Abstract:

In design education, students are instructed through lecture courses and within studios. A studio is unusual in higher education and could most likely resemble a laboratory setting where classmates are in one dedicated location for long periods of time. A studio is where faculty work closely with students to help them understand design by doing design. The culmination of this learning experience is the final review, where students present completed work before peers, faculty, and expert practitioners (i.e., the jury). A successful review will be an intense yet engaging conversation with students and reviewers.

The level of interaction for students and instructor varies throughout the semester, as students and instructor work closely during desk critiques. The final review is at the end. This evaluation assesses student learning and performance. It cannot be directly applied to student work and is less impactful than feedback given throughout the semester.

The final review’s value and worth are rarely questioned or challenged. Students typically have very little input in this closing pedagogical event. To provide insight into their views, a pilot test survey was distributed to all graduate and undergraduate students at a multi-disciplinary design school within the United States. Five design disciplines were included in this case study: architecture, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture. Respondents (n=73) provided written comments about their perceived understanding of the final studio review.

The sample showed the average respondent was a female (72%), sophomore (20%) undergraduate architecture major (42%). Over half the respondents (53%) participated in five or fewer studio reviews during their education. Students were asked two questions, “What aspects of the final review do you view as POSITIVE?” and “What aspects of the final review do you view as NEGATIVE?”. Study participants provided open-ended responses. Qualitative analysis with thematic coding revealed several themes.

Results show that students view the final review as important because it provides a variety of opinions from unbiased external practitioners. It increases their presentation skills, and prepares them for similar presentation challenges they will experience in professional practice. They see this event as a time to reflect and view their progress throughout the semester. They also see it as a way to validate assessment by comparing their progress to their peers.

Negative views were also expressed. A final review can be a stressful event. Students may not know how to handle conflicting comments and differing expectations. They lack the ability to accept criticism without getting defensive. Students may have little awareness prior to the event about the process, how reviewers will interact with students and how the faculty will use the reviewers’ comments in the final assessment of the project (i.e., the final grade).

While this study focused on the studio review, the findings are equally applicable to other disciplines. Students’ understanding of capstone or culminating experiences can be enhanced through involvement in assessment and the creation of grading rubrics. Instructors can offer orientation sessions to better prepare students to engage with external reviewers. In addition, reviewers can be offered training on positive critique to aid instructors in their final assessment.

Keywords:

Studio, Review, Student, Assessment.