An ANN-based paradigm approach

This paper relies on observation and analysis an internationally digital design exchange activity, “The FCU & Bartlett School of Architecture, university college London (UCL) digital architecture workshop” to propose an educational model based on the artificial neural network (ANN). We expect that the results of this work can lead to the establishment of a scoring mechanism that can "adapt" to the difficulty of assigned problems and assess students' progress. An international technological exchange workshop based on the theme of digital design is helpful to attain an accelerated heightening in the quality and experience of education. This is going to be an educational trend and increasingly prevalent in the future. A successful educational curriculum in digital design relies on a concerted effort amongst curriculum framework, learning activities, and course content. While, an internationally exchange digital design workshop is different from traditional "semester-based" units of curriculums. The short-term educational models are required high degrees interaction and collaboration. On the other hand, artificial neural network system that is context aware in ill-defined and complex environments is highly adaptive. It can extract, interpret and use the context information and adapt its functions to obtain an optimal correspondence between “context change” and “desired goal” efficiently. Therefore, an ANN-based pedagogical mechanism is able to encourage students to select relatively difficult design problems and promote more design originality, interaction and collaboration. A COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL DESIGN WORKSHOP: AN ANN-BASED. 59 1. Background and Objective Since the introduction of the computer-aided design and the application of internet technologies, CAAD pedagogical paradigms have shifted to the design-oriented teaching, which have to not only satisfy the inheritance of computer technology but also streamline the design thinking, (CHEN, 2004). The educational environment of architectural design has been changed and evolved. Electronic design workshops (MCCULLOUGH, 1900); virtual design studios (BRADFORD, 1994); and collaborative design workshops, (CHIU, 2001) have subsequently emerged, and they set a foundation for digital design learning. However, excessive emphasis on the application of digital utility technology is not entirely beneficial to the creativity in design, therefore, in the ACADIA '98 international conference, the “digital design studio” was its theme, (SEEBOHM, 1998). The domain is expanding, and pedagogy shifts from technology-driven, toward methodology-driven. The nature of pedagogy is to strive for a well-functioning "adaptive" system. While there should be positive, flexible interaction between the content of instruction and the quality and quantity of learning within such a system, design instruction is full of inherent indeterminacy and complexity. Thereby, whether do achievements of a design workshop, a special case derived from digital design studio, truly reflects students’ progress especially under such a short-term teaching and learning? It becomes absolutely indispensable to know how to operate, evaluate, understand, construct and analyze a design workshop. Based on literature review, this paper proposes certain hypothesis, and relies on experimental education, actual research, and participant observation. Expected results include: (1) reflective analysis on computerassisted design educational models, (2) establishment of theoretical framework, (3) operation of digital design and records of its physical fabrication process (4) assessments of differences between theory and reality, (5) conclusions and suggestions. 2. Theory and Method Can Students’ level be proved upgraded within extreme short-term learning? Artificial intelligence experts in the field of design have proposed a long series of "cognitive models" attempting to explain designers' design behavior. Additionally, “Cognition Models” can serve as reference to teaching framework, platform for pedagogical research or tool for developing computer-aided-design. A design cycle may be regarded as”