Journal of Teaching and Education, CD-ROM. ISSN: 2165-6266 :: 05(02):95–106 (2016) SELF-CONSTRUCTIVE LEARNING IN PRELIMINARY DESIGN STUDIO C. Sanem Ersine Masatlo lu Istanbul Technical University, Turkey M. Sarper Takkeci Okan University, Turkey In the vast framework of discussions on design studio pedagogy, this paper focuses on the relationship between the extent of the first-semester architectural design course and the level of individual and social skills developed during it. The course instructors acknowledge that beginning from the first semester, architecture students should be engaged with global and local socio-cultural issues, technologies and novelties. The studio shouldn’t be a mere imagination laboratory. Conversely, it should be an active social network of environmental awareness using creativity intellectually. In order to do so, a semi- designed first-semester design studio curriculum is developed to be discovered both by the students and the instructors. The responsive agenda helped modifying conditions effectively, according to the feedbacks from the actors of the studio. Learners were led to engage in action and interaction during and outside studio hours so that they can enhance and share their capacities and skills. Students’ social behaviors and physical works notably showed: learners without a high-level skill of understanding given technical knowledge showed lower interest in self-constructing knowledge on other related techniques; self-motivated learners value their own criticisms and creativity, so that they represent themselves and their work more clear and confident, and take criticisms well. A minority of learners showing good technical skills couldn’t self-construct knowledge, or couldn’t present their knowledge well. The results of this pedagogical approach especially underlined that mere knowledge is not enough for a creative mind, developing and facing design problems. The operation of the course resulted in a discussion that, we may need to act towards novice learners of architecture discipline not differently than the latter ones in the context of conceptualization and content of design problems, whilst nurturing them as critical and confident individuals. However, the process showed that, in order to amend a learning-centered pedagogy, particular positions should be explored further to encourage students to self-construct knowledge, research and explore multi-layered thinking patterns. The discussion aims to demonstrate the gains and difficulties of constructive pedagogical approaches in preliminary architectural design education. Keywords: Preliminary architectural design studio, Constructivist pedagogy, Social skills. 95