The Future of Education

The process of teaching design requires a particular setting so as to aid the various learning/teaching activities, such as lectures, debate, and practice. Design teaching/learning activities take place in a design studio, which also doubles as a site for student-instructor as well as student-student interaction. An appropriate design for the design studio increases the confidence of participants in the teaching/learning processes that take place within, in addition to improving the utility the learning environment. The purpose of this study is to determine how relevant physical facilities are for student behavior in regards to enhancing the level of motivation and academic performance in a design studio at EMU (Eastern Mediterranean University).
The method for this paper uses both questionnaires and interview techniques to collect data from students at undergraduate level in design studios in the faculty of Architecture. Results show that a significant relationship does indeed exist between the physical facilities and students’ level of motivation and academic performance. Thus, more of the university’s physical, human, and material resources should be made available to the design studio so as to encourage learning. The approach evolved investigates how the relationship between furniture and design studios could possibly affect student behavior and academic achievement so as to possibly improve the academic standard.
The recommendations proposed by this study are as follows: Firstly, designers and administrators alike need to take factors like the interior environment and academic learning space in the planning stage so as to impact student discipline positively; secondly, design and construction should focus primarily on providing specialized learning spaces and other academic areas as opposed to administrative support spaces to increase teacher satisfaction with physical working conditions.

Keywords: Physical facilities, furniture, student’s behaviour, design studio;