Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Independent learning as a concept has become increasingly important within the higher education sector. It involves learners understanding their learning, being motivated to learn, and collaborating with teachers to structure their learning environment. In addition to empowering learners in their learning, learning in higher education has to take into account the speciﬁc characteristics of the discipline being taught. However, little work has been done to understand the perceptions of students’ learning transition regarding independent learning. There is also inconsistency in terminology, even at an institutional level. There appears to be a paucity of research on what is currently meant by independent learning within the UK university sector. It is not always clear how independent learning works in practice, or what are the challenges that face students toward being independent learners. Moreover, we cannot find in the literature a definition of independent learning in architectural education context, and how does the uniqueness of design problems promote independent learning in students. Furthermore, both students and educators should be aware of the design studio’s responsibility in promoting independent learning. Our argument is that understanding how students experience design is vital to enhance the value of design learning. In this paper, we aim to develop an understanding of learning associated with students’ transition from being dependent learners into independent ones. We will review previous and current literature of independent learning in higher education, with a particular focus on design education, as well as an exploration of current design issues facing students in design studios.