CONSIDERATIONS FOR TEACHING DIGITAL PLATFORMS: SKILLS, THEORY, OR APPLICATION?

Digital technology has dramatically altered most fields of study in the recent decades. While it brings many benefits, as we become more familiar with this new digital playing field, the way we incorporate digital platforms in studios and classrooms transforms the very nature of education, and calls for new ways of teaching and learning. A tendency to look at the medium, and not at how it is learned or used is not enough. In what ways can teachers optimize learning of the digital medium as well as appropriately combining it with the disciplinary content? This subject has received much attention, and continues to be examined in this paper.

The relationship of teaching skills, theories, and application methods in a Digital Graphics class of an Interior Architecture and Design curriculum will be used as an example in this dialogue, in an effort to develop a recommendation for teaching methodologies of entry-level technology/digital courses. The paper will rely on student projects, reflections and feedback from students, and faculty assessment of the teaching content and learning outcomes.