| The purpose of this study was to identify the potential uses of computers within the architectural design process, to identify curriculum needs for integrating computers within architectural design education studios, and to develop a proposal for integrating computers within the architectural design process and curriculum.;The study was conducted in three phases. The first phase took the form of a Nominal Group Technique (NGT) which involved a panel of 10 members of the University of Florida's Architecture faculty. In two meetings the panel produced two lists, one identifying potential uses of computers, the other outlining possible curriculum needs.;Phase two involved the distribution of questionnaires to architectural professionals. The questionnaires summarized the NGT findings and sought reactions from architectural educators and practitioners in 100 schools, members of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, and 150 randomly selected firms. The 105 respondents were assigned to one of four groups based on their profession and their use or non-use of computers: educators/users, educators/non-users, practitioners/users, and practitioners/non-users.;Four null hypotheses pertaining to difference among the variables of architectural profession and work setting were postulated for this study. They were tested using a one-way analysis of variance and a two-way analysis of variance. In this analysis, the educators' and practitioners' perception served as the dependent variable. The profession factor (educators and practitioners) and setting factor (users and non-users) served as the independent variables. Significant differences were found at the.05 level for three of the four hypotheses. Although educators and users perceived computers to have more potential in the design process than practitioners and non-users, observed means support a consensus among the four groups on specific potential uses of computers and curriculum needs. Further analysis of the overall calculated F-ratios indicated that the factor of using or not using computers had the greater impact on both architectural educators' and practitioners' perception of the computer's potential.;In the third phase, a designer/computer interactive model within the architectural design process and an architectural design/computer integrative curriculum proposal were developed. |
