Architectural Courseware - a Network Based MuItimedia System for Design Education

Architectural Courseware is an interactive system which allows for the creative access of a courserelated multimedia database and the interactive manipulation of that database to enhance design education. This project began as a Teaching Initiative Project supported by the Division of Undergraduate Studies of North Carolina State University, Dr. James Anderson, Dean, and has evolved over two phases. Phase One produced an interactive prototype that explored the requirements and technology of multimedia as a support tool for undergraduate education, specifically for an architecture course in the School of Design, The History of Contemporary Architecture. Phase One was well received by various members of the North Carolina State University: faculty members, the Dean of the School of Design, the directors of the Library and the Computing Center, the Associate Provost for Academic Computing, The Provost, and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies was encouraged by the Associate Provost for University Computing to contribute matching funds for the support of Phase Two of the project. Phase Two focused on a functional implementation of a module of the interactive prototype that could be used by students in the Fall'94 semester to test the effectiveness of the courseware concept.