Learning theory through doing: Applying design studio methods in the construction of an academic argument

In Memoriam: Dr. Clive L. Dym (1942–2016)

“Design Studio” is acknowledged as the core course for “spatial design” in both architecture and interior architecture education. The main idea of the design studio is based on uniting all the gathered information from other classes in a context of an architectural project. The key expectation from the studio is to teach ‘how to think creatively’. This paper, particularly concentrates on interior architecture education. Design studios in Turkey, mostly use what is referred as the “contextual model” which starts with a given problem/ situation and proceeds from that given context. During the process of this approach, the instructor guides the student, discusses space generation and corrects technical mistakes. Taking “creative thinking” into consideration, it is important to constitute another model, which is referred as the “conceptual model”. This process starts with student’s thoughts triggered by chosen materials, and the instructor communicates through abstract and intellectual thinking, discusses idea generation and, corrects technical mistakes. In this paper, the method of comparative analysis is used to examine the advantages and disadvantages of each above mentioned design studio model. The comparison of models is done by criteria derived from Salama’s (1995) survey about the current situation in design studios. As a result of the study it is observed that, both models have some advantages and disadvantages regarding seven excogitated design studio criteria.Keywords: design education, design studio, creative thinking, ınterior architecture.

The studio is the educational setting where architectural students dedicate a large part of their study career working individually and in groups. Supporting students with adequate methods to deal with ill-defined problems in the design studio is a major challenge for design education. Whereas different approaches such as using design patterns and developing scenarios are reported to improve the design activity, they were never investigated in the design studio. An empirical investigation was conducted in order to explore whether and how scenarios and patterns can help students in developing a useful knowledge base and enhance their abilities to solve design problems in the design studio. Students were requested to solve a series of design problems using these educational methods, while working individually and as a team. They were asked to produce as many design ideas as possible, while in the team setting were instructed to think aloud. The data assessed is gathered from surveys, problem solving sessions, and interviews. Thus, qualitative and quantitative analyses had to be done to find out about the different impact of the two methods in design. The results showed that as an educational approach, patterns aided in defining problems and analyzing idea solutions, mainly from a technical and functional perspective. Scenarios, on the other hand, were helpful to generate new ideas, and to enhance design creativity. Independently of the pedagogical method used in the design studio, working in teams showed to be central to enrich and enhance many aspects of the design activity. The findings have important implications for intervention programs in the design studio. Key words: design thinking, design studio, design education, educational setting, problem solving session, students teamwork.

Design theories and processes are increasingly taught including emerging technological and dynamic processes that make apparent new concepts about the interfaces between people, spaces and objects. This article considers how traditional design foundations might be reconsidered, and how social and human issues are best integrated through a philosophically phenomenological foundation to design thinking. Theoretical ideas are presented as part of ongoing research in this area, and in terms of how theory and practice can be integral to dynamic design studio experiences and activities. Examples of design projects are explored, and pragmatic ways of encouraging design studio learning are discussed. Ultimately what we wish to know as designers is how to engage in design problem-solving that situates the human user as active recipient of design interventions, in ways that value both technological need and emotional, personal and social aspects of living in our complex global world.

In this paper, we sought to address the following research question: What knowledge and skills are needed by instructional designers in higher education to be successful in their roles? We interviewed eight instructional designers from across the United States, all working for institutions of higher education. Using the constant comparative method, we analyzed our data to identify relevant themes. Our results suggest that instructional designers in higher education must have a solid foundation in instructional design and learning theory, possess soft skills and technical skills, and have a willingness to learn on the job. Most instructional designers felt their academic backgrounds assisted them with their job roles, and, in particular, valued their professional experiences. Instructional designers in higher education must also keep abreast of multiple emerging information and communication technologies. We provide a discussion to synthesize our findings. The findings are relevant to professionals, professional academic programs, and professional associations.

Two propositions underpin the paper. The first is that studio-based research contributes to architectural knowledge in a manner no less vital or effective then more traditional research methods. The second proposition is that experimentation undertaken in the design studio at its most effective blurs distinctions between the activities of the practicing architect, academic theoretician, and the historian. An analysis of two approaches to the architecture design studio in the university setting will lead to a preliminary response to these propositions. The introduction provides an overview of the guiding questions, approach, and data sources. In the second part I analyse two exemplary design studios, those undertaken under John Hejduk at Cooper Union, and Colin Rowe’s urban design studio at Cornell University. In the third part I return to the opening propositions and suggest some generalizable findings. The paper aligns with the Conference themes of “Experiments in design education”, and “Methods of experiments in design research”.

Purpose Creativity as an outcome of our thoughts and actions is a controversial concept that has been discussed by many disciplines in different ways. In the light of cognitive research on creativity, this study aims to deal with the components of the idea generation process specific to interior design education. Based on the study conducted in the interior design studio, this paper introduces the infographic model of design thinking. the main purpose of the model is to summarize how design students initiate the design process, create their own design ideas, and also how they lead design thinking for a spatial solution. Design/Methodology/Approach The cross-disciplinary research paper within the context of the psychological studies on creative cognition consists of a detailed analysis of the design process in the design studio. A case study was conducted in the second-year undergraduate interior design studio at Hacettepe University in order to observe the students’ experiences during one semester. In the wake of this qualitative research, the data obtained from 15 design students selected have been analyzed gradually and a design thinking model has been generated with the findings. Findings In addition to the interpretation of the creativity models from the literature, initial analyses showed that design thinking can be explained in three main stages as preparation, conceptualization, and spatialization that underlie the internal and external process of design thinking in the design studio. With subsequent analyses, these stages have been divided into different strategical layers according to students’ experiences. As a result, the infographic model of the design thinking process is structured based on the evaluations of these components and the design approaches identified. Research Limitations/Implications The data acquired from the case study undertaken by the author were compared so as to identify the similarities and diversities of these processes. More research on different stages of the design process can shed more light on design thinking. In addition to this, qualitative data are based on a small group of students to get detailed information about the process. The proposed model can be adapted for different studies in the context of the design studio with more participants. Practical/Social Implications The proposed model in the research is intended to be used as a content map that shows the alternative ways of thinking in design ideation, and also an analysis method of the design process for future studies. In other words, the paper shows the two-way implications of the design thinking model on design education. One of which is a guide for practical use for design students and the other is an analytical tool for studio instructors or researchers. Originality/Value This study brings to focus on conceptualization and spatialization for creative idea generation in design studio education. On the basis of drawn from creativity models, the paper introduces a new process model that provides an original interpretation of existing models in design. The proposed model differs from previous cognitive studies, as it expands the ideation process with both internal and external operations.

The writing of this paper aims to determine the application of meaningful learning in history learning. As for the preparation, the author uses the literature method, both book sources and journals found on the internet. In addition, the purpose of the preparation of this work is to explain the importance of meaningful learning in the learning process in schools, besides that the author also applies it in the design of history learning in schools. Seeing that history learning is one of the learning that contains noble values in it, so that by using this meaningful learning strategy students not only get limited knowledge, but the learning results can be applied in solving problems, answering questions, and producing good attitudes and characters of students. Based on the discussion that has been done by the author that Ausubel's learning theory is one of the many learning theories that are the basis for cooperative learning. Ausubel's learning theory is suitable for use in history learning, because the learning process will be more meaningful if students are able to connect the knowledge they have with learning material in the classroom.

Mechanical design education focuses on teaching students with fundamental design theory and methodology. Educators systematically introduce design theories, processes, and tools to help students solve design problems. Companies and professional organizations expect that students will be equipped with basic understanding of the engineering practice, and be able to effectively perform independently and in a team environment. Senior capstone design courses, particularly with industry sponsored projects, are widely used to satisfy both education and professional needs of students. This paper presents an education system, which can further facilitate students to acquire design skills in a real-time collaborative, and practical environment. The web-based system helps student teams to: (1) specify the design process for their team projects, (2) organize and distribute tasks among different team members to simulate industry design environment, and (3) get instantaneous access to models, analysis, etc. related to their design. The developed web-based system also contains a knowledge-base that provides students with instructions to setup the design process for projects, and to perform different design tasks. A virtual design organization is created in the system, which is managed by students. In this paper different components of the web-based design education system are presented.

Although the design studio has formally been the locus for design education, informal education approach has gained more and more acceptance in the world. Informal education, which is the education outside the confines of curricula, includes the acquisition of knowledge and skills through experience, reading, social contact, etc. Workshops cover the essential weight of this informal education. Although the role of the design workshops in architectural design education has been very limited through overall design education’s past, many schools of architecture have taken steps to consider workshops as the part of informal learning and education. “Culture and Space in the Build environment” (CSBE) Network of IAPS have been organizing “culture and design workshop series” for graduate and post graduate students in Turkey since 2001. In these workshops, a design teaching approach based on the conceptual framework of culture and space interactions is applied. The conceptual framework developed for the architectural design education, takes three fundamental starting points for workshops as the part of informal design education: as a tool for informal design education (method), as a tool for learning & understanding culture-environment relations (content), and as a tool for awareness of different environments/contexts (scale/place). The foundation of the conceptual framework is based on the general approach that discusses the “architectural design process” with regards to environmental context and content. Within this context the aim of the paper is to discuss and evaluate the importance and the contribution of workshops as tool for informal architectural design education. These discussions will be held on the case of IAPS-CBSE Network’s last workshop “Istanbul as a Palimpsest City and Imperfection”. In the paper, the process, the method, the content and the results of workshop studies will be discussed and evaluated.

The purpose of this study is to investigate student attitudes towards and perceptions of using the Internet and information technology to mediate a design studio course and to propose guidelines and suggestions for developing Internet-mediated design studio courses. Two classes of third-year undergraduate industrial design students in two collaborating universities in Taiwan—Chang Gung University and National Yunlin University of Science and Technology—participated in an experimental design studio course mediated with an online design learning environment. Surveys and focus group interviews were conducted at the end of the course to record students’ attitudes and perceptions. The students thought that the approach used had a positive influence on design teaching and learning and expressed acceptance of using the Internet to support design education. Finally, suggestions were proposed to help design educators in adopting, modifying, and developing systems for using the Internet to mediate design studio courses.

240 Children, Youth and Environments Vol. 20 No. 2 (Fall 2010) ISSN: 1546-2250 Linking Architecture and Education: Sustainable Design for Learning Environments Taylor, Anne (2009). Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press; 451 pages. $100. ISBN 9780826334077. In Linking Architecture and Education, Anne Taylor has compiled a career of research into an extensive resource for architects, administrators, educators, and anyone else involved in the design of learning environments. Dr. Taylor founded and served as director of the Institute for Environmental Education in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico, where she directed research that examined the effects of the built environment on children. In this book she advocates for a series of design principles developed through years of teaching, research, and professional consultancy on the design of learning environments. The book places primary emphasis on the design of schools and schoolyards, with consideration also given to informal learning spaces such as museums and playgrounds. Aimed at providing a common language for design professionals and educators, Taylorattempts to link educational goals and learning theories to design principles through the use of numerous charts and graphics woven throughout the volume. The book is loosely organized around five key themes: philosophical foundations, organizational strategies, the building as a teaching tool or “threedimensional textbook,” future trends, and fostering ecological stewardship. The first four themes serve as the topics for the book sections, providing a sequential organization and unifying structure to the extensive literature. Stewardship is addressed in four separate chapters—one for each section of the book. The organization of the book is driven by Taylor’s aspirations to transform the educational built environment through a series of holistic-design guidelines including: design criteria that is informed by the users’ developmental needs; architectural form that evolves from curriculum and learning theory; educational spaces that are 241 flexible and modeled after the design studio; learning landscapes; community engagement through co-location, multi-use design, and the community as living laboratory; and post-occupancy user guides and evaluation. Along the way she incorporates supplemental information in the form of case studies, photographs, charts, and visual and verbal commentary from colleagues. These are organized in a brilliantly colored and graphically coded format of sidebar information, design tools, designer perspectives, and stewardship forums. At times this rich array of resources and varied perspectives disrupts the flow of the book—obscuring the points presented instead of punctuating them. But, perhaps more significantly, they also create the possibility for an alternative, nonlinear, reading of the book. Students, design and education professionals, parents, and community members may find this secondary organization helpful in using the text as a sourcebook of examples and best practices both to inform the design of new learning spaces as well as to identify opportunities to make more effective use of existing spaces. The link between pedagogy and architectural design is made clear throughout the book, with related concepts often introduced through charts and diagrams and further reinforced by case examples. In section one, for example,Taylor links philosophical theories to the roles of the learner and teacher, the curriculum, and instructional strategies. She also links these theories to the role of the architect, the design process, and the form of the physical environment. A case study of Reggio Emilia preschools inItaly then demonstrates how aspects of the building design can support the educational philosophy of the school. Stakeholders in design processes may benefit from understanding how philosophy informs practice, and Taylorjustifies combining this information into a single chart as a starting point for design discussion between disciplines. Often such diagrams in the book successfully illustrate key relationships between architecture and education, but at times the format is problematic. For example, the chart could easily be misinterpreted by the reader as a prescription for a particular design process or architectural style based on the educational philosophy of the client. In general, however, Taylor successfully relates educational and architectural concepts in clear and meaningful 242 ways. Design students and practitioners may appreciate the succinct overview of major educational theories in section two, whereas educators may find section three particularly useful for the long list of suggestions about how to use the educational facility...

Social bookmarking is an online tool that can enable students to develop their skills in finding, sharing and (re)organising online information. Research has demonstrated that it has the potential to impact positively on students’ digital literacies – their ability to use the Internet critically to support their learning – and particularly on the kinds of online research skills that are vital to supporting inquiry-based approaches to learning and teaching in history. This chapter provides a detailed overview of how online social bookmarking tools have been used to support the development of students’ digital literacies in history in a number of UK higher education institutions. The general approach which has been adopted is based on constructivist principles and requires students to develop their skills and appreciation of the Internet as a venue for scholarly research in order to strengthen their inquiry skills in preparation for more independent work at higher levels of study. The chapter presents evaluative data that has been collected from students who have used social bookmarking to support inquiry activities within modules and as part of their independent learning activities. We also report staff reflections on the usefulness of social bookmarking to support student learning in history and make some recommendations for the practical application of such tools elsewhere. These include the potential significant impact of social bookmarking on students’ ability to interact productively and creatively with online resources in the course of their learning; the usefulness of the tool in supporting collaborative working and sharing materials; the need to ensure that students receive adequate training in using social bookmarking and that their work receives adequate credit (which will, in turn, increase motivation).

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan penerapan metode PAKEM dalam meningkatkan keterampilan siswa membaca puisi sekolah mitra SMP Negeri 13 Langsa dengan menggunakan metode penelitian tindakan kelas. Peningkatkan kemampuan siswa membaca puisi dengan metode konvensionalmasih rendah pada Kelas VIII SMP Negeri 13 Langsa. Permasalahan dalam penelitian ini adalah apakah pembelajaran dengan metode PAKEM dapat meningkatkan kemampuan siswa dalam membaca puisi pada Kelas VIII SMP Negeri 13 Langsa. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa Kelas VIII SMP Negeri 13 Langsa yang berjumlah 29 Siswa yang dijadikan sebagai sampel penelitian. Objek penelitian adalah penerapan metode PAKEM. Alat dalam pengumpulan data adalah pengamatan, observasi, dan penugasan dengan jalur siklus, yaitu siklus I dan siklus II, pada siklus I nilai rata-rata 53,6 dengan ketuntasan 24,13%. Pada siklus II meningkatkan menjadi 78,9 dengan ketuntasan 86,2%, berarti hasil meningkat pada siklus II (tuntas). Dengan demikian hasil penerapan metode pakem dalam meningkatkan keterampilan siswa membaca puisi sekolah mitra SMP Negeri 13 Langsa terjadi peningkatan 60,07%

Driven by the wave of the technological revolution, digital technology is reshaping the field of art and design at an unprecedented depth. The traditional design paradigm has struggled to adapt to the rapidly evolving aesthetic demands and creative methods. The integrated development of multimedia technology and computer-aided design not only injects new vitality into artistic creation but also opens up a multi-dimensional space for artistic expression. This transformation has created new era propositions for higher art and design education. As the core base for cultivating art and design talents, the construction of the teaching staff in higher education institutions is directly related to the height and breadth of discipline development. The group of art and design teachers shoulders multiple missions: they not only have to fulfill their primary duties of imparting knowledge and skills, but also achieve breakthroughs in areas such as discipline construction, academic research, and social services. Especially during the critical period of digital transformation, the teaching staff needs to possess an interdisciplinary perspective, technological innovation capabilities, and cutting-edge aesthetic literacy, which poses a severe challenge to the traditional teacher training model. Under the background of digital transformation, universities need to re-examine their teacher development strategies and build an art-design teaching staff that adapts to the digital age through multi-dimensional measures such as institutional innovation, resource integration, and evaluation reform. This is not only a practical demand for improving teaching efficiency, but also a strategic choice for promoting the long-term development of the discipline. The competitiveness of future art and design education will largely depend on the depth and breadth of the current digital transformation of teaching staff.