Design pedagogy in a time of change: Applying virtual flipped classroom in design higher education

Abstract

This project reviewed the application of an innovative pedagogical approach, the virtual flipped classroom (VFC), in postgraduate design education. The VFC is an integration of the flipped classroom (FC) and virtual canvas. It enables teachers to proactively engage students in design thinking processes and activities to achieve active learning and better learning outcomes. To investigate the effect of VFC, the core research team implemented it to postgraduate programmes across three Australian universities, including a Master of Design Strategies course in the School of Design and the Built Environment at the Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra (UC), a Master of Design course in the School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University (ECU) and a Master of Design course in the Creative Unit, University of South Australia (UniSA). The core research team observed and reflected on students’ learning achievements and motivation during their design thinking process across three Australian universities in two states (South Australia and West Australia) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), between 2020 and 2022. This study also explored postgraduate design students’ perceptions towards the idea of studying design online via the Interface Student Experience Questionnaire (ISEQ) and student evaluation questionnaire. It helped to identify and verify whether VFC could provide a transitional middle ground to a fully online design course. This study provides insights into student and staff reservations about online delivery and identifies the barriers and opportunities to study design within an entirely virtual environment.