The effect of online teaching on basic design studio in the time of COVID-19: an application of the technology acceptance model

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to reduce its spread, education in Jordan was urgently forced in March 2020 to switch from physical education to distance one. Architecture, accordingly, transitioned suddenly from face-to-face to remote design studio education. Recently, many questions have been raised about the competency of teaching architecture remotely due to its practical nature. This study aimed at investigating the effect of applying a distance studio teaching approach in the first year of architectural education on students' skill acquisition, performance, and achievement. The study used a mixed-method approach to assess students' ‘perceived usefulness’ and ‘perceived ease of use’ of online teaching of the Basic Design course in addition to its effect on the perceivers themselves by applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The findings indicate that it can be beneficial in terms of enhancing students' performance, motivation, and interaction and enriching course goals, content, and teaching process.