DEVELOPING A TEACHING MODEL BASED ON A SIMULATION COMPANY IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE WORKING ABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN STUDENTS IN XINXIANG CITY, HENAN PROVINCE, CHINA

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the current state of environmental design education in Xinxiang City, Henan Province, China, and to develop and evaluate a teaching strategy based on a simulated company teaching model to enhance students' professional competencies. The research process was divided into three phases: investigation and analysis of the current situation, model development, and model validation. The study subjects consisted of all undergraduate students majoring in environmental design from five universities in the region, with a total population of 1,312 and a final valid sample size of 518. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining literature review, questionnaire surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The research followed six steps: problem identification, determination of key teaching points, teaching model development, collection of feedback, model optimization, and finalization of the model. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and other methods, and were processed using statistical analysis. The findings reveal that the environmental design industry in Xinxiang faces dual challenges: difficulty in enterprise recruitment and student employment. The current curriculum design fails to align with industry needs or meet market demands, highlighting an urgent need to develop a teaching model that aligns with enterprise requirements and enhances students' professional abilities. Following focus group discussions, both the suitability and feasibility of the final model received the highest ratings (100%; mean x̄ = 5.0, standard deviation SD = 0.0 for both). The results of this study establish an instructional design model based on a simulated company, which effectively enhances students' professional abilities through project-based practices. This model provides a practical solution to bridge the gap between education and real-world practice.-