Course planning from first principles and early intervention: the case for studio-based learning — no drawing board required

The ethos of studio is considered alongside experiential and enquiry-based approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. The findings are drawn from a review of practice-based case studies and working papers from built environment disciplines, utilising the Centre for Education in the Built Environment (CEBE)1 website as a key resource. Informal, unstructured interviews with architectural tutors helped in the preparation of a practitioner seminar. Contributors to the seminar discussion included Dr Andrew Roberts, (Co-Director, CEBE) and Andrew Wilson, the course leader for the Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture at Sheffield Hallam University. Discussions during the practitioner seminar explored the central question of how and to what extent Studio approaches to learning, teaching and assessment can inform and potentially improve pedagogy in other built environment discipline areas (beyond architecture). A number of themes have emerged and are explored in this paper by considering real issues as experienced by practitioners in the studio environment and also other challenges outside the classroom. It is clear that a number of key concerns need to be managed during curriculum design to support and take advantage of any element of studio success. The paper includes reflections on physical space, virtual space, learning communities, module and course structure, timetabling and authentic learning in order to draw out specific principles that can be applied in course design. The conclusions focus on: Course planning: blended methods around a studio ethos;, Communication and consultation for effective VLE support;, Identifying a core studio module and managing academic displacement;, Studio as a resource for experience and employability. © 2012 CEBE.