A spring term fairy tale: Narration and play in online basic design studio (Bir Bahar Donemi Masah: Cevrimici Temel Tasarim Stiidyosunda Hikaye ve Oyun)

This study aims to discuss the challenges of online design education within the ecology of online design studio environment by focusing on the Basic Design Studio II course conducted by the lecturers at Beykent University Industrial Design Department during 2020-2021 Spring semester. This work is mainly based on the observations of the studio mentors and the findings of the online questionnaire completed by the students participating this course. The pedagogy of the studio, the content and related strategies, was built around the idea of immersing the students into a certain design activity so as to create a 11flow state" as defined by Csikszentmihalyi (1990). In that connection, narration was used as a design tool and play was a strategy incorporated into the design process by suggesting that both are helpful in activating emotional mode of learning and increasing the engagement of the student with the design work. 

Although the challenges of on line education have limited the regular participation to the design studio and the online questionnaire, collaborative works based on strategies of play, such as improvisation and brainstorming by questioning in groups during studio hours have contributed to the engagement of students with the design process through independent and reflective thinking. Besides, voluntary and non-credit exercises help students find connections between design and everyday life practices; these should be increased in online design education.