Toward a phenomenology for virtual design studio teaching

Following the development of e-learning platforms, the virtual design studio has become an alternate method for implementing studio-based design education either in conjunction with traditional face-to-face studio teaching or as a standalone method. This development has resulted in new teaching experiences. The dominant discussion around the experience in virtual design studios focuses on learners or on technological approaches; there is little mention of the experience of teachers. We believe that there is an essential need to understand teachers' experiences, and provide environments that accommodate teachers' needs. By understanding the phenomenon of studio teaching, this research aims to develop a framework for designing teaching environment within virtual design studios. Observation and formal conversation have been employed as research methods in the exploration of four teachers' experiences in teaching design studios. The exploration has been to develop a deeper understanding of the essence of studio teaching in Communication Design in higher education. The outcomes of this research will contribute to the design of teaching environments in VDS and the enhancement of teachers' experiences