Contextual Review of the Pedagogic Design Studio

O’Donoghue, Cróna (2024) Contextual Review of the Pedagogic Design Studio. In: P/References of Design. Cumulus conference proceedings series, 1 . Cumulus Association, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Budapest, pp. 2197-2207. ISBN 978-952-7549-02-5

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Abstract

In Higher Education the design studio has evolved as an intimate space of learning that facilitates experimentation, discovery and personal growth as an enduring typology within creative education. When design departments are incorporated within larger institutions where most subjects are taught through lectures and seminars a difficulty can arise trying to create a studio culture within a classroom setting. The classroom has developed through a different educational philosophy that conflicts with the design studio model and compromises the design student experience. This study explores the distinctive character of the design studio and design pedagogy to develop recommendations for institutions and educators as to how to provide and manage studio spaces that will strengthen their students' creative skills, aspirations and access to global design professions. Applying Henri Lefebvre's position that space is never neutral but is constructed through multiple inter-related social and political dynamics. This study examines five key spheres of influence on the studio as a signature space of learning: the geographic location, the socio-economic status of the area; the pedagogic philosophy; the spatial configuration; and the digital strategy developed for the learning environment. The investigation seeks to explore how these spheres combine with cultural perceptions of the studio space to influence the student experience and their aspirations. To create a theoretical framework that can consider the relationships between the multiple variables that shape the student experience, the thesis references the work of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and his work on habitus, field, and capitals. The framework is developed by applying Doreen Massey's theories that geography shapes social relations and power dynamics, Donna Haraway's work on situated knowledges and the work of bell hooks and Paulo Freire in relation to educational equality.

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