Crafting Engaging Virtual Teaching-Learning Environment for Design Studio Courses in the Era of COVID-19
摘要
This paper presents the teaching-learning experience of offering course modules to postgraduate students of the transportation and automobile design discipline in an online medium. From the pedagogical approach, the module preparation process to delivery to design students outlines the overall creative approach. A cohort of 15 enrolled students engaged with course modules that are normally offered in studio/classroom spaces on campus. Three-course modules with skills, theory, and project/studio nature were delivered using MS Teams, Zoom, Miro boards, and Google Suite, exploring these diverse platforms in remote learning. The study captures faculty members’ critical reflections on teaching methods and student feedback, highlighting positive aspects, limitations, and their impact on designing student learning. Key themes discovered in this transformative process entailed (i) challenges in peer learning, (ii) the importance of icebreakers, (iii) the design learner’s new habits, and (iv) the redefined role of design mentors. This paper recognizes the shifting paradigms and proposes a set of guidelines for design education futures.