The profession of Architecture since its inception has come a long way after independence. It was experimented and struggled to find its own identity. Initially as a branch of Arts, then of Engineering, it was shadowed by other disciplines. Only a few decades ago, Architecture was accepted as a separate discipline. The search for its identity reflected in defining its syllabus and henceforth it furnished towards the education. The changes reflected the most in its Core Subject i.e. Architectural Design. As a part of Arts College, a great importance was given on sketching and built form was dealt like a piece of sculpture or painting. Colleges were few and the seats were numbered. Selected students who joined had the right attitude, aptitude, vigor and energy. Later on with the realization of its strong technical aspect, it was adopted as one of the branch of the Engineering Colleges. In India the profession was young and awareness one, students opted it as the last option. Things had not changed much, though the profession has spread and acquired an independent status. We see most of the development in and around the urban areas whereas majority population resides in rural areas and thus restricting towards awareness for Architecture. Profession has not still reached up to the masses and so its awareness. Even today, the majority of students opted to it as the last choice for the carrier. Our learners belong to different mindset. They are insecure and disillusioned!
Architecture is a fast-paced dynamic discipline. It is the expression of the various moods of society and its advancement. Henceforth the Architectural Education in pace with the profession poses a great challenge to its learner. Only the students with sound physical and mental health, self-inspired, intelligent, and creative and with positive attitude can sustain and be successful. Today the architectural studios are multicultural. Students came from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Their environmental exposure and receptivity levels are different. From a protective environment of the homes and schools, they are suddenly exposed to the world to make adjustments with all the odds. The high stress often results into depression, anxiety, aggression and indifferent attitude towards education.
Here comes the role of the teachers, which depicts, ‘How to transfer the knowledge in the most effective way?’ Teaching is a heavy responsibility. A teacher has a power to influence how a student sees himself and his future, how a class treats each member of the group. Word of the teacher matters and the voice of the teacher carry far into the future. Students of architecture during their 5-year course grow from adolescents to young adults. There is a great transformation in thinking and image about themselves. From the search of identity, it is the strong desire of belongingness. As a teacher, one must be able to understand these changes. The irony of the architectural education is that not only we have learners with differences in interests, attitudes, aptitudes, values, level of aspiration, self concept, study habits and achievements also the teachers from different eras with different values.
