Hands on: the importance of studio learning in design education

Studio learning and teaching in art and design is still a relatively under-explored zone. While a growing body of literature is beginning to explore what kind of learning and teaching occurs in studio, there is less literature available that explicates why studio learning is important. Three elements highlighting the importance of studio in design learning and teaching are at the centre of this article: the development of artistic/design skills and understanding; the internal and external processes and practices of studio; and how studio models future working environments. This argument has been presented in the context of the authors' experiences in teaching and supporting a university textile design programme, and has drawn from 2009 student data from a study in the same context. This article has framed such experiences and data in the context of contemporary thinking as expressed in the literature on studio.