Nineteenth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Abstract

The relationship between tutor and student is fundamental at all levels of education, right from elementary all the way up to the higher institution. Within the architectural set-up, the design studio is the platform where students spend the highest percentage of their time and it is here that they also engage in intensive one-on-one sessions with their tutors. This paper has attempted to consider the types of tutor profiles most common in architectural studios and how these profiles impact on the tutor’s relationships with their students. The paper has also attempted to ascertain the effect of students-tutors relationships on students’ creativity in the design studio. At the end, the paper has been able to highlight various types of tutor profiles found among design tutors. These include among others, the forceful and assertive hegemonic overlord, the propagandist entertainer and the liminal servant. It has been found that the tutors relate in different ways with their students based on their profile and that there is indeed a relationship between how the tutors relate with their students and the students’ creative performances. For instance, tutors who are assertive and forceful often make their students feel repressed and unable to express themselves freely. This, in turn, suppresses the creative abilities of the students. The paper recommends that there be a well-structured educational system set in place so that architectural educators know what is required of them and how to go about fulfilling those requirements.