No Online Studio For Upcoming Architecture Students
Community: AIAS Architecture Freshmen Community
Issue: Online Studio is not the best way to teach new architecture students
Research Question: Why online learning is not the best way to teach new Architecture students
Thesis: The fundamental architectural skills being taught online is not helpful because this career requires a lot of hands on material rather than online material
Research Proposed By:
Patrick Machado
The Main Issue or Problem:
Throughout this pandemic, it has not the easiest transition to remote learning for architecture students. The school has given us one week to get all of our stuff out of campus. According to the website, What Coronavirus Can Teach Architecture Schools About Virtual Learning, “Asynchronous teaching will become a focus as students struggle with managing their families being home all at the same time, students with children facing the prospect of long term homeschooling, and those quarantined or sick and unable to study” (Ockert, 2020). This quote demonstrates how asynchronous is not the best learning method for architecture students and especially new students. It is not a healthy environment for the students to stay home all the time and do their work in a small space. Architecture school studios in general are designed for students to have enough space to work. Also, they do not have to deal with issues from their house in their own studio space. Online learning can be convenient due to less traveling and saving time. However, we do not have the self discipline to do our work in our home with our families. Online learning does not give the experience to come into class and draw the design by hand with professors. Instead, we have to annotate in a zoom session which is sloppy, inconsistent, and a waste of time. The professor does not have enough time to go around all the students and the students fall behind in the curriculum. This course requires synchronous learning, it benefits everyone to engage in groups to make sure everyone is not isolated or lost. It is an environment of leaving no man behind but for an online class, there is a lack of interaction with instructors and classmates. Asynchronous learning is fine with other architecture classes but not for an architecture studio. The studio is your place of work, it determines the future of your career in your portfolio. If your portfolio or work is not great then it will be difficult to get a job.
Why Is The Issue Compelling To You?
The issue of new architecture students going to remote learning became a big problem with the lack of resources. According to the article, School’s Out: How Are Architecture Students Coping With Coronavirus Shutdowns?, “The biggest issue I am facing is my overwhelming worry about producing a portfolio of high quality work that I can graduate with and be proud of, in a context where I am without resources such as workshops, libraries and face to face tutorials” (Walter, 2020). This demonstrates how students are not given enough resources in remote learning. Even though my class has free Adobe programs, it is still not enough to produce great work. We are missing a lot of rooms such as woodshops, fabrications, laser cuts, 3D workshops, and especially studios. Also, we work better in person with our instructor but since it is online interacting with them is much difficult to understand.
Another issue that compels me is that a studio is a place where I can concentrate more than my house. I like to be in a space alone thinking about my project without hearing loud noises from my family. According to the article, School’s Out: How Are Architecture Students Coping With Coronavirus Shutdowns?, “It’s a real struggle to keep the enthusiasm flowing, as you aren’t bouncing off your peers consistently. Working from home comes with a lot of distractions such as family members or housemates struggling with their anxieties” (Ing, 2020). This quote demonstrates how it relates to every student in college and we need a space to work and not be disturbed by others respectfully. This major requires a lot of hands on materials and doing it in such a small space does harm the new students. When I was a freshman three years ago, I did not like to do physical models at home because my family accidentally broke my model and I had to restart it from scratch. Also, not everyone knows the struggle that architecture students face and that is why there are conflicts between nonarchitect and architect individuals. I love and respect my family but I think everyone can agree that having their own space will resolve a lot of issues regarding an online class.
I am interested in the AIAS Architecture Freshmen Community for the reason that I am hoping to become a teacher’s assistant at The City College Of New York. During studio time, upper architect students and I get invited to other studios during the presentation. When we saw the first year projects, they were lacking communication and organization skills. I am not saying the presentation was terrible but I saw the new students were not satisfied with their work. I observe that many critics did not like their work and I felt bad for the new students.
Intended Audience
My intended audience is new architect students doing remote learning. Students who have more than one year of the college experience can manage the online school. However, it is not the case for these new students. I can tell that throughout my observation that they do not understand the concept of architecture. I observe how they are bored with online classes and lose motivation. What I already know about this issue is that in my college, I tend to lose motivation for doing projects. Before I was excited about doing creative works in a big space, I did not like the experience of doing my projects in a small space with five of my family members. Imagine being a new architect student bringing new materials in your small space and family issues is not a healthy environment. Also, it is no offense to anyone but as a designer, we need a space to expand our creativity. In fact, according to the article, Moving Into The Long Term, “They miss the ones they make in the context of their college education specifically, because not only does it make them excited about learning and hold them accountable and motivate them to stay engaged in school, but they also actually learn a lot more” (Burke, 2020). This demonstrates how students miss the environment of going to college and making connections. I saw how students are depressed about not meeting their friends, professors, and mentors in college. In my observations, upper class students do not feel lost in an online class as much as new students. That is why it affects the new students in the long run because they feel lost and they probably have no desire to go to college.
In the middle of this semester, I saw a trend that many freshmen took a break from college or dropped out of this major. I feel bad for them for the reason that the school is lacking resources for them. According to Moving Into The Long Term, “Younger students, minority groups, and academically unprepared students tend to struggle more in an online setting. Online classes could work well for students who are well resources, who do well in school already, but for everyone else, not so much” (Long, 2020). This demonstrates how I see the freshmen doing their pin ups, they do not look excited about their project. The professors seemed to notice it and tried to defend their projects when the Dean was around. The Dean seems a little disappointed with their work for the fact that she knows online learning negatively impacts the new students. This is why I believe online tutoring potentially helps the students to struggle less.
Advocacy Plan
My advocacy plan revolves all the second to fifth years except for the freshman to be more involved with online tutoring. Also, the administration is the audience for the freshmen to change the online course. Also, asking alumni students and my friends to gather around online and give them feedback on their work. In this matter, the professor does not have to worry about the students falling behind. Alumni students, my friends, and I know the struggle of being an architect student. We are only helping them for the studio and not for other architecture classes because the studio is the most significant class in your undergraduate career. With our guidance, the students should feel less confused about the program. We can create a session with a time slot in which students need help at a certain time from Monday through Friday. There will be a lot of zoom sessions during these online tutoring sessions and it will be fair to transfer our knowledge to them. I used to be a TA for the studio, even though it may be different online. However, I am confident that it will give them enough information to succeed in the studio. Therefore, the portfolio will not look bad before applying to future firms. Also, we will reach out to the administrator to change the course for the incoming freshmen. It will give them a chance to perform well in the studio while contacting me, my friends, and the alumni students. The administrator will not worry about the new students while we transfer our knowledge to them.
My second plan for helping new architecture students is giving out free online architecture programs. These online programs are from Adobe, it is a software design company to help design majors. These programs help us to create great designs and creative projects. Unfortunately this month, my year has to buy the programs because we are not receiving help financially. Fortunately, I am close to the Director of IT, Muhammad Ahmad, he cares about everyone having access to these programs, fortunately with him, we can get the programs with discounts. However, it does not seem fair for the new students to pay the full price since they have no experience in a personal studio. It is fine with my year and others to pay for some of the basic programs but if we are using other programs then we have to pay the full price. It should be fair for the new students to get free programs throughout this Pandemic.
Annotated Bibliography
Burke, L. (2020, October 27). Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved November 05, 2020 from:
This source explains the situation that every student is dealing within an online class. Most of them return to campus however due to the Pandemic circumstances they have to learn their dorms and return home. Mentally, they are dealing with depression and anxiety, they lack a lot of self discipline since the professors can only see them in zoom. The worst part of not going to college is not meeting with your connections in person. There are a lot of great mentors, advisors, and people on campus however it is hard to see them throughout this Pandemic.
Ing, W. (2020, August 06). School’s Out: How Are Architecture Students Coping With Coronavirus Shutdowns? Retrieved November 05, 2020 from:
This source states architect students may not adapt to their homes depending if they have a small or big space. It impacts a lot of architects students who are living in a small space. Also, it will negatively impact more new architectural students. From this source, many students are not happy doing their work in their home due to many distractions such as noise and family problems. This is why in majoring in architecture we should have our workspace. Therefore, there will not be any problems outside of college life. This source reminds me of my struggles when I was a freshman, it was my mistake to bring my models to home thinking I will be productive at home. However, it was the opposite since I was dealing with family issues and there was no space for me to place my projects. From that experience, I always do modeling projects at a studio.
Long, K. (2020, March 150. The Coronavirus Is Forcing Many Colleges To Go Online Only. But Will It Work For Everyone? Retrieved November 05, 2020 from:
This source connects to the previous source in multiple ways. It does explain how an online class does negatively impact new students. Also, it will affect those who are struggling academically and no internet services. Many students are facing these challenges and it is unfortunate for them knowing their lack of resources will not make it to college. Online classes may sound easy however there are drawbacks to your in person curriculum. Overall, no one should fall behind in college for the lack of resources that college is not providing.
Ockert, D. (2020, May 09). What Coronavirus Can Teach Architecture Schools About Virtual Learning Retrieved November 05, 2020 from:
This article explains how asynchronous is not the best learning method for architecture students. It may be best for other majors however as for design majors it is a major drawback. This learning system is synchronous for the fact that no one is feeling isolated from others. In this day of age, many architects are not working alone like in the last century. In this generation, many firms are created by a group of architects.
Walter, A. (2020, March 26). How Architecture Students And Education Are Handling The Transition To Online Coursework. Retrieved November 05, 2020 from:
This article explains how students miss the experience of going back to the studio. Many architecture students miss their environment of doing work such as studios, libraries, woodshops, fabrications shops, and all shops on campus. We have to buy online programs for our architect which is not fair because we do our projects in free school programs. However, since the Pandemic, we have to pay the same tuition and the programs are expensive. It is not fair that many of us have a lot of disadvantages in this course and they put little effort to help us mentally, physically, and financially.
