Hands-on versus virtual: Reshaping the design classroom with blended learning

Abstract

The heart of design studio teaching is traditionally linked to one-on-one teaching activities and to the exchange of feedback prompting many design educators to think it does not lend itself to online delivery. This study explored how design educators can translate the essence of design studio pedagogy into a blended learning environment. The four-year study involving 119 first-year undergraduate design students reports on the development, implementation, and iteration of a blended learning experience in an introductory design subject. The subject followed a flipped classroom model where video lectures, software tutorials, and additional readings were delivered online through a Learning Management System; practical face-to-face tutorials allowed students to work on their projects, present their work, and engage in the dialogical learning process. Student and design instructor feedback was collected to evaluate the changes and overall effectiveness of the design of the blended learning experience, which proved to be effective.