives
The architecture schools in the quest to attract good and interested stakeholders who will help to foster and develop Gestalt-based technologies must be ready to source for fiscal incentives to promote capacity building among their students and graduates. This can be enhanced by sourcing for funds to pay the invited guest lecturers or an education specialist in the specific area of needs i.e. psychology, sociology, philosophy etc. This can only be sustained by providing a robust package of for them, especially, when their places are located away from concerned schools. Also, equipment importation is another activity that characterizes -based productions. Therefore, for the benefits of schools that chose to invest in educational areas, section 34 of the Companies Income Tax Act, Cap 60, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 Act, Cap. C21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 makes required provision. In addition to the aforementioned, there are other incentives packaged by government as stimulants to encourage investors and attract public private partnership to participate in trade and commerce (education) in Nigeria. Some of these incentives are contained in the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission Act, Cap 117, Decree No 16 of 1995, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. Such incentives as contained in the law (LFN, 1990; Ajayi, Aderonmu and Ajayi, 2012).
11.5 Alumni Participation
The status of any Alumni member is a reflection of what he or she has absorbed while in school. Therefore, it is imperative in this dynamic society for alumni members to revert and give back to their alumni base; and reinforce the foundation that opportune them for their many layered achievements today. Standards that are acceptable, quarantined, and up kept are usually the benchmarks in a dynamic society. Therefore, Status of alumni members must be given priority in the school development. This is aimed at garnering alumni rich experiences to reinforce their base and enabling the schools concerned to make use of the advantage possessed through    windows of opportunities of alumni members during their formative years (year one and two) in schools.
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11.6 Quality in Teaching Facilities, Teaching Staff and Work Environment
The   teaching   facility   (lecture   room,   laboratory,   tutorial   room   and discussion room) should maintain standards, as stipulated in the IUCEA guidelines (2006), in order to assure quality teaching. This refers to the size of classrooms/ lecture halls and laboratories vis-a-vis the number of registered students for that course and its duration. For lecturers offering courses at the university level, it is important to maintain quality in curriculum development and delivery. Globally, university lecturers and professors are often not paid commensurate to the time put into lecture preparation, delivery and assessment. As a result, some lecturers do not fully participate in all areas of academia, such as in teaching, research and community development. It is important for universities to highlight consultancy processes and increase funds for research to motivate lecturers not only to teach, but also to participate in research and consultancy (MU, 2005-2009).
The university needs to promote a culture of quality teaching, research and consultancy through honoraria and other rewards. In order for an employee to perform well, a good work environment is needed. In many African universities, lecturers lack basic work environment standards, such as office space, computers, printers, stationery and internet connectivity. The university must provide these basic requirements to enable lecturers to fulfil all their tasks appropriately.
12.0 Conclusions and Recommendations
- moi university student portal So far in this study, in architectural education training and development, the missing gap has been discovered in acculturating the beginners-The framework of beginners’ Gestalt pedagogy; that will first make the candidate discover and make right choice of vocation, cultivate interests, kick starting and pursuing a career and practice in architecture. In this neo-framework, the Gestalt according to this study, assist to create a ‘schemata’ required for beginners. These has a form pattern that enforce the vocation students while in school and directed their potentials i.e. skills, gifts, talents, and intelligences in a fruitful personal life and civic engagements of immeasurable benefits to the societies. Therefore, through this work, the pedagogic obstacles have become stepping stones through recommended proposals in this work. Also, the psycho-social forces have been resolved through this work by various awareness of educators’ roles and pedagogic practices vis-a-vis the societal demands from schools. The various stakeholders have also been accustomed to their responsibilities and focus on pragmatic strategies capable of salvaging the victims of the identified pedagogic traps. - moi university application forms More so, there is an urgent need to advance for more empirical studies on these issues; especially the other pedagogical traps, obstacles and misconceptions about beginners’ education. The university offering architecture as a course needs to adopt a well filtered special examination package module for architecture schools. This will eventually help to minimize the failure rate, and scaffold learners to kick start and as in a Gestalt navigate in grand style to safe havens. They also need to develop quick and shorter procedures for a well distillate admission processes, curriculum development and review. Pragmatic pedagogic style engenders feasibility of set policy-curriculum goals, not just a matter of finding tools and weapons by chance but working them until they are right for sustainability (Broadbent, 2008). From these perspectives, attention should drawn to beginners’ curriculum in the  specificities of art and crafts, textile, ecology, fashion and designing , shoes and wares design, ceramics, sculpture and all other methods that can help stir up the latent potentials in the novices and beginning students of architecture. It will assist to address issues on ‘unemployment and unemployables’. For through these proposals, the problems of unemployment will diminish and more graduates will be employable and much more would become employers of labour. The institutions needs to move away from a market-driven pedagogy(temporary taste or fashion) which can easily fade to a  Gestalt pragmatic pedagogy; that can make one be useful on a long-sustainable term, independent as job creators for one self and immediate society.
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Abbreviations: NUC (National University Commission); NIA (Nigerian Institute of Architects); NBTE (National Board for Technical Education; VTE (Vocational and Technical Education)

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