Learning and Teaching Innovation Grant

There IS a Me in Teamwork: Integrated Strategy for First-Year Design Curriculum

This project will evaluate the ways that team-based learning can be structured across the first-year curriculum in the Architecture and Interior Architecture & Design courses to support student engagement.

The objective of the research project is to assess to what degree a more structured design of teamwork activities leads to improved student engagement along a range of metrics (including sense of belonging, attendance, performance, and overall withdrawal numbers). Along with improved engagement, the aim is to cultivate students’ self-confidence, satisfaction, and employability. Results will ultimately be compared against previous year(s) when teamwork was less coordinated, thus contributing to a multi-year dataset with a more holistic set of evidence.In terms of research methods, we will use focus group sessions, questionnaires, and marks to measure sense of belonging, engagement, and academic performance.