Day Two: Thursday, 22 July 2021

Papers 3:  Active / Engaged Learning In A Digital Environment

Learning Design and Vigotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development: Looking for the Sweet Spot

Sally McCarthy, Denise Wood & Greg Auhl (Charles Sturt University, Australia)

Lockdowns and social distancing highlight our reliance on interpersonal relationships and feelings of connectedness. From opera singing Italian balconies to Friday night Bin Gin get-togethers, we are finding new ways to connect. In the “online pivot,” teachers and students are also responding, repurposing the socially situated nature of learning. Teacher-student interactions remain key. Defined by Vygotsky (1934) as a More Knowledgeable Other, the teacher supports students achieving a degree of learning unattainable alone. Vygotsky defined the space where learning occurs the Zone of Proximal Development (ZDP). This paper explores three design models and their facilitation of the ZPD through teacher-student interactions in the online space.

E-learning and Assessment of Creative Modules in Design Education

Bela Gupta (Pearl Academy, India)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, academic institutions promptly shifted their educational activities to an e-learning format. This paper will highlight the methodology of teaching and assessment adopted by the School of Fashion at Pearl Academy in Delhi, India. Here I will discuss the challenges related to learning, attendance, and emotional fatigue, and the strategies adopted to overcome them. I will also discuss how setting up design studios at every student’s and faculty member’s home facilitated design learning during the COVID pandemic and suggest how further research could explore the impact of e-learning and assessment on the performance of students and teaching staff.

Papers 3 Discussion