Architecture students' satisfaction with and perceptions of online design studios during COVID-19 lockdown: the case of Jordan universities

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of students in higher educational institutions in Jordan towards the use of online design studios during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown and discusses how their use could enhance the learning process.Design/methodology/approach615 undergraduate students studying architecture in Jordanian universities were recruited to explore the factors that constituted and affected their perceptions of online design studios.FindingsThe findings of this study highlight that many of the participants felt uncertain about aspects of their online learning experience and wanted more guidance and support. Reasons of this disengagement include technical factors, such as poor network quality and lack of familiarity with the new applications. Students and tutors' personal situations when working and studying from home are also relevant due to the tutors' lack of expertise in online teaching, and the limitations of peer interaction. Together, these factors can make the experience of the online design studio more challenging.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was nationally representative of architecture students from various institutions. However, the study was limited to an exploration of students' opinions, and it did not include the points of view of tutors and decision-makers.Originality/valueThis research was conceived during the period of the COVID-19 lockdown, whilst both tutors and students were experiencing dramatic changes in their modes of teaching and learning due to the sudden move from on-campus design studios to a virtual alternative, with only the bare minimum of resources and relevant experience. Learners' perspectives can enhance understanding of online design studios to assess their quality and effectiveness.

Academic and emotional effects of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic on engineering students

“…Concerning the perceived connection with other students and teachers during the lockdown, previous research indicated that students felt less connected with fellow students and teachers than in face-to-face education (Al-Balas et al, 2020;Puljak et al, 2020;Son et al, 2020). Overall, university students indicated that they have missed in-person contact with other students and professors during the lockdown (Puljak et al, 2020) and that communication has been more complicated than in face-to-face education (Alnusairat et al, 2020;Amir et al, 2020;Radu et al, 2020). In Elmer et al (2020) investigation on students enrolled in engineering and natural science programs, students reported fewer study partners and felt significantly more socially isolated.…”

“…On the one hand, previous research reported students' low satisfaction with the support received from their teachers (Alnusairat et al, 2020) and less satisfaction with the classes and assessment methods in distance education compared to classroom learning (Linh & Trang, 2020). This low satisfaction with how teaching was adapted to the online format is associated with an increase in the perceived workload (Alnusairat et al, 2020;Gelles et al, 2020;Son et al, 2020). Furthermore, Khalil et al (2020) pointed out that the issues related to the implementation and quality of online courses can become barriers to the engagement and acquisition of knowledge.…”

“…The quality of online teaching has received considerable attention in studies on the effects of COVID-19 on higher education. In some of the studies conducted during the lockdown, university students reported low satisfaction with the quality of online teaching (Al-Balas et al, 2020;Alnusairat et al, 2020) and higher learning satisfaction in face-to-face learning than in distance learning (Amir et al, 2020;Linh & Trang, 2020). According to the UNESCO (2020), this disaffection with the online classes stems from the fact that the content offered was never designed within the framework of a distance course but instead tried to make up for the absence of face-toface classes with virtual classes without sufficient preparation.…”

“…Recent work has identified some variables that intervene in the online education process, such as the correct adaptation of teaching to the online format, including classes, assessment methods, and teacher support (Alnusairat et al, 2020;Linh & Trang, 2020); the quality of the classes received (Al-Balas et al, 2020;Amir et al, 2020); the conditions of students' workspace (Gelles et al, 2020;Son et al, 2020); and the connection with other students and teachers (Elmer et al, 2020;Radu et al, 2020). However, there is a knowledge gap in how these variables are related to students' academic development and whether having been in a prolonged lockdown might have affected them.…”

Architecture, urbanism and health in a post-pandemic virtual world

“…The "inevitable" move to the virtual world is most clearly illustrated by Design Studio Teaching. "Architecture students' satisfaction with and perceptions of online design studios during COVID-19 lockdown: the case of Jordan universities" (Alnusairat, et al, 2020) looks at the value which first year students give to hand drawing, model making and presential studio teaching compared to fourth year students.…”