Abstract

Demchak, Dzambazova, and Krygiel (2009) note “Building information modeling (BIM) is an emerging approach to the design, analysis, and documentation of buildings. At its core, BIM is about the management of information throughout the entire lifecycle of a design process, from early conceptual design through construction administration, and even into facilities management” (p. 1). Interior Designers are responsible for designing functional and aesthetic built interior environments. These design solutions have to be coordinated with the building shell. Revit software, a technological advanced BIM application offers this opportunity. This paper discusses strategies for teaching the philosophy of BIM and fundamentals of Revit to Interior design students. Anderson’s ACT-R theory is utilized to guide students through the learning process. Anderson’s ACT-R theory focuses on three stages of skill acquisition: cognitive, associative, and autonomous stages. These three stages offer several practical implications for teaching interior design students about BIM and fundamentals of Revit.