Digital Design Pedagogy: Strategies and Results of Some Successful Experiments

Abstract

Are there design techniques unique to digital design software that should be explicitly taught or should one leave it to serendipity for students to discover these techniques? A review is provided of the experience of different teaching strategies for digital design pedagogy over a four-year period and, on the basis of this experience, recommendations for successful strategies are given. The teaching strategies presented assume prior training in basic three-dimensional digital modeling and hence represent a first exposure to digital design methodology. The three areas in which digital design provides unique strengths are: a) a three-dimensional design process; b) curvilinear and geometric design; and c) simulation to test the effectiveness of a design from various points of view, with particular emphasis on natural lighting. A brief overview is provided of the theoretical content of the course, the nature of the in-class design exercises, and the term project; all are visually illustrated with examples. The endeavour to reach an optimal pedagogical strategy was both enriched and complicated by the constant change in functional ability of digital design and simulation software and the availability of new software. Nevertheless, it was possible to draw some useful conclusions.