Relationships, Feedback, and Student Growth in the Design Studio: A Case Study

An essential component of the design studio is instructors giving, and students receiving, feedback through the process of critique. While critiques vary by studio, their importance and influence on the student experience is worthy of inquiry, particularly regarding how they can influence student development of attributes other than learning the content knowledge of a discipline. This phenomenological case study explores one undergraduate student’s views on being critiqued in a studio-style entrepreneurship course. Data was collected through interviews and observation and analyzed through an iterative coding process. Major themes from the interviews suggested that the student learned to value direct and specific feedback within trusting instructor-student relationships. Implications for instructors include the suggestion that they make intentional efforts to build trust with students as they develop skills and dispositions in preparation for the professional world.