Explores of the Urban and Architectural Cognitive Practice Course under the "Three-three System" Education Model Innovation

Abstract

With China’s industrial restructuring and the increasing important role of information and knowledge industry in recent years, talents nurtured under the traditional educational mode are not able to meet the needs of the society. Nanjing University has began to implement the ‘three-three system’ education model featured with ‘three phases’ and ‘three paths’. The new model proposes to fulfill the requirements of the new standards through innovative education. The first two stages are able to develop a student’s general knowledge of a topic and provide a base for choosing a professional field that they are interested in. Then in the final stage the students are able to cultivate their knowledge and apply it through, academic research, an interdisciplinary lens and finally an employment lens. Based on this model, the undergraduate teaching curriculum of urban and rural planning at Nanjing University has conducted a ‘discipline-oriented to student-oriented shift’ reform including the course, urban and architectural cognitive practice. Within this course students apply their understanding of architecture and urban form to real world situations by visiting sites throughout China, and meeting professionals in the field. This paper systematically reviews and analyzes the new teaching philosophy, constructive goals and practical content of this newly designed course. Students in this class are motivated to seek out their interest through, writing research papers, drawing and learning how it applies to an actual career in urban architecture. Through the newly created ‘three-three’ cultivating course on architectural cognitive practice the three new features of this course are effectively building a student’s professional academic ability, interdisciplinary capacity and the entrepreneurial ability--thus providing a useful reference to the teaching reform of the urban planning curriculum.