Redesigning the Design Studio to Foster Critical Thinking

Abstract

Issue

The design educator can respond to the significant need to enhance critical thinking by creating a studio environment that fosters self–discovery and synthesis of information and places the responsibility of learning upon the students.

Goal

A studio environment that promotes critical thinking encourages students to explore and analyzes various issues and theories, thereby enhancing of their ability to build a substantiated case for an interior design solution.

Application

Distinctions between problem solving, decision making, concept development, and critical thinking clarify for the student the various roles of these thinking strategies. A comparison between a traditional interior design studio versus one that fosters critical thinking clarifies for the educator the type of environment necessary to promote this order of thinking. The importance of critical thinking is emphasized, and students are more confident and experiential in their approach to interior design. Students are also better able to articulate their rationale for an interior design solution.

Description

The major component of critical thinking includes the thorough examination of a problem, resulting in a solution that is supported by education and theory. Differentiating between facts and values, relevant versus irrelevant information, determining the credibility of the source of information and identifying logical fallacies are a few measures one can take to analyze a design problem critically. This analysis evolves into a defense (the justification for an interior design solution).

Conclusion

Providing a studio environment that enhances critical thinking results in an interactive learning environment. Students actively participate in the learning process, creating in a dynamic educational environment.