Wikified: Particpatory Learning in the Design Studio

David Gelb
Sessional Assistant Professor
Department of Design, York University, Toronto, Canada

Internet driven social networking makes the use of wikis among students an intuitive and natural extension for learning with and from their peers. Familiarity and comfort level with social media technologies is well suited for the co-creation of learning artefacts in the design studio environment. The openness of the wiki platform affords multiple opportunities for collaboration in and amongst students and teachers for design learning.

This presentation will focus on design educators employing wiki technologies to leverage this socio-technological fluency and by initiating classroom activities that translate into meaningful learning experiences in the design studio.

An undergraduate design studio class provides a case study in using wiki technologies as both a learning management system and as the shared environment for studio work ongoing throughout the course timeline. The adoption of an open wiki platform has far-reaching implications into how design education can be highly collaborative and creative, while encouraging improved levels of academic achievement and intellectual activity.