Teaching Beyond the Curriculum

Abstract

A new course, Psychology of the Interior Environment, was developed to give students the opportunity to learn about a new topic within an interior architecture program, while experiencing firsthand the content being studied. Eliminating the four-walled classroom altogether, the course emphasizes learning by seeing through a case study approach. A focus on anthropometrics, proxemics, geometry, color, pattern, biophilia, senses, and place identity form the core of the curriculum. Eight interior project types organize the elements into course topics such as workplace, hospitality, education, and healthcare; each location connects to the course content in an engaging, dynamic way. Every session meets in a different location that matches the project type studied; this gives the student the opportunity to discuss elements of psychology in design within actual spaces that use these ideas. This presentation will discuss the development and execution of this course—including learning outcomes, curriculum, student feedback, and final assessment—to encourage other faculty to take their courses outside of the traditional classroom.