Evaluating Online Learning Practice in the Interior Design Studio

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led most countries to adopt precautionary isolation measures to prevent the spread of the virus. In this context, teaching through online studios has become a necessity. This study aimed to identify students’ practical experiences in fully online interior design studios and determine whether these experiences differ according to students’ educational levels to help improve and ensure the quality of online design education. The participants were 69 female interior design students. A questionnaire was applied using five axes, namely virtual learning environment, curriculum and illustration tools, students’ experiences, interaction with the teacher, and overall satisfaction and hopes. The results showed that the newer students had a positive experience with the online design studio, while there were statistically significant differences between the answers of students at different levels. It was noticeable that the students’ experience on all axes was different, and the level of satisfaction among the new students in Studio 2 was higher than among the students nearing graduation in Studio 6. The findings of this study will benefit the academic programme and technology developers in creating a suitable online learning environment for each profession.