Out-of-School Activities in Architectural Education: MUISCARCH International Architecture Students Congress

This research aims to question the effect of adopting non-formal and informal learning environments into architectural education on the overall learning experiences of architecture students. In this context, a series of out-of-school activities organised within the scope of Maltepe University, Faculty of Architecture and Design, which are based on a variety of different non-formal and informal learning methods, are discussed. Although there are various out-of-school activities, the significance of these comprehensive extracurricular activities relies on being an entire student initiative from planning to execution and consisting of symposiums, workshops and organisation processes that bring non-formal and informal learning experiences together. Unlike most of the research discussing non-formal/in-formal activities through final products, our research focuses on the learning experience of the students and the learning process itself. Based on the participant observation method, we gathered data through observing behaviours and interactions, casual conversations, unstructured and informal interviews, and reviews of the participants' studies. The findings revealed the learning acquisitions and benefits that students gained intentionally or unintentionally throughout the process from integrated learning environments, which are required to compete with the complex challenges of architectural education and the profession, as emerging technologies, materials, design trends and societal conditions. This reality forces architectural education programs to embrace and integrate informal and non-formal learning experiences into their curricula. Flexible learning models need to be designed and adapted to formal education to provide a well-rounded educational experience for architecture students, emphasising self-directed learning and practical experience in real-world contexts.