Multidimensional analysis of teaching techniques used in higher education: The case of a landscape architecture department

This study provides a multidimensional analysis of teaching techniques in a landscape architecture department. The study aims to identify the most effective among different learning methods and analyze the effectiveness of the training offered by lecturers through student feedback and lecture notes. It is imperative to acknowledge the significance of student feedback as a crucial source of data for the evaluation of teaching methodologies and curriculum design. The study indicates that, beyond the extent of student learning of the course material, it is also imperative for teaching methodologies to align with the students' perceptions and personalities. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to students enrolled in four distinct courses (Computer Aided Design, Planting Design, Landscape Engineering, and Project-I) at the beginning and end of the semester. The objective of the questionnaires is to assess the students' level of knowledge regarding the topics included in the curriculum of the relevant courses. The study used a quantitative research method, a 5-point Likert-type scale, and a one-group pretest-posttest design. The data obtained were analyzed using reliability, frequency, independent, and dependent sample t-tests. In addition, the consistency between student feedback and end-of-semester course scores was also examined. The results of the study show that, in general, there is a statistically significant increase in the knowledge level of students in all courses toward the end of the semester. However, the effectiveness levels of the teaching techniques vary by course and subject. For instance, it was determined that teaching techniques were more successful in the Computer-Aided Design course (89.2% effective), while this rate was lower in the Project-I course (66.6% effective). In addition, students' perceptions of their knowledge levels (post-test results) were found to be higher than their end-of-semester scores. In the student feedback, issues such as insufficient class hours, lack of visual examples, and the importance of practical applications were also mentioned. In conclusion, the study shows that the evaluation of the questionnaire data and student scores together can be an effective tool in determining the level of teaching effectiveness and identifying issues that require revision in the curriculum.