Hey there!!!
It’s been a while since I sent you anything from ArchiMash.com.
I started creating some regular articles at the beginning of 2020 but then, well 2020 happened!!!
Online Learning
Depending on where you are in the world, the events of 2020 may have affected you differently. For me, I am living in Melbourne, Australia, and we went into some pretty heavy lockdowns. I was three weeks into teaching semester one at the time, and in a matter of a few days, everything went online.
For teachers, we had to very quickly adjust our lesson plans, approach to teaching, group work, pin ups, assessments, presentations and reviews. In fact, pretty much everything!!!
For students, I think the range of experience varied a lot. If you were in first year and had no real university experience, it was all very new anyway, regardless if learning was face-to-face or online. For students in more senior years, changes to online learning proved very different to face-to-face teaching, especially for design and studio based subjects. It’s really hard to capture the experience of working together around a desk, chatting informally about ideas, looking over each others shoulders and marking up drawing with a pen. Some things just don’t translate behind a screen!!!
For those of you who had no change to your studies… lucky you!!!!
For introverts, online learning is a dream, for extraverts, maybe not so much. There are definitely pros and cons to all modes of learning.
Flexibility
I think one of the biggest lessons for 2020 was FLEXIBILITY… for everyone.
Those with the greatest ability to be flexible and adjust to rapidly changing situations did the best. Those who fixated and held onto the way things were or are supposed to be struggled to have a great experience possible under the circumstances.
I found subjects that were open to changing things wherever needed opened up new, creative ways of teaching and learning. Subjects that just tried to do what they did in the classroom, but online, without being open to different options or technologies, often didn’t work so well.
Flexibility and resilience are brilliant skills to learn. You can plan as much as you like, but in practice, I can guarantee no project ever goes to plan. Like during the first week on site when you realise there are archaeological remains under the ground, a cable that if cut will disconnect the telephones for an entire town, a judge who threatens the builder with contempt of court if he keeps using a jackhammer during business hours, and a neighbour who threatens to take legal action because your fence is 110cm on their land – true story!
Moving Forward
Moving forward, my intention for ArchiMash.com is to create a new video and article ideally every week, but at least every second week. You will automatically receive these as a weekly or fortnightly email when they are published on a Tuesday. This will include links to other recent articles, videos, blogs and other relevant resources.
In addition, I intend to send through a monthly email a little like this one. These will come through on the first or second Thursday of the month.
This week I’m doing them in reverse – you get this email today and your article on Thursday. I’m being open to flexibility!!
Current Projects
At present, I have a few ideas for some projects and products to help you in your projects, studies and early years of practice.
Ask Liz – I can guess at the sort of information that will help you during your studies – based on my own experience as a student and a teacher. However, I would love to know if there is any specific question you want to know or issue you need help with – with regards to online learning, organisation, design, documentation, or anything architecture!!
Architecture Student Planner – As a teacher I have found that getting organised is the biggest thing you can do to improve your study process and results. Sounds boring, but doesn’t have to be. When you have organisational and productivity systems in place it frees up so much more time for creativity!!I am in the process of creating a digital and analogue planner specifically designed for architecture students.
That’s pretty much all for now. See you next month!!
Liz Watt, ArchiMash