Assessing the Effect of Pragmatic Pedagogy Components on the Promotion of the Bachelor of Architecture Curriculum in Iran

Practice-based education is a new approach to curriculum planning that emphasizes on the relationship between theory and practice to complete the learning process. The pragmatic pedagogy focuses on the social and occupational performance of graduates after college. Despite the importance of the subject, the bachelor of architecture in Iran has not been very successful in terms of practical training. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of pragmatic pedagogy components on curriculum development in the field of vocational training in Iran. This research is in the category of applied-developmental research with a sequential-exploratory approach. First, in the qualitative section, to identify the components of pragmatic pedagogy, the content analysis method with inductive strategy was used. Qualitative data analysis and coding were performed with NVIVO software. Next, in the quantitative part, a survey-exploratory method was used to measure the effectiveness of the components of pragmatic pedagogy on curriculum development of the bachelor of architecture. In the quantitative part of this research, the Kendall W test and multivariate regression analysis in SPSS software was used for data analysis. The data collection method in the qualitative section includes literature review and semi-structured individual interviews. In the quantitative section, data has been collected using a questionnaire. The statistical population of this research includes university lecturers in architecture. 100 samples were selected based on the minimum sample size required in survey research by a simple random sampling method to complete the questionnaire. Regarding the interview, 35 were selected based on purposeful sampling. The results of the qualitative section show that the components of pragmatic pedagogy include 19 indicators, 4 objectives, and 5 elements. The regression equation between the objectives of pragmatic pedagogy with its constituent indicators shows that despite the positive effect of each of the indicators on their corresponding objectives, their impact is not the same; so corresponding to the 4 objectives of "applied education", "teacher-apprenticeship method", "experiential learning" and "observational learning" respectively; the indicators of "activities and educational strategies based on the realities of the architectural profession", "utilizing master craftsmen and teachers", "education of active and pragmatic graduates" and "the role of skilled masters and master craftsmen as role models" have the greatest effect on the improvement of the curriculum. In ranking the objectives of applied education and its related components from the perspective of architecture teachers, "applied education" with the element of  "usefulness", "teacher-apprenticeship method" with the element of "internship", "experiential learning" with the two elements of "objective experience and experiment" and "observational learning" with the "observation" element, have the greatest effect on improving the curriculum. If the objectives of the curriculum are adapted to the components of pragmatic pedagogy and their realization in the bachelor of architecture, the development of practice-based education in architecture schools will be provided. Finally, it will lead to the promotion of professional education for architecture students at the undergraduate level in Iran.