Active learning in design Theory and Methodology using Podcasts

One of the main challenges for this course was how to effectively teach a theoretical subject like Design Theory and Methodology (DTM) to 370 students. For many years this has been a lecture-based course, but these have been less and less well-received and attended by students.

Additionally, the student cohort is very diverse, both in subjects of study (we cover three different IDE Masters specialisations as well as students from outside the faculty) and in prior education (two thirds of students have studied the IDE Bachelor at Delft, but one third are foreign students from all over the world).

The main development of the course turned around the use of podcasts to present the course content in a refreshing and engaging new way. The new course also made use of video-making assignments which were shared online and produced some excellent collaborative student work. Finally, we chose to support students in groups of around 25 with themed coaching sessions. This meant students could build up a relationship with their coach and discuss the course material in a more informal environment. 

The students really welcomed the podcast format (they have also helped to publicise the course too – they are available on Apple and Spotify if you search ‘Design Theory and Methodology’. It has considerably extended the ‘reach’ of the course. The open-ended video assignments created a nice buzz and the coaching sessions have helped to reinforce key course concepts. The coaching sessions have definitely contributed to the diversity challenge.

I feel that the new course format fits the way that the flow of information and knowledge exists in the world now. We are genuinely engaging students in dialogue and getting away from the ‘transmissionism’ of lecture-based courses (see andymatuschak.org/books/ for a discussion about this). New educational forms are necessary and this has been an important first step for us.

We have had some great student feedback about the course. Many have written to us to let us know how they have found the new experience, and we were impressed by the positive experiences they described.

• There are things we will develop for next time. Reinforcing the journey from podcast to understanding is one key thing – making sure that students really comprehend what is being talked about. The content of the podcasts needs to be assessed a little bit better. Consistency of coaching is another issue to address – coaching the coaches will form a bigger part of the next course.
• You need to start off by thinking of your course as an education delivery system and then think about how all the elements will work together. Our learning developer helped us appreciate this. We also spent time codesigning the course with a range of stakeholders (former students, different members of staff, part-time practitioners, etc.) to make sure we were capturing and solving all the problems. Finally, you need to think about data processing and security, especially when sharing student assignments online for learning purposes.
• Lastly, in general, I would give two tips.
  • The first is that the different experiences and backgrounds of your students is your strength. We tried to build diversity into the course from the very start.
  • A second tip I would like to give is that podcasts are not an easy way out! The format needs careful thinking through, as well as how you will use them in class and in assessments. They have to be closely integrated with the rest of the course.