What is Studio Based Learning?

Studio-based learning encompasses a wide range of teaching styles to provide learners with hands-on experiences to enhance their learning outcomes and problem-solving skills. These authentic learning experiences engage students in the design or creative process of an object, artefact, display or performance. The pedagogical approaches underpinning studio-based learning include critical pedagogy, constructivism, experiential learning, problem-based learning, peer-to-peer learning and the master-apprentice model.

The critical aspects for studio-based learning are:

• The visual nature of the artefacts being created
• The ability for the expert instructor to interact with students and provide annotated feedback directly about a visual artefact
• The focus on peer assessment where all students in a group are provided with shared feedback

What is the Flipped Classroom?

In a traditional, lecture-based instructional model, students typically learn new material in class, and then are expected to spend their time outside of class expanding this knowledge.

The ‘flipped classroom’ is a pedagogical model in which these phases of instruction are “flipped” or “reversed”.

Students gain first exposure to new material outside of class, usually via reading or lecture videos, and then use class time to do the harder work of assimilating that knowledge, perhaps through problem-solving, discussion, or debates.
(Vanderbilt University)

Some of the benefits of the flipped classroom model include:

• More flexibility and personalisation for students
• Increased interaction through active learning experiences during class time
• Improvements to learners’ confidence and success
• Access to time for reflection
• Encouragement of independent learning
• Promotion of peer learning

What is Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is a student-centred teaching pedagogy, characterised by a flexible, dynamic and active approach to its delivery. In PBL, learners work on investigating and responding to authentic, real world projects, problems or challenges. PBL is underpinned by other pedagogies such as active learning, experiential learning, transformative learning, social constructivism, and design thinking.

One of the most important characteristics of PBL is the shift from learning through traditional, teacher-led classroom activities to focusing on student-centred activities.

Some of the benefits of PBL are:

• Helps students develop and re-enforce 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, teamwork, problem solving, flexibility, adaptability, leadership and others
• Increases learners’ engagement
• Encourages a deeper understanding of concepts through relevant and authentic learning experiences
• Encourages students to participate in Inquiry processes
• Fosters leaners’ independence, and ownership of their work

What is Practical/ Workshop Learning

Practical and workshop learning is a broad-based modality that encompasses a wide range of learning activities involving interaction with tools and material while being taught and introduced to practical skills, techniques and ideas. Similar to studio-based learning, workshop/practical learning is underpinned by pedagogies that require the learners to be involved in processes that allow them to formulate and construct knowledge through hands-on, small groups or individual tasks. Although this mode of delivery is common in the college of SEH, it is also used in the disciplines of architecture and construction management at DSC.

Some of the benefits of practical/workshop learning are:

• Encourages learners to investigate and practice new methods
• Allows for learning through making mistakes in an environment where feedback is given on the spot, and subsequently nurtures reflection
• Provides a space for intensive collaboration and sharing
• Reinforces competencies in specialised areas
• Builds capacity and skills
• Gives learners the opportunity to gain diverse views and expertise
• Provides access to specialised equipment

What is Work Integrated Learning

Work-integrated learning is a pedagogical practice whereby students learn through the integration of experiences in educational and workplace settings.

WIL is defined as “an umbrella term that describes a range of models and approaches to learning and assessment that integrates discipline theory, knowledge and skills with the practice of work as an integral part of program design”
(RMIT University, 2020)

Janice Orrell (2018) from Flinders University summarised the benefits of WIL for students as follows:

• Develop their professional identity
• Advance their theoretical knowledge and transferable skills
• Communicate effectively to people in diverse roles
• Engage in teamwork, problem posing and solving, and self-management
• Enhance their digital literacy skills, and
• Understand at a practice level what ethical practice means

What are Lectures?

A lecture is defined as “a teacher-led presentation of direct instruction to a large groups of students held-on campus”.

• Some of the benefits of lectures are:
• Allows for the introduction of new topics to large groups
• Allows for the presentation of large amount of content
• Enhances learners’ understanding of the content if part of a blended approach
• Recyclable and shareable if pre-recorded

What are Tutorials?

A tutorial tends to follow a lecture and is usually defined as “a teacher-led collaborative session of learner-centred learning activities with a smaller group of students”.

Tutorials can be beneficial because they:

• Supplement and reinforce the content delivered in the lecture
• Allow learners to ask questions
• Provide learners with the opportunity to discuss content in more detail
• Allow learners to seek and receive more personalised assistance
• Foster collaboration amongst learners
• Allow the teacher to get to know leaners better