The Dilemmas of Complexity in Design Studios and The Teachers' Role

Abstract

Learning in design studios is a complex process that overwhelms the students and results in common mutual-misunderstandings between student-teacher. This research aims to tackle teachers' role in the design studio and explore how they can help students navigate the design learning complexities. The emphasis in learning design is primarily on students who are not aware of their learning. This puts teachers at a disadvantage, sometimes not knowing what to do or concentrating on students' learning but not knowing their teaching, or even focusing on their teaching but not aware of the importance of learning how to teach. What is the teacher-student interaction patterns that can help students get over/deal with complexities in design studios learning environments? Can building up awareness of the teachers' role help the students learn and enhance their teaching methods? The research carried out a literature review to draw a holistic understanding of the dimensions of complexities in design studios and teachers' role to solve these difficulties. It can be concluded the importance of the teacher's role in teaching design is as essential as the role of the students in learning design. Teacher-student interaction enhances the students' design learning and the teachers' design teaching. Students should be aware of their roles as learners and the role of their teachers. Agreeing with the students makes the teaching-learning journey more fruitful while students get rid of their uncertainty and be more confident.