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The NCARB Carnegie/Boyer Review Task Force, composed of both
educators and practitioners, was established for the purpose of
evaluating the issues raised and recommendations made in the Carnegie
Foundation report, Building Community, by Ernest Boyer and Lee
Mitgang. With NCARBs mission to protect the health, safety and
welfare of the public firmly in mind, the task force discussed
the reports challenge to the profession at large, and to the Council
in particular.
The task force analyzed the reports recommendations related to
the areas of education, training and practice. The findings of
the task force presented here provide opportunities to reassess
the broader scope of architectural education and practice.
As Building Community emphasizes, educators and practitioners
must assume share responsibility and draw closer together for
the common good architectural education and practice. The task
force also determined shared responsibility to be the underlying
premise for its discussions.
The task force is excited about the opportunities in both academia
and practice and takes great pleasure in sharing its work. We
earnestly hope that our findings are thoroughly investigated and
that implementation strategies are developed.
Process
The task force was given three charges by the NCARB Board
of Directors. Once charge was covered at each of three meetings.
Our first charge was to read, study and analyze the text of the
publication, Building Community, to ascertain its impact on the
NCARB mission. This was addressed at the first meeting, where
we spent considerable time discussing the report in general terms.
Because we found it difficult to categorize our work by the seven
goals identified in the report, we determined that using the three
areas of education, training and practice would be more conducive
to addressing the considerations raised by the task force as well
as identification of issues for the Council. The task force divided
into three teams which were each assigned one area, and were to
identify preliminary issues under their respective heading and
prepare a report for the following meeting.
Our second meeting addressed the second charge: Identify and
prioritize the issues and recommendations that impact upon education,
training and practice as they relate to NCARB. Task force members
brought forward their issues relative to education, training and
practice. These issues were refined, combined or eliminated as
appropriate, and new issues were also identified. Using the Nominal
Group Technique, issues were prioritized under the continuing
headings of education, training and practice.
The task force was privileged to be joined by Lee Mitgang, co-author
of Building Community, at the conclusion of this meeting. Mr.
Mitgang discussed in detail the issues as identified and prioritized
by the task force. His input was instrumental to the continued
work of the task force.
The task force divided into three new teams to further study
the prioritized issues and to begin to identify recommendations.
The task force also met with the Education Committee and addressed
common concerns.
At the final meeting, we completed the third charge: Recommend
any possible actions that the Council should consider respecting
its policies on examinations, certification and internship standards
and procedures and continuing education. Teams presented their
issues and recommendations for consideration. The task force
met with the IDP Committee and addressed issues of common concern.
The task force identified seven education issues, three training
issues, and four practice issues. The issues and accompanying
recommendations follow.
Education Issues
The following seven Education Issues are listed in priority order.
Issue 1: Students need greater exposure to real and practical
architectural experiences during school, including exposure to
the business of architecture.
The task force recommends that:
a. the name design studio be changed to architecture studio to
more accurately reflect the entire integrative process.
b. IDP be initiated during the formal education process.
c. students in professional degree programs participate in an
internship to have a structured exposure to practice while in
school.
d. the architecture studio be the bridge between education and
practice.
e. the architecture studio be fully utilized as a teaching environment.
f. more who teach architectural design be registered.
g. there be a better balance/integration between the study of
design and the study of practical issues in school.
h. programming and pre-design services be recognized in schools
as a valid and important aspect of education and practice.
i. educators and practitioners form relationships that will encourage
visits and the interchange of ideas between the classroom and
the office.
j. practitioners be invited by educators to become part of the
architecture studio experience. Many practitioners have much
to offer and are willing to contribute to the formal education
process.
k. educators have a procedure to monitor changing office practices
and integrate these changes into current teaching.
l. because the practice of architecture is an economic endeavor,
students be exposed to business issues as a necessary part of
formal education.
m. selected practitioners be utilized in areas of their expertise.
n. schools teach and monitor effective time management skills
for students.
Issue 2: There is a need for increased mutual appreciation,
cooperation and understanding between educators and practitioners.
The task force recommends that:
a. education and practice be more connected.
b. practitioners be fully used as resources in the academy.
c. educators be more aware of the state-of-the-art processes within
practitioners offices.
d. educators initiate and nurture the relationship between the
schools and practitioners.
e. each school and each state AIA chapter create a joint task
force to produce an effective program to encourage mutual understanding
and appreciation between educators and practitioners.
f. schools encourage visits and participation by practitioners.
g. school administrators place value equal to research on the
professional experience of educators.
Issue 3: The issues of health, safety and welfare must
be understood and clearly integrated throughout the curriculum.
The task force recommends that:
a. the architecture studio introduce health, safety and welfare
during each design problem-solving process.
b. an exposure to code issues be more of an integral part of the
formal education process.
Issue 4: Faculty and administrators need a better understanding
of the Intern Development Program.
The task force recommends that:
a. more responsibility be placed on the schools to educate students
about the Intern Development Program
b. NCARB and AIA write each student a personal letter at the beginning
of the sophomore and senior years explaining IDP.
c. AIAS place a stronger emphasis on IDP so students better understand
the program.
d. faculty support for IDP be strengthened.
Issue 5: Students must be taught the continuum of the registration
process.
The task force recommends that:
a. member boards take more initiative in informing students of
the registration process by directly interfacing with the schools.
b. administration and faculty be well-informed about the education,
training, registration and certification processes so they in
turn can accurately inform their students.
c. registration boards write each student a personal letter at
the beginning of the sophomore and senior years explaining that
states requirements for registration.
d. a faculty member be assigned to serve as a liaison to the registration
board to disseminate current information.
Issue 6: The teaching environment must be more humane,
fair and conducive to learning.
The task force recommends that:
a. the architecture studio professor should become a learner along
with the students.
b. Schools publish a written policy and implementation strategy
regarding the proper, respectful and civil treatment of students.
Issue 7: Architecture programs are often disconnected from
the rest of the campus.
The task force recommends that:
a. schools facilitate better integration of liberal education
in their curricula.
b. students be given the opportunity to pursue independent interests.
c. students be encouraged to participate in activities outside
of the architecture school.
Training Issues
The following three Training Issues are equal in priority.
Issue 1: There is a need for a seamless connection from
education through training and practice.
The task force recommends that:
a. the IDP Coordinating Committee establish procedures to strengthen
IDP ties to all architecture schools.
b. the national, state and local organizational structures of
IDP be re-evaluated to ensure the direct connectivity between
training, education and practice.
Issue 2: The training environment must be more fair, humane
and conducive to learning.
The task force recommends that:
a. NCARB continue to promote the teaching office.
b. practitioners provide opportunities for practical experience
for students.
c. registered architects have a continuing professional development
requirement for license maintenance as required by AIA and resolved
by NCARB.
d. practitioners recognize the value of the IDP, and develop and
promote opportunities for IDP within their practices.
Issue 3: There is only a tenuous relationship between practice
and the academy.
The task force recommends that:
a. practitioners offer more employment opportunities to students.
b. practitioners seek occasional teaching opportunities within
formal architecture programs.
c. practitioners occasionally offer educators the opportunity
to gain practical experience.
d. practitioners encourage visits and participation by educators
into their practice environment.
Issue 4: There must be greater and consistent expectations
for service to the community by practitioners.
The task force recommends that:
a. practitioners be expected to participate in community service.
b. NCARB explore and define appropriate community-service activities
for interns and practitioners.
c. activities are identified for the purpose of making professionals
aware of their responsibility to provide community services.
Future Directions
The task force foresees continuation of its work in the form of determining implementation strategies for the recommendations made. The task force also supports the formation of an Inter-Collateral Task Force charged with collecting, assembling and distributing responses of the five collaterals.
Task Force Members
Pamela J. Hill, Chair, Montana
Jack Gartner, Kentucky
Billy Herrin, Alabama
Chris Liddle, Vermont
Janet White, Missouri
Richard Quinn, Board Liaison
Michiel Bourdrez, Staff