It seems that the public view on the role of architecture is more and more affecting the approach and the design education of students of environmental, architectural and interior design. Motivation, engagement and knowledge of younger students seem to experience a deep reconfiguration phase. The first year education process can be considered as the start of a training process and consequentially a confrontation of the students in design studios. The matter finds a strategic evaluation and re-thinking moment in the first year education process and it might be discussed starting from that very harsh confrontation that take place in design studios. How can architectural education approach in a positive way the energy for better and various human urban models and designs to get more attraction for skilled and motivated students? In general the first year students in schools of architecture are not prepared for studying the curriculum in a systematic way. Moreover students have different learning styles individually. The way to motivate the beginners, to make them open for creativity, phantasm and responsible planning should be discussed. Since, there are numerous methods of education, especially in the basic fields of architecture like design theories and practice, fundamentals of technical construction and art & architectural history, each school of architecture will lay claim to its special way and success. But what are the future guidelines in a globalizing work) that is in control of economic structures? Design might be considered as an instrument and a medium of expression, a kind of international language; or as a non-neutral actor that internationally tries to equalize taste, needs, as the modern building structures disregards national, regional and local culture and behaviour. The awareness of such facts is indeed very important in teaching and learning, both for academicians and students, not only in universities but also in high schools and secondary schools.

The congress will accentuate this global effect and also the protection of the individual characters of design education and practice. Although, design is a kind of international language, learning and adaptation process to this language of students can not be standardized at ease, since the students have different tendencies to disparate learning styles. Moreover standards and characteristics of schools are different as well. Also the concerns of the first year design education might differ according to regional demands and culture as well as the methods of teaching. Sharing those methods are challenging in the "Designtrain Congress Trailer II”. The congress will also help and demonstrate new thinking and experimenting in this large field.

The themes and the titles of contributions are:
Experiencing First Year Design Education: Activities and Impressions
- First Experiences: Open Day - Get Together, First Day, First Tasks, First Actions
- Team Working: Basic Exercises

Enjoying First Year Design Education: Ability and Motivation
- Ways of Thinking in Design Education Versus Methods of Teaching
- Intuitive Thinking Versus Rationale Teaching: Creativity and Problem Solving
- Experimental Learning: Reflection in Action - Reflection on Action
- Explicit Versus Tacit Knowledge

Communication in First Year Design Education: Cooperation, Presentation and Expression
- Team Work - Self Learning
- Foreign Language Training, Intercultural Communication
- Graphical Presentations and Verbal Expressions

Supporting First Year Design Education: Contribution by Cooperation and Networking
- Building Equipment Company - Seminars and Workshops
- Construction Areas - Look and Learn
- Interdisciplinary Thinking: Integrated Courses - Civil - Mechanical Engineering, Geodetics, Economics, Arts

Comprehending First Year Design Education: Scopes, Courses and Lectures
- Notion of Scale and Proportion
- Perception of Space, Experiencing Space
- Technical Drawing, CAD Programs
- Understanding Human Needs

Dreaming First Year Design Education: Utopias, Expectations and Reality
- Study Motivation Before and After First Year
- Basics and Superstructure – How to Continue in The Next Years

Globalization Versus Localization in “Design Education”
- “Design" as a Common Language of Nations
- Cultural and Local Effects on Design Education

Dates
14 March 2008 Deadline for submission of the abstracts
25 April 2008 Deadline for registration of authors to appear in the proceedings
02 May 2008 Deadline for submission of the full papers
09 May 2008 Mailing out of the detailed congress program

Organizers
- Karadenız Technıcal Unıversıty, Faculty Of Archıtecture,Trabzon, Turkey
- European League Of Instıtutes Of The Arts, Amsterdam, The Netherlands