The Influence of Study and Travel Abroad on the Personal and Professional Development of

273 Pages·2016·3.63 MB·English

Florida International University
FIU Digital Commons
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School
3-23-2011
The Influence of Study and Travel Abroad on the
Personal and Professional Development of
Students in Architecture Design Programs
Lyle D. Culver
Florida International University, [email protected]
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Culver, Lyle D., "The Influence of Study and Travel Abroad on the Personal and Professional Development of Students in Architecture
Design Programs" (2011).FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations.Paper 360.
http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/360
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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Miami, Florida

THE INFLUENCE OF STUDY AND TRAVEL ABROAD ON THE PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS IN ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN PROGRAMS

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
in
HIGHER EDUCATION
by
Lyle D. Culver

2011
To: Dean Delia Garcia
College of Education

This dissertation, written by Lyle D. Culver, and entitled The Influence of Study
and Travel Abroad on the Personal and Professional Development of Students in
Architecture Design Programs, having been approved in respect to style and
intellectual content, is referred to you for judgment.

We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved.

______________________________________
Roger Geertz-Gonzalez

______________________________________
Glenda Musoba

______________________________________
Gray Read

______________________________________
Benjamin Baez, Major Professor

Date of Defense: March 23, 2011

The dissertation of Lyle D. Culver is approved.

______________________________________
Dean Delia Garcia
College of Education

______________________________________
Interim Dean Kevin O'Shea
University Graduate School

Florida International University, 2011

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© Copyright 2011 by Lyle D. Culver
All rights reserved.

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DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to Astrid, Ari, and Jonfelix. I also dedicate this work to my
parents and my grandparents who helped make my education and travel a reality.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank the member of my committee Major Professor Dr.
Benjamin Baez, Dr. Gray Read, Dr. Glenda Musoba, and Dr. Roger Baez for their
help, support, and patience. I would like to especially thank Dr. Benjamin Baez for
his inspiration in helping me to discover and to develop a topic of research that was
of great personal interest. I would like to thank the participants of my study who
made this dissertation possible. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the
deans, associate deans, and directors of the architecture programs at the University
of Miami and Florida International University for their assistance and allowing me
to conduct research in their schools. Special thanks go to Denis Hector and
Nathaniel Belcher.
I want to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their support. Cheers
to Patricia, Don, and Ernest. Thank you to Dr. Lois Willoughby for being my
auditor. Thank you also to Caprila Almeida who made certain that I submitted on
time all of the paperwork necessary for this degree.

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ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
THE INFLUENCE OF STUDY AND TRAVEL ABROAD ON THE PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS IN
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN PROGRAMS
by
Lyle D. Culver
Florida International University, 2011
Miami, Florida
Professor Benjamin Baez, Major Professor
International travel has significant implications on the study of architecture.
This study analyzed ways in which undergraduate and graduate students benefited
from the experience of international travel and study abroad. Taken from the
perspective of 15 individuals who were currently or had been architecture students
at the University of Miami and Florida International University or who were alumni
of the University of Florida and Syracuse University, the research explored how
international travel and study abroad enhanced their awareness and understanding
of architecture, and how it complemented their architecture curricula. This study
also addressed a more personal aspect of international travel in order to learn how
the experience and exposure to foreign cultures had positively influenced the
personal and professional development of the participants.
Participants’ individual and two-person semi-structured interviews about
study abroad experiences were electronically recorded and transcribed for analysis.
A second interview was conducted with five of the participants to obtain feedback
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concerning the accuracy of the transcripts and the interpretation of the data. Sketch
journals and design projects were also analyzed from five participants and used as
data for the purposes of better understanding what these individuals learned and
experienced as part of their study abroad.
Findings indicated that study abroad experiences helped to broaden student
understanding about architecture and urban development. These experiences also
opened the possibilities of creative and professional expression. For many, this was
the most important aspect of their education as architects because it heightened their
interest in architecture. These individuals talked about how they had the opportunity
to experience contemporary and ancient buildings that they had learned about in
their history and design classes on their home campuses. In terms of personal and
professional development, many of the participants remarked that they became
more independent and self-reliant because of their study abroad experiences. They
also displayed a sense of global awareness and were interested in the cultures of
their host nations. The study abroad experiences also had a lasting influence on
their professional development.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1
Architecture Education and Curriculum ....................................................... 3
Problem Statement........................................................................................ 5
Purpose of Study .......................................................................................... 6
Significance of Study ................................................................................... 7
Research Questions ...................................................................................... 8
Assumptions and Delimitations of the Study ................................................ 9
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 10

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .................................................. 11
Diversity ..................................................................................................... 12
Globalization .............................................................................................. 15
Architecture Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Methodology .............................. 17
Implications of International Travel and Architecture ................................ 21
Travel Pedagogy and Higher Education ..................................................... 24
Experiential Learning ................................................................................. 27
Phenomenology & Architecture ................................................................. 29
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 32

III. METHODS ................................................................................................ 33
Qualitative Research ................................................................................... 33
Experiential Learning ................................................................................. 36
Role of the Researcher ................................................................................ 38
Site and Participant Selection ..................................................................... 46
Data Collection ........................................................................................... 57
Interviews ................................................................................................... 58
Data Sources ............................................................................................... 67
Sketch Journals ........................................................................................... 67
Data Organization and Analysis ................................................................. 69
Dependability and Consistency of Study .................................................... 71
Chapter Summary ....................................................................................... 73

IV. PROFILES OF THE PARTICIPANTS ...................................................... 74
The Participants .......................................................................................... 75
Guillermo ............................................................................................. 77
Aliana ................................................................................................... 81
Julia ...................................................................................................... 84
Connie .................................................................................................. 86
Leslie .................................................................................................... 91
Gloria .................................................................................................... 94
Sandy .................................................................................................... 97
Marc ..................................................................................................... 99
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Kate .................................................................................................... 101
Lizette ................................................................................................. 103
Julian .................................................................................................. 104
Alex .................................................................................................... 105
Jaime .................................................................................................. 107
JP ........................................................................................................ 108
Alistair ................................................................................................ 109
The Reasons for Studying Architecture .................................................... 110
Chapter Summary ..................................................................................... 116

V. THE ROLE OF TRAVEL IN ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION ............ 117
Study Abroad and the Educational Experience ......................................... 117
Study Abroad and the Architecture Curricula ........................................... 136
Study Abroad and Architecture Appreciation ........................................... 154
Study Abroad and Personal Development ................................................ 188
Study Abroad and Professional Development .......................................... 207
Chapter Summary ..................................................................................... 217

VI. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................ 218
Review of the Study ................................................................................. 218
Discussion of Primary Research Questions .............................................. 222
Primary Research Question #1 ............................................................ 223
Primary Research Question #2 ............................................................ 226
Primary Research Question #3 ............................................................ 229
Primary Research Question #4 ............................................................ 231
Limitations ............................................................................................... 235
Recommendations or Practice and Study .................................................. 237
Recommendations for Research ............................................................... 241
Summary and Final Thoughts ................................................................... 243

REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 245

APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... 253

VITA ................................................................................................................. 259

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