Showing papers on "Design studio published in 2022"

The Future of Design Studio Education: Student Experience and Perception of Blended Learning and Teaching during the Global Pandemic

Abstract: Urban design studio education aims to prepare future urban designers to more effectively understand how cities work and critically engage with the role of design intervention in the built environment. A design studio is an appropriate setting where this can take place. This paper details the design and delivery of a postgraduate urban design studio subject in the MA Urban Design programme at Cardiff University during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. We particularly investigate the capacities and challenges of blended learning and teaching, with a primary focus on the experience and perception of students in the context of design studio pedagogy. To this end, we discuss the findings from an online survey of postgraduate urban design students and reflect on their experience and perception of the related learning and teaching activities, assessment, feedback, field study visits, workshops, and digital platforms during the subject delivery period in the 2021–2022 academic year. The outcomes of this paper can inform future practices of blended learning and teaching incorporating a mix of face-to-face and online modes of delivery in relation to design studio education, particularly in the context of unprecedented global health challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A mixed methods study of architectural education during the initial COVID-19 lockdown: student experiences in design studio and technology courses

Abstract: PurposeThe paper aims to understand and assess architecture students' experiences of online teaching during the initial lockdown caused by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic between March–June 2020. The exploratory study was conducted across two architectural engineering departments of two separate campuses of the same not-for-profit, non-governmental higher education institution in Cairo, Egypt, focusing on two course streams within their architectural curriculum; design-studio-based courses (DC) and technology courses (TC).Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods approach was used, where a questionnaire-based survey was developed to gather qualitative and quantitative data based on perceptions of a sample of 245 students. The survey quantitatively queried five dimensions related to students' learning experiences and qualitatively sought to evaluate both the positive experiences and challenges the students experienced.FindingsFindings outline that students' experiences were neutral but veered toward the positive end of the scale. Three factors appear to have affected students' learning experiences; students' reliance on educational technologies, the stage of architectural education students were enrolled in when they went into lockdown, and finally, quality and timing of feedback received. While challenges were faced during transition to the digital realm, these may have compelled students to take ownership of the students' own knowledge construction.Originality/valueResults provide a nuanced understanding of how students dealt with this critical transformation in architectural pedagogy at a unique moment in history, highlighting merits that could have an everlasting impact on design education during and after times of pandemic.

Creative Thinking in the Architecture Design Studio: Bibliometric Analysis and Literature Review

Abstract: It is increasingly important for researchers and educators to find effective ways to stimulate students’ creativity. In design education, the specificity of design, defined as open-ended problems and ill-defined problems, provides a special opportunity to improve creativity. Nevertheless, design education itself encounters other issues concerning creativity, such as not specifying in detail what creative design pedagogy should be. Thus, a comprehensive review of existing studies is needed to guide research in this field better. We used bibliometric analysis to provide information on literature statistics of the 658 articles published in design research–related journals between 1982 and 2022. An in-depth review of the 36 selected articles revealed the existing research on the design studio to investigate creativity from three perspectives: (1) creativity criteria and evaluation, (2) idea generation and development, and (3) pedagogy in the design studio. This study provides a roadmap for global educators and researchers focusing on pedagogy that enhances students’ creativity in the design studio.

Generation gap, learning from the experience of compulsory remote architectural design studio

Abstract: Physical design studio has been the mainstream method of architectural pedagogy for more than a century. Although the past two decades have brought forth emerging possibilities via advancements in digital communication, Virtual Design Studio (VDS) remained an experimental novelty until 2020. The interruption of face-to-face educational activities saw architecture schools facing a rapid paradigm shift because their studio-centred pedagogy retains intrinsic spatial qualities that are often attributed as critical dimensions of the learning process. This article explores the transition to the virtual design studio in a department of architecture after distance education became mainstream due to the global pandemic. The paper provides a comparison between students' and lecturers' points of view regarding different aspects of the virtual design studio. This addresses a potential generational gap concerning digital communication in a case study. A survey was administered to a group of architecture students who travelled back home and continued their education online and to the teachers of design studios who instructed VDS after the pandemic outbreak. The findings show the significant influence of effective communication, access to proper resources, maintenance of peer connections, and group works on the positive outcomes of the architectural design studio.

Long-Term Experience of Teaching Life Cycle Assessment and Circular Design to Future Architects: A Learning by Doing Approach in a Design Studio Setting

Abstract: Architects and urbanists help to shape the built environment, which is both highly impactful and indispensable to support the sustainable development of any society. Hence, they must not only have a basic understanding but also be trained to routinely incorporate sustainability checks into their design practice. Published pedagogical experience with teaching life cycle assessment (LCA) in higher education usually covers students with engineering backgrounds, often at the graduate level. No records of regular courses for architecture and urbanism undergraduates were found. After eight years of teaching, and involving 213 students, this paper shares experience and insights gained in the only undergraduate architecture and urbanism course in Brazil openly dedicated to teaching LCA and circular design metrics within the design studio atmosphere. To encourage and inspire other initiatives, the article emphasizes the last four course offers. The current course design is aligned with recent recommendations and international practice. Still, the total workload is insufficient to adequately tackle complex design objects. Students’ final grades across different years show improvements, but actual knowledge retention evaluation requires some post-course follow-up. We confirmed that undergraduate students can successfully apply LCA during design development with compatible additional effort if equipped with adequate tools. An online calculator was developed and is expected to allow expanded design experimentations in future editions.

Architecture and the imaginary: text stimulus to improve students' creativity with nonlinear design process

Abstract: PurposeThis study aims to examine whether a text stimulus could enhance students' imagination and thus enhance their creativity in the architectural design studio. The assumption is that adopting the text stimulus in the conceptual design stage would support students' imagination through a nonlinear design process, and ultimately produce the creative values of design outcomes.Design/methodology/approachA curriculum that adopts a text stimulus was developed and used for first-year university students. The aim was to implement an architectural setting to stimulate students' imagination with a framework for creativity evaluation. The study focused not only on the design process that characterizes the generation of concepts and ideas, but also on the processes related to the creative practices that students need for developing their own expression methods to solve problems they encounter.FindingsThe results show that design education that emphasizes the imaginary could enhance students' creative thinking, thus leading to creative design. As a training tool in the design studio, the diversity of interpretation following the text stimulus was revealed to provoke a nonlinear design process and to eventually enhance students' originality, differential and inventiveness, which are associated with the creativity criteria for evaluation.Originality/valueThe study explores the translation of imaginary spaces from text into spatial design as a conceptual tool in order to characterize and support creativity throughout design education in the architectural design studio.

An Unexpected Shift to an Online Design Studio Course: Student Insights on Design Critiques

Abstract: Online education is not a common practice in design education. As the cornerstone of design education, the design studio incorporates a hands-on approach that stems from its materiality. This tactile character of the design studio has been challenged by the recent pandemic since many design schools and departments decided to proceed with their education online. Consequently, some fundamental pedagogical mechanisms that rely on the distinct habitat of the design studio were moved to the online context. Design critiques, a crucial activity in communicating design knowledge, were also carried to online channels. This shift from the physical to the online environment caused some changes in both the communication and understanding of design critiques. In the light of recent developments, this article reflects on students' perceptions of design critiques in an online studio setting. In-depth interviews were conducted with six industrial design students who started their semester in a physical studio environment but continued online. The study demonstrates that the students' impressions of design critiques have been affected by several factors that can be grouped under three categories: crit actors, crit process and crit context.

Generation gap, learning from the experience of compulsory remote architectural design studio

Abstract: Physical design studio has been the mainstream method of architectural pedagogy for more than a century. Although the past two decades have brought forth emerging possibilities via advancements in digital communication, Virtual Design Studio (VDS) remained an experimental novelty until 2020. The interruption of face-to-face educational activities saw architecture schools facing a rapid paradigm shift because their studio-centred pedagogy retains intrinsic spatial qualities that are often attributed as critical dimensions of the learning process. This article explores the transition to the virtual design studio in a department of architecture after distance education became mainstream due to the global pandemic. The paper provides a comparison between students' and lecturers' points of view regarding different aspects of the virtual design studio. This addresses a potential generational gap concerning digital communication in a case study. A survey was administered to a group of architecture students who travelled back home and continued their education online and to the teachers of design studios who instructed VDS after the pandemic outbreak. The findings show the significant influence of effective communication, access to proper resources, maintenance of peer connections, and group works on the positive outcomes of the architectural design studio.

Where do we go from here? Rethinking the design studio after the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract: In this paper, five design educators apply an investigative framework to discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the Design Studio and the future of design education at North American universities. The educators are dispersed geographically across Canada and the United States and teach in public higher education. They have a working and reflection group that has met weekly or bi-weekly for 18 months to discuss and write about their practice as design educators. This paper is a distillation of the group’s experiences, their reflections regarding the future of the design studio, and their intentions for practice moving forward.

Dynamics-aktion- pedagogical dynamics proposal, useful for design studio teaching and beyond.

Abstract: This paper is a continuation and a complement to the previous paper: #eindakoa# (what we’ve done) A pedagogical method of Interior Design Projects’ method. That paper developed a pedagogical method of design throughout a full course at a project Design Studio. This paper extends that previous paper and develops its pedagogical approach through a series of pedagogical dynamics and strategies, defined on a more precise and detailed scale. Each dynamic is artistically designed, almost like an action, to create a ‘learning event’ and teach the content of Design Studio through experience. These dynamics are inspiring, to such an extent that they can be transferred to any discipline. However, this article includes a specific theoretical support: a discussion and a comparative contrast with different models of the pedagogical method of the architectural project Design Studio. The first half of the dynamics are developed to enrich a conventional class, prior to the Covid- 19 pandemic. The second half of the dynamics are developed in response to the Covid-19 situation. They creatively exploit the possibilities of different platforms for online teaching.

Studio-centred coursework as a model for hybridized design education

Abstract: Studio coursework that focuses on real-world problems and stakeholder collaboration is an integral component of interdisciplinary design education. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased interest in flexible models of content delivery, we conceptualize the studio course as central to interdisciplinary undergraduate education. Leveraging the pandemic as an opportunity, we argue that changes to studio coursework have created new modalities for design education. By focusing on adaptive, iterative studio coursework during each year of the undergraduate degree, we allow for hybridization of undergraduate design coursework. We present an example of the studio-centred model in action at a large polytechnic university in the United States. Our results may be beneficial to educators and practitioners interested in anchoring undergraduate curricula within interdisciplinary studio work, and for ensuring that interdisciplinary studios are able to respond to the twenty-first-century life skills essential for producing competitive graduates on the global market. We present studio-centred coursework as a model for hybridizing design education. We emphasize collaboration and discovery as key skills to develop in undergraduates. We develop this model through: (1) collaborating with industry partners to determine problem spaces and mentor students; (2) building interdisciplinary teams of students and faculty and (3) hybridizing lecture-based disciplinary coursework. We anchor our results with three years of programme assessment data. By integrating faculty, students and industry partners within the studio-centred model, this study demonstrates how hybridized design-led education can equip students for interdisciplinary collaboration as they progress towards their career goals. Furthermore, we provide discussion on how these competencies are evaluated by stakeholders as desirable skills. Students’ overall positive responses to the studio-centred coursework are captured in our quantitative data. Stakeholder responses come via focus groups held once per semester. Using studio coursework to centre design curricula allows for increased hybridization of the curriculum, as students use studio courses and capstones to apply knowledge, develop projects and attain professional mentorship. Emphasis on societal impact guides students to emphasize the broader impacts of their designs. Using quantitative and qualitative data, we provide a model that integrates research and education in undergrad curricula using a studio-centred model.

Collaborative online international learning for design education: A framework for studio-based learning

Abstract: The ability to think beyond disciplinary and geographical boundaries is essential for future designers to approach complex challenges and make a meaningful impact. Traditionally, these skills are developed in a studio environment where students can participate in mobility programmes and connect with peers from other disciplines; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited these opportunities due to social distance requirements. This article presents a framework for collaborative online international learning (COIL) for studio-based courses as an alternative for educators who want to foster interdisciplinary and intercultural learning in online and hybrid environments. The framework emerged from the development and delivery of a COIL initiative for an experience design studio course offered at an Australian University, in partnership with consumer behaviour and intercultural communication courses at a Brazilian University. The collaboration involved peer-to-peer online interactions between 43 undergraduate students enrolled in the three courses. Despite the renewed popularity of implementing COIL in higher education to overcome pandemic barriers, there is little documentation of applying the method in design disciplines and less evidence on how it corresponds to studio pedagogy. This type of computer-mediated collaboration offers an accessible and more inclusive alternative to mobility programmes and can continue to expand the opportunities for students to experience the world during and after the pandemic. The article focuses on the perspective of design education, reflecting on the benefits and challenges of online international collaboration, and provides new insights into the adaptations required to integrate the COIL and studio models.

#eindakoa (what we have done): A Pedagogical Method of Interior Design Studio

Abstract: This paper is based on a report of the subject of Interior Projects Design Studio in the second-year course at IDarte. Each exercise of the course is summarized by an image. The image is accompanied by a brief report including the approach, the conceptual support, the historical and philosophical references, as well as the pedagogical orientation and the strategy of the exercise. The originality of this pedagogical method is based on offering the maximum freedom to the student in terms of personal creativity, while always working within a framework and within defined limits. This framework is designed in such a way that, in itself, it offers a complete methodological palette through which students assimilate the content of a subject such as Projects that is so difficult to define and specify. It does so in such a way that each exercise of this framework recreates the constitutive qualities of the architectural project: form, space, function, place, program, etc. In fact, each exercise is singled out based on some of these intrinsic qualities, enhancing the learning of these concepts, which most of the time would remain inaccessible. Thus, we stretch the conditions of each exercise to disparate and opposite extremes, to broaden the creative possibilities of the students (Santa-María, 2019:113; Viaplana, 2016:57). The conclusion represents a tapestry in which each exercise forms a ‘network’ along with the rest. Hence the value of the framework of this paper, since it already constitutes what could be defined as ‘the design of the design’.

Shutting the studio: the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on architectural education in the United Kingdom

Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic instigated a rapid shift to remote learning in schools of architecture in the United Kingdom. Through the largest survey of its kind of architectural students and tutors in the UK, this research compares experiences in the physical design studio and its remote equivalent. The context of the pandemic provided a unique opportunity to survey a range of cohorts, at different stages in their architectural education to compare these two modes of studio delivery. The findings show a fall in student satisfaction after the move to remote learning in every metric assessed. Peer interaction and support were particularly effected. More formal teaching interactions, such as reviews, crits and tutorials, also suffered but to a lesser extent. For teaching staff, some small improvements in the working environment were observed as well as organisational factors. However, these small gains were outweighed by the negative changes. The research suggests that despite the replication of teaching activities digitally, the situated learning of design education and the facilitation of informal learning scenarios are critical components of design education. This research contributes to the ongoing characterisation of architectural education's signature pedagogy and suggests that for effective remote learning, design studio education must be reconceptualised, and alternative pedagogies embraced. This can direct educators looking to develop remote design studio learning as well as highlighting areas in which the traditional model of architectural education may be enhanced.

The Impact of Virtual Reality on Student Design Decisions: Assessing Density and Proximity When Designing in Virtual Reality Versus Traditional Analog Processes

Abstract: For centuries, technological advances have aided designers in their work. However, the emergence of digital technologies has dramatically accelerated the pace and impact of new tools and technologies. The emergence of consumer-grade virtual reality (VR) in the last few years has the potential to dramatically impact the design profession through improved spatial interaction duringthedesignprocessandbymarryingtraditionalphysical analog processes with the benefits of a fluid digital technology. VR is quickly garnering the attention of researchers. Yet little research to date has focused on quantifying and understanding the impact of VR on the landscape architectural design process and the decisions made by designers. This research seeks to quantify the spatial impacts that VR has on the distribution of trees in a planting design task. Students across three universities participated in a planting design exercise using both traditional analog hand drafting techniques and digital techniques using VR. The study found that students utilized a greater number of trees and a larger portion of the site when designing in VR. These results may indicate that VR facilitated an improved spatial understanding of the site and design elements.

Transformational contribution of technology to studio culture: experience of an online first-year architecture design studio during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: PurposeDesign studios experienced an unprecedented contribution of technology when it came to organizing studios online, as imposed by COVID-19, which requires exploration of its impacts on the main metaphors of education, learning dimensions, and undoubtedly studio culture.Design/methodology/approachIn order to explore the impacts on the key dimensions of learning, a careful investigation was carried out from organizational, instructional, and learner points of view. The investigation utilized thematic analysis of records of pedagogical actions, as well as online communications, performance, and questionnaire responses of students to infer the conclusions. The freshmen architecture students were found to be an important group for study since they had no previous experiences in on-site design studios and will continue their education based on their first-year experiences.FindingsExploration of indicators—including reflective dialogue, retention, transfer of learned information to decisions, processing feedback as an investment in future performance, and self-regulation—as major contributors to design learning revealed that first-year students exhibited strong presence and interaction during online studio, and students' individuality influenced the teaching environment in terms of content and process. Hence, sense of belonging, which is a revamped feature of authentic context and studio culture, expands toward fortification of bottom-up educational frontiers.Originality/valueDeveloping pedagogies with no concern for the unprecedented impacts of the transformative role of technology on fundamental layers of design education will adversely influence students' chances of personal and professional success. The findings in this paper, regarding the transformational impacts of technology on design studio culture, follow investigation of the direction it has led current and can lead future design education. The study provides unique support for crystalizing new teaching and learning opportunities and pedagogical developments.

Collaborative Practice-Based Learning Methods in Architectural Design and Building Technology Education in a Cross-Cultural, Cross-Geographical Environment

Abstract: Design-build workshops and the proliferation of internet technologies fuel the exploration of alternative methods in international architectural education. Taking the example of a student team entry in an international construction workshop, this paper explores the possibilities and the effectiveness of alternative collaborative learning methods through practical application and the use of digital technologies in an intercultural environment. Τhis research focuses on the integration of building technology in the design through different learning environments in a design-built project. Using online questionnaires and interviews, students' learning background and their exposure to different learning styles is analyzed, both before and during the workshop. The findings of the research suggest that many students consider conventional design studio disconnected with reality and that learning with practical application helps their deeper understanding of the building processes. Most of them believe that the virtual studio environment encourages collaboration in the class and in a cross-cultural environment. A balanced combination of the three learning environments best suits contemporary learning and the needs of a globalized industry.

Learning and Teaching Urban Design through Design Studio Pedagogy: A Blended Studio on Transit Urbanism

Abstract: Studio-based pedagogy has been central to urban design programmes as it can enable future urban designers to more effectively acquire an understanding of how cities work and critically engage with the role of design intervention. This paper aims to explore the capacities and challenges of learning and teaching urban design through studio pedagogy by drawing on empirical research from a blended urban design studio experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. This is part of a broader exploratory project using a case study research design and mixed methods approach. This paper explains the process of designing and delivering two constructively aligned postgraduate urban design studios as part of the MA Urban Design programme at Cardiff University in the 2021–2022 academic year. It further discusses the findings of an online survey on the perceptions and experiences of students regarding blended design studio pedagogy. Designing two consecutive and constructively aligned design studios is argued to work better in comparison with designing two entirely separate stand-alone design studios engaging with different topics and sites. The paper highlights the importance of learning from cities as real urban design laboratories rather than merely analysing abstract secondary datasets. The value of policy review, small group reading discussions, and formative feedback opportunities is also highlighted as integral parts of the urban design studio pedagogy. The paper concludes by discussing a range of key issues concerning field site visit, policy review, community engagement, precedent review, student diversity, design studio topic, reading discussion, group size, formative feedback, engagement, educational background, and English language skills. The outcomes of this paper can inform future practices of developing pedagogical frameworks for blended urban design studios.

Transformation of the Design Studio in New Learning Spaces: Virtual Design Studio in Architecture Pedagogy

Abstract: Architectural education has come a long way since the first formal school of architecture, École des Beaux-Arts, was started at Paris, France in 1816. 21st century architecture is constantly evolving through changes in technology, and now in 2020-’21, COVID-19 pandemic has brought the concept of architectural education going online. Due to the forced disruption to the traditional pedagogical environment, a new pedagogical paradigm has been established through online theory and studio classes. This has brought about a challenging design pedagogy where teachers and students are reaping the benefits of technological advancement but without any prior training. This in turn has raised the question, how can architecture be taught effectively through virtual means? In response, this paper conducts literature review and a questionnaire survey amongst students and teachers of Chandigarh region on experiences of virtual teaching in the field of architecture and seeks to address the issues concerning virtual architectural pedagogy.

A paradigm shift in studio pedagogy during pandemic times: An international perspective on challenges and opportunities teaching design online

Abstract: This study advances the debate over the role of technology-enhanced teaching in the practice-based design studio. Framed by the exigencies of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a detailed survey and follow-up interviews illuminate the transformative experiences among 90 experienced design educators from seven countries. At the heart of this study is the question: where did design educators succeed in trying to approximate a physical studio using online technologies and where did technology-enhanced teaching fall short? Content analysis of qualitative data and reflective remarks provide a window into what educators see as the concrete pedagogical challenges and opportunities they have encountered. Their responses are analysed using the four major characteristics of the practice-based design studio: dialogical learning, the critique, studio culture and studio class size. The results clearly demonstrate that the social aspects of the physical studio with its informal learning opportunities are difficult to replicate online and dialogical learning could not be effectively established online unless classes were smaller. There were also positive responses, particularly using online collaboration platforms for online critiques. Design educators can now prototype a new studio pedagogy that incorporates online elements that potentially enhance the learning and teaching experience in the physical design studio, while rejecting those that do not work for their domain.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on architecture design studio pedagogy in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on architecture education during the lockdown in Saudi Arabia, as well as the new normal that has emerged. This indicates the potential to develop frameworks and strategies for adapting architectural pedagogy modes to unexpected situations.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on qualitative research with phenomenological aspects, focusing on a phenomenon experienced by a group of people involved in a Bachelor of Architecture degree program. This paper uses data collected from a literature study, as well as interviews conducted at the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture of Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia; the data sources include tutors, students and recent graduates with common teaching and learning experiences in design studios.FindingsThe study shows the feasibility of conducting part of the design course in a distance mode and the rest as on-campus attendance, to ensure effectiveness and to produce quality architectural designs with maximum detail. However, research reveals that both students and educators need greater awareness of the self-learning process.Originality/valueThe research value lies in exploring how the imposition of a distance architecture design studio due to the COVID-19 lockdown has potentially established a new pedagogical model for teaching architecture design studio.

Blurring disciplinary boundaries in the design studio: Bringing architecture, business and arts students together to prototype new solutions for palliative care

Abstract: As complex global problems increasingly require the knowledge and skills of a broad array of disciplines, existing pedagogical approaches need to shift to support graduates to develop the skills necessary for innovation. This article reports on an experimental design studio that asked students from the disciplines of architecture, business and arts to work collaboratively to propose innovative solutions to complex real-world problems. While bringing other disciplines into the design studio is not new, in previously reported examples students were provided well-defined parameters for assessment tasks, alongside clear expectations for how disciplines should work together. The studio reported here provided students with the agency to define their own artefacts in response to the problems facing palliative care, and to decide how they would work together in the process of that production. Within this context, students were forced to examine their own disciplinary limitations and to find strategies for working beyond those, and in doing so, move beyond the recognized limitations of inter- and multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving. To understand the value of this learning experience, extensive data were gathered from students in addition to educator observations. This article provides advice for design educators wanting to augment the studio learning environment through transdisciplinary collaboration, as well as those beyond the design disciplines who may be interested in utilizing this learning approach.

Reversing the design process in the introductory architectural design studio: The exploratory function of sketch modelling

Abstract: This study investigated the exploratory potentials of sketch modelling in the introductory architectural design studio. It focused on the course ‘ARCH 102 Architectural Design Studio I’, in which sketch modelling was deployed as a creative problem-solving practice, triggering an exploratory process through thinking and doing. The study adopted the case-study method. Hence, the principal sources of data are student projects and studio tutors’ first-hand observations and reflections. The findings reveal that, along with its iterative and communicative functions, the exploratory nature of sketch modelling helps first-year students overcome design issues in the making of design. The findings lay the groundwork for more systematic studies on reflective learning practices in design education.

New Strategies and Practices of Design Education Under the Background of Artificial Intelligence Technology: Online Animation Design Studio

Abstract: This study is based on the background of how artificial intelligence (AI) technology is applied to the field of creativity and design education to improve the design vision, teaching methods, and actual design productivity of practitioners. The purpose of the research is to compare traditional design education and new design education methods combined with AI technology. Taking the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) technology integration model as the starting point, a comprehensive evaluation is selected for different types of research to explore the animation design professional courses in design education, the content of students’ perception preferences, and the evaluation of ease of learning so as to conduct research and analyze AI technology. Design new education strategies and practice methods under the background. In the research, a comparative experimental study was conducted on 40 first-year students majoring in animation design. The results show that through online design studio project practice, with personalized project learning guidance, the learning needs of students to show a better trend, and customized learning and project practice content can enhance the learning experience and performance of students. In the future, we can further expand the scope of analysis, include more case studies, and conduct more comprehensive research, including how to deal with the expansion of the platform for students’ learning of design in situations similar to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that profoundly affects our lives, and how the project is applied in practice.

A case study of process performances during a small-group activity: comparison between a round-shaped and a crescent-shaped seating arrangements in studio-style learning spaces

Abstract: Abstract This research explored the best shapes and layouts of seating arrangements for fostering process performances of students in studio-style learning spaces, which have emerged in the development of collaborative learning environments in higher education. We conducted a design case study to explore both team and individual process performances during a small-group activity in a round-shaped and a crescent-shaped seating arrangement. Evaluators observed and measured the individual process performance of each group member together with the team process performances of each group. All factor scores of the individual process performance were higher in the crescent-shaped seating arrangement than in the round-shaped seating arrangement, with substantive effect sizes. In the group process performance, the factor scores of ‘planning and process’ and ‘independence and leadership’ in the crescent-shaped seating arrangement were substantially higher than those of the round-shaped arrangement, indicating that the crescent-shaped seating arrangement fostered students’ ability to collaborate responsibly in their project work. Video analysis revealed that groups in the crescent-shaped layout tended to have more eye-contact and to spend less time planning, which indicates that such sociopetal effects have the potential to promote efficiency in the discussion between people seated in a crescent-shaped arrangement. We discuss the necessity to take students’ seating arrangements into consideration regarding the sociopetal, as well as a proximal focal point and less-disparate distance between the leader and other participants to allow them to engage in their own work better.

Enhancing Students’ Competency and Learning Experience in Structural Engineering through Collaborative Building Design Practices

Abstract: The field of the built environment is evolving, whereby the involvement of a multi-disciplinary team in the project becomes necessary. Complexities of issues keep challenging the industry of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) and address the importance of skills in collaborative work to deliver a great building design. A building that is not only aesthetic but also durable, sturdy, sustainable, and has positive influences on the surroundings. That said, collaboration skills become essential for students in the field of AEC. Concerning this current need in the industry, it becomes necessary for the educators as well as the undergraduate programs, especially in the field of AEC, to facilitate the students with exposure to a multi-disciplinary environment, to enhance the readiness of their graduates in the industry. The current pandemic makes the efforts harder. This study presents a case study-based research on enhancing the competency and learning experience of students through an international and multi-disciplinary collaborative environment in the form of joint studio assignments involving students of architecture and civil engineering. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches through triangulation methodology were used in the study. Results showed that students could enhance their knowledge as well as their skill to collaborate, especially in the design process.

In the studio with virtual reality: Student perceptions and potential integrations into art and design curriculum

Abstract: The use of virtual reality (VR) to create immersive experiences through the principles taught in art and design curricula has been studied over the past two decades while, at the same time, demonstrating positive correlations between learning outcomes and the technology. Not surprisingly, the creation of 3D models within a virtual environment leads to a better understanding of 3D workflow. Yet, despite these developments, few studies have been conducted specifically on the application within a studio context for art and design disciplines and how VR might benefit artists and designers. This study confirms that the use of VR in art and design courses is perceived to promote a better understanding of three-dimensional spaces, design and to improve student-centred activities and student–student interactions. At the same time, integrating VR into curriculum should be strategic and aligned with learning outcomes for impactful learning experiences.