Abstract:

Research shows the educational value of Problem Based Learning in fostering student achievement in higher education. Students in professional studio-based curricula experience problem-based learning through ill-defined studio projects that challenge students to develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities. For design students, problem-based learning promotes learning the design skills necessary to resolve complex problems in a studio setting. However, this educational approach often lacks a fundamental facet of design education, which is client or community engagement. This paper presents the outcomes of a Landscape Architecture project that engaged citizens and public officials of a rural town in the Southeastern United States.

A senior Regional Design Studio partnered with the City of Lonoke, Arkansas to study the existing landscape systems, conduct input sessions with community stakeholders, and develop design recommendations for efficient and sustainable growth in the city. This paper focuses on the student’s community engagement and its educational benefits. The Studio conducted two public input sessions in Fall 2019 to gather community feedback regarding Lonoke’s Park System, flooding concerns, perceptions of Two-Prairie Bayou, Cultural Amenities, and mapping biking/walking routes.

Small groups of students lead each topic during the input sessions. The Mayor of Lonoke commenced the input sessions by welcoming citizens, acknowledging our students, and encouraging people to visit each topic in an open forum format. Prior to the input sessions, students researched various methods implemented by design professionals for soliciting stakeholder participation.

The input sessions employed various methods to solicit input for these topics that included:
1. Participants placing a thumbtack on the parks they routinely visited.
2. Participants commenting on “sticky-notes” their likes and improvements for individual parks.
3. Participants ranking future park amenities using color stickers to cast their vote.
4. Participants placing a thumbtack on places that regularly flood.
5. Participants commenting on “sticky-notes” their visual preferences of the Two Prairie Bayou.
6. Participants mapping their walking/biking routes.

Before the event students mentioned experiencing some anxiety about participating in the input sessions because they had never taken part in this type of event. All students were reassured that their preparation would cultivate a successful experience. During the input sessions, students engaged a diverse range of citizens including youth to elderly. Following the sessions, students expressed excitement and how informative community engagement is in advancing a design proposal for a community. The knowledge gained from the community input sessions led the students to develop a series of design recommendations related to Transportation, Water, and Parks for Lonoke.

At the semesters end, students reflected that the community input sessions were very beneficial educational experiences. The document produced by the students for the City of Lonoke will assist in their future planning and the Mayor and many citizens commented on the quality and professionalism of the students. While complimentary, the educational value of the community engaging with university students in a real-world setting plays a significant role in nurturing and promoting burgeoning design professionals.

Keywords:

Community engagement, design education, problem based learning, service learning.