Assessing Studio- Based Teaching and Learning (SBTL) through Physical and Virtual Classroom among Postgraduate Students

Abstract

Design studio projects form the pedagogical core of built environment education, providing a platform for students to integrate theory with creative practice, offering them experiential, collaborative, and reflective problem-solving environments. This paper aimed to assess the efficacy of the teaching and learning strategies employed in the postgraduate design studio course, focusing on student engagement, critical thinking, and project outcomes among students in the Urban Development and Management Master's programme, specifically for the course code UDM 720, Urban Development Project. The problem identified in this study centres around the uncertainty in student expectations, learning outcomes, and overall satisfaction due to variations in supervisory styles and challenges in group work, which may impede holistic development and innovation in design thinking. To explore this issue, the research uses a case study approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative methods for a comprehensive analysis. The quantitative component includes an analysis of student performance data and survey responses, facilitating an objective understanding of trends in academic achievement and satisfaction. Complementing this, the qualitative components involve detailed classroom and observation, enabling deeper insight into student experiences, interpersonal interactions, and engagement with the design studio environment. The study is based on a sample of 25 postgraduate students from four (4) academic sessions: 20252 – 9 students, 20244 – 8 students, 20242 – 4 students, and 20232 – 4 students. Findings indicated that while students value the exploratory freedom of studio-based learning, they often encounter challenges with unclear evaluation criteria and inconsistent feedback quality. Successful studio outcomes are closely linked to structured guidance, iterative critique sessions, and well-defined rubrics that balance creativity with technical rigour. The study concludes that enhancing the clarity of instructional goals, aligning assessment practices with learning outcomes, and fostering reflective dialogue between instructors and students can significantly improve the effectiveness of design studio teaching. Recommendations include integrating digital tools for feedback, a standardised assessment framework, and professional development for studio educators to ensure consistency and innovation in postgraduate design education.