Studio Teaching For Non-Design Discipline: The Case Of Property Analysis Studio

Studio teaching has formed the major mode of teaching and learning activities in Built Environment schools around the world ñ especially for the design disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design. This study investigates studio teaching for a final year undergraduate property subject at a time of significant change being part of the Australian university education reform ëpilot testedí at the University of Melbourne. This research uses a modified version of Brookfieldís (1995) ìcritically reflective lensesî and Schˆnís (1985) education model towards the ìreflexive practitionerî to investigate and develop studio teaching mode for a real estate subject that is regarded as ìnon-design basedî subject. We identified that the studio teaching model, through the purposeful application of its ëmodel of interactioní and ëmodel of spaceí, provides the tools that can address the pertinent challenge at the particular juncture of the university reform in Australia. We found that the ëmodel of interactioní at least has significant parallels with the Assessment of Professional Competences (APC) of professional bodies such as the RICS. We also found that the success of the application of the studio model to non-design subjects will depend on the additional teaching resources and funding that are required. The study has strong theoretical relevance of this study to university teaching and also practical value in benefiting the industry and professional practice.