Teaching Practice Overview

Table of Contents
1. Educational Philosophy Statement
2. The Context
3. Design for Learning
4. Teaching Practice (Methodology, Strategies, Objectives)
5. Description of Course Materials (Syllabi, Handouts, Assignments)
6. Products of Teaching (Evidence of Student Learning)
7. Teaching Goals: Short and Long-Term
Example 1
Subject (Unit): Design Method
Program: EDEXCEL BTEC Levels 4 and 5 Higher Nationals specification in Art and Design
Award: Higher National Diploma in Art & Design
Institution: Vietnam Design Institute, 143 Ly Chinh Thang Str, Dist 3, HCMC, Vietnam
Date: April Term 2015
Example 2
Subject (Unit): Furniture Design and Processing
Program: Interior Design
Award: Bachelor in Interior Design
Institution: Ton Duc Thang University, Faculty of Industrial Fine Arts (FIFA), Chi Minh Cirty, Vietnam
Date: October Term 2015
Example 3
Subject (Unit): Bachelor Thesis Project
Date: January Term 201

1. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
As a full-time academic as well as a practicing interior designer, I am keenly aware of the necessity to establish theoretical and intellectual
underpinnings to support the technical foundations of the interior design lecturer profession. It is in the academic arena that such theoretical
underpinnings must be most rigorously promulgated, and the true test of theoretical architectural ideas occurs when these ideas are able to be
realised in built form. My charge as an academic is to encourage students to:
• investigate, to experiment and to develop a personal position in response to theoretical design enquiries;
• engage the requirements of habitation without diminishing the strength of conceptual and theoretical intentions;
• establish meaningful language and effective dialogues between architectural elements;
• and most importantly, challenge theoretical issues that carry relevance beyond the individual to the collective, beyond the collective to
the universal.
Architecture is fundamentally a three-dimensional discipline, and in teaching students to conceptualise three-dimensional design using
two-dimensional tools of expression, I conscientiously analyse how each particular student envisions form and space. I also encourage students
to challenge Architecture to move beyond traditional three-dimensional form, deriving the essence of architectural design from intimate
sensitivity to the human condition, issues of identity, and experiences distinctive to a cultural context.
I believe that teaching should simultaneously encourage the production of highly innovative professional calibre work from students,
promote students’ future careers through community exposure, and promote the university and its scholarly work within the wider community.
In this regard, I critically challenge students to identify themselves as representatives of “the new generation of designers” through
design research.
Most importantly, I use research to introduce students to diverse means by which the boundaries of architectural design can be actively
challenged to lead toward innovative design response. I teach them to actively reflect upon periods when social change was most
pronounced and to consider how the arts have historically been responsive to such change. Dramatic technological advancements or shifting
political and economic climates have always been paralleled by innovative responses in painting, sculpture, dance, film, and literature.
Yet Architecture often lags far behind, being very late to interpret major social transformations to which other art forms rapidly respond. I
encourage students to understand the importance of addressing contemporary social conditions as a means of discovering new avenues of
expression, as well as a means of appropriately addressing the needs of contemporary society. And when students become cognisant that
other art forms often find new means of expression in response to social change far earlier than Architecture, they learn to draw from these
art forms in establishing new and meaningful directions for architectural design expression.

Equally important within my educational philosophy is a fundamental commitment to AsiaPacific regional issues. My architectural
research for the past five years has involved in-depth analysis of symbolism and narrative in traditional and contemporary architecture
across Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. I believe that the future lies not in western design overwhelming the east, but
rather in the west fully understanding, engaging and incorporating eastern sensitivities into its own design.
2. The Context
Since 2012 when I first entered Raffles Education Corporation, my teaching and research outputs have led to advancement in seven years
from Lecturer, to Senior Lecturer, to the highest step on the Reader / Associate Professor scale, as well as leadership positions including
Deputy Head of School, Academic Director of Vietnam Design Institute, and member of the Senior Executive Committee. While maintaining one
of the highest number of teaching contact hours per term in the Faculty of Industrial Fine Arts (FIFA), Ton Duc Thang University, I have made
significant contributions to rebuilding the entire Interior Design curriculum as an integrated programme based on strong international models.
Educated at University of Arts Belgrade and National Technical University of Athens, I have integrated the highest calibre international
methods of teaching into my courses. In conjunction with internationally acclaimed architecture firms, my professional work has received 4
design awards, been exhibited internationally in London, Milan, Bologna, Mexico City, Monterrey, Tokyo, and New York and has
appeared in eleven books, two journal monographs, and over 20 journal articles. Since my arrival at Ton Duc Thang University, I have been the
recipient often teaching awards, resulting in a total of ten teaching excellence awards during seven years of teaching.
3. Design for Learning
My teaching has had a unique impact on encouraging and producing professional calibre work from students, promoting students’ future careers
through community exposure, and promoting TDT University academic work within the wider community of Vietnam. I initiated ongoing projects
in 2015 that critically challenged my students to identify themselves as representatives of “the new generation of Vietnam designers”
through design research. I challenged my students to research existing landmark buildings and their interiors within New Vietnam capital city,
with the objective of re-conceiving these buildings as international-calibre designs. These projects involved re-design of the entire Ho Chi Ming
City skyline, including the National Museum ,the BNZ Building, and the Saigon Port, as well. These projects specifically challenged students to
consider Vietnam’s current status in international design, while evidencing to the students the effect their own generation can have on
transforming perceptions about contemporary design culture.

In period 2015/16 as a Furniture Design Lecturer at TDT and Van Lang University, I supervised Interior Design students for local furniture design
competition “Hoa Mai Award” organized by Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA). My effort was awarded with
participation as a jury member. The main goal was to build a base for the development of the Vietnamese design industry. 20 selected proposals
were produced as prototypes and exhibited at International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS) 2016.
I fully understand that each new generation of students may require a different “point of entry” relating to their own unique learning styles. I
spend a great deal of time coming to know the students in order to successfully adapt my methods of teaching, and I evolve my assignments
each year in response to each new generation of students’ needs. Most importantly, I assign projects that expressly require my students
to acknowledge their own generation as a unique and persuasive contributor to contemporary design culture. Throughout this portfolio, I will
share some of the works of my students in affirmation of the success of my objectives.
4. Teaching Practice
In this section I will document my past and current teaching duties and related roles and responsibilities. This section covers:
● Courses I have taught, supervised and/or coordinated.
● Honours students I have supervised.
● Materials I have prepared for courses.
● A brief description of my approach to teaching, attempt to cater for the diverse cultural, learning style and motives of my students.
● Assessments of student work.
● Evidences of professional development of teaching skills and/or disciplinary enhancement.

Example 1
Subject (Unit): Design Method
Program: Edexcel BTEC Levels 4 and 5 Higher Nationals specification in Art and Design
Award: Higher National Diploma in Art & Design
Institution: Vietnam Design Institute, 143 Ly Chinh Thang Str, Dist 3, HCMC, Vietnam
Date: April Term 2015
Unit Syllabus
Aim This unit aims to give learners opportunities to develop skills and knowledge in the development of new products
or services in design pathways.
Unit abstract This unit focuses on understanding and applying the design development cycle when creating a new product or
improving an existing product or service. The design development cycle encompasses the process from initial
concept through to design and production, including
reviews at various stages. Learners will explore the stages and methodology relating to design methods and apply
them to their own work. Learners will be encouraged to develop an analytical and methodical approach and to use
evaluation and review to develop work. Design methods used to develop products or services should be innovative
and could involve a new product, an improvement to an existing product or the application of new technology or
materials. Learners will be expected to apply the fundamentals of design methods when developing their
own product and to develop resourceful and innovative design solutions to a brief. Rigorous review and testing of
ideas should be used to encourage debate and development of ideas. Production methods should be researched
and learners should show an understanding of the
relationship between design and the creation of outcome. The commercial context of the work should be
considered and this can be achieved through working to a brief, considering costings, the needs of end users, the
environment and issues of sustainability.
Learning outcomes On successful completion of this unit a learner will:
1 Know the phases of the design development cycle
2 Be able to plan a project using the design development cycle
3 Be able to use imagination and innovation in the development of a product
4 Be able to propose design improvements to the production process.

Unit content 1 Know the phases of the design development cycle
Brief: eg identify client requirements, identify problem, produce proposal
Research: eg materials, context, past solutions, other designers, processes, costings, environmental issues,
sustainability
Develop ideas: eg materials, research alternative solutions, produce models, prototypes, review, test ideas,
communication
Produce: eg prototype, finished solution, evaluation, improvement
2 Be able to plan a project using the design development cycle
Project brief: planning eg identify problem, specifications, constraints, end user, production
costs, materials, techniques
Research: eg competition, ideas, theoretical investigations, materials,processes, market drivers, problem solving
Costs: budget eg materials, making costs, alternatives eg cheaper materials, lean manufacturing
3 Be able to use imagination and innovation in the development of a product
Designing: eg innovation, alternative solutions, preferred options, ideas generation, product development,
experimentation, selection, modification, ergonomics
Design responsibility: health and safety; legislation; safe manufacture; product life span; sustainability
Developing: eg roughs, visuals, testing of ideas,working designs, samples, maquettes, selection
4 Be able to propose design improvements to the production process
Product: eg packaging, vessel, object, service, graphic product, functional item, decorative object, garment,
accessory, COSHH compliant, ecologically sound
Production: eg making skills, one-off, small batch production, rapid prototyping, design for industry,
manufacturing, construction, process, production costs, product liability, product life span
Evaluation: eg testing, measure performance, analyse feedback, function, fitness for purpose, use of skills, self-
analysis, time management, organisation, work, quality, work rate, teamwork, research, communication,
effectiveness, employability, career development
Commercial context: eg market place, client, end user, price, costs, production methods, competitors
Essential requirements Learners need access to a workshop with equipment they need for their area of design specialism. Sources for
research include access to relevant manufacturing and production processes, specialist publications, galleries,
exhibitions and practitioners.
The focus of this unit is design development and learners will need access to appropriate materials and workshops
in order to complete samples and prototypes.

Teaching Practices
The following instructional practices been supported by a substantial amount of empirical evidence and are applicable to particular subject area.
They been recommended for use by programme handbook to develop students design thinking and creativity.
The recommended practices are divided into four categories:
1. Presentation of Materials
2. Field Trips and Workshops
3. Student Assignments and Testing
1. Presentation of Materials
To present material effectively:
1. Provide overall organization of the lesson (Scheme of work-Weekly Planner)
2. Present material that is at the right level of difficulty for students’ current knowledge
3. Present closely in time and space ideas that need to be associated (Contiguity Effects)
4. Present coherent, well-connected representations of the ideas to be learned
5. Present information in manageable segments to regulate cognitive load
6. Present materials in formats that require effortful cognitive processing by students
7. Present materials that precipitate cognitive conflict
8. Interleave worked example solutions with problem-solving exercises
9. Ask deep explanatory questions
10. Connect and integrate concrete and abstract representations of concepts
11. Combine graphics with verbal descriptions
12. Help students to correct their subject-matter misconceptions

Figure1.1. Sample of overall organization of the lessons (Scheme of work-Weekly Planner)

Figure1.2. Sample of self-prepared teaching material and on-line presentation for students:
Design Development Cycle
On line source: https://prezi.com/vvz7-fr9qhdv/design-development-cycle/

Figure1.3. Furniture Design Teaching Material
On Line Source: https://prezi.com/bgbsaswmxtty/furniture-design/

2. Field Trips and Workshops
Figure1.4. Field Trip to Furniture Company: DISTRICT EIGHT, Ho Chi Minh City. May 2014.
Purpose: Understanding of product design, furniture production, materials, processing and distribution

Figure1.5. Workshop at HAFELE Showroom. Ho Chi Minh City, May 2014
Purpose: Understanding of cabinet making, joinery, fitting, product strategy and distribution.

3. Student Assignments and Testing
In-class and homework assignments, quizzes, and exams were important components of teaching subject: Design Method. They helped students
to learn when implemented according to these recommendations.
 Have students work on problems that vary in content and complexity
 Schedule studying over time and over several sessions(Spacing Effect)
 Use assignments that are goal-directed
 Use assignments that are at the right level of difficulty for students’ current knowledge
 Have students work collectively on challenging, real world problems in the topic area
 Include requirements that involve the student engaging in reading and writing
 Give clear, explanatory, and timely feedback on responses, assignments.
Sustainability
Assignment policy also was focused on specific issues related to sustainability. Models for sustainable decision making and applications to new
situations. Students were encouraged to research sustainability issues, to think critically, and to form and defend their opinions. They learned how
to find creative solutions for complex problems related to sustainability, and to be aware of the future consequences of their decisions.
Existing syllabus helped students to develop ability to:
 Identify/recognize a sustainability issue or concern.
 Identify and consult with stakeholders affected by the issue.
 Research the positive and negative impacts to the health and well-being of people, the environment, and the economy.
 using technology to learn and making connections among technology, society, and the environment
 Assess the options as to their positive and negative impacts on the health and well-being of people, the environment, and the economy.

Figure1.6. Assignment Brief Sample: Assignment Brief 1 (MP1)

Figure1.7. Assignment Brief Sample: Assignment Brief 2 (MP2)

Figure1.8. Assignment Front Sheet Sample

Figure1.9. Student Work. Assignment no.1 (MP1)

Figure1.10. Student Work Compilation. Assignment no.2 (MP2)

Example 2
Subject (Unit): Furniture Design and Processing
Date: October Term 2015
Course Outline
Course Details Course Title : Furniture Design Advanced
Module Type : Major Required - Optional
Credits: 3
Course Aims The aim of this course is to provide you with the necessary knowledge and skill set to advance your understanding
of the concepts, production methods and technologies that are available to professional designers in the
development of furniture.
Student will also be introduced to fundamental topics such as: specification and documentation methods,
development models and prototype production, and brand and business models that support furniture design
production and exhibition of furniture.
Students will advance their skills outlined above and explore their design philosophy at a theoretical level in
addition to writing an award and exhibition proposal and submitting an application.
Expected Learning Outcomes Students who pass this course will be able to:
1: demonstrate compositional, aesthetic awareness in their design development work including innovative and
creative thinking when prototyping furniture.
2: appropriately engage material fundamentals and manufacturing processes in their design work and demonstrate
an understanding of their design process and an ability to manage their time effectively.
3: progress their ability to present ideas and concepts at a personal and presentation level in order to
communicate ideas to the industry. This includes the ability to understand and appropriately apply modelling
(physical and digital) skills, concise explanation writing and specification documentation learnt in core courses to
their design work for the development, production, and branding of furniture.
4: work effectively - independently, and in collaboration - in a professional manner with workshop staff, external
producers, and sponsor company to review and critique process and outcomes

Assessment Framework 1. Project One Lenth: 4 weeks % 40
2. Project Two Lenth: 4 weeks % 60
Learning and Teaching Strategy Classes will consist of lectures, discussions, presentations, case studies, exercises, tutorials and project reviews.
Teaching Format Course will be taught primarily through workshop and studio sessions. The course coordinator will give most of the
lectures. Other staff and professionals from outside the school will also be invited to lecture during the course. A
short lecture and seminar discussion will take place at the beginning of each week. In a group setting, work is to
be undertaken during the studio sessions on independent projects in collaboration with tutors and fellow students.
At the start of the first studio of each week, an informal critique takes place where students briefly present their
design progress or issues - all students are expected to offer support and feedback during these sessions.
In this course student will learn and use your design, detailing, and production skills to prototype furniture, the
developed concept, based on the sponsor company’s brief. Student design development response will need to be
resolved to a very high level (market release ready prototype) of visual sophistication and demonstrate an
understanding of the key themes, issues of use, and production. The student group are expected to investigate at
a theoretical level with an engaged and referenced critique of these areas in regards to their design.
Assignment work is all project-based; the design prototyping, a writing/specification, and a group exhibition
project are undertaken during the course. All of the projects systematically build upon one another, strengthening
the student’s ability to successfully engage progressively in more complex and sophisticated design challenges.
Students independently prototype and collectively exhibit their design prototypes. An independent project, involves
being able to write about the furniture and demonstrate a clear understanding of the issues of research, culture,
context, craft and production.
Group work will make up to 15% of the course and will be part of project Two.
Project two – Part 2: the collaborative final installation of the prototypes will be exhibited at the end of the course
for assessment. This project will involve the class developing and documenting the design and the production of
the installation and associated information (such as catalogue, PR, invites) that will be presented in the final
presentation and installation. The project Two hand out will clearly outline the assessment criteria: how any group
work assessment will be calculated, and the contributions that are expected from each student. A submission
requirement of this project will be a timesheet and a credit list of work undertaken, signed by each class member.
The assessment student will receive for the group work is based on this information.
TopicsCovered/WeeklyLe
ctureSchedule
Week 1 : Introduction to Furniture Design. Ergonomic
Week 2 : Cabinet Making. Shelving Units.
Week 3 : Chair Manufacturing. Solid and Laminated wood. CNC Technology
Week 4: Assignment no.1. Research Topic. PPT Presentation
Week 5 : Field Trip. Furniture Company. Assignment no.2. Idea Generation. Model
Week 6 : Revision of Topics. Assignment no.3. Final Project Presentation and Prototype
Syllabus Outline Introduction to module materials
Field trips to production workshop

Workshop of 3D models
Development of design projects
Presentation of projects
Key Readings Required Texts
Postell, J C 2007, Furniture Design, John Wiley& Sons, USA.
Stem, S 2003, Designing Furniture, The Taunton Press, USA.
Reference Texts
Byars, M 2006, New Chairs, Laurence King, UK.
Cache, B 1995, Earth Moves: The Furnishing of Territories MIT Press, USA.
Osman, J H 2005, Sourcebook of Modern Furniture, W.W.Norton & Co, USA.
Pile, J 2002, Furniture Modern + Postmodern + Design and Technology, Interscience
Publication, USA
Saville, L 2006, Design Secrets-Furniture-50 projects uncovered, Rockport
Publisher, USA.
Reference Journals
Interior Design, USA
Vogue Living, Australia
(Inside) Interior Review, Australia
IQ, Interiors Quarterly, Singapore
Frame, Netherlands
Wall Paper, UK
Domus, Italy
Academic Integrity, Plagiarism and
Copyright
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is important because it is the core value on which the University’s learning, teaching and
research activities are based. University staff and students are expected to treat academic, intellectual or creative
work that has been done by other people with respect at all times. Victoria University’s reputation for academic
integrity adds value to your qualification.
Academic integrity is simply about being honest when you submit your academic work for assessment
Student must acknowledge any ideas and assistance you have had from other people.
Student must fully reference the source of those ideas and assistance.
Student must make clear which parts of the work you are submitting are based on other people’s work.
Student must not lie about whose ideas you are submitting.
When using work created by others either as a basis for your own work, or as an element within your own work,
student must comply with copyright law

Plagiarism
The University defines plagiarism as presenting someone else’s work as if it were your own, whether you mean to
or not. ‘Someone else’s work’ means anything that is not your own idea. Even if it is presented in your own style,
you must acknowledge your sources fully and appropriately. This includes:
Material from books, journals or any other printed source
The work of other students or staff
Information from the internet
Software programs and other electronic material
Designs and ideas
The organization or structuring of any such material
Learning Outcomes
Furniture Design course was designed to give students knowledge and understanding of the visual and functional qualities of furniture and how it
is designed. How to develop an understanding of a range of materials and select appropriate manufacturing processes in exploring construction
and fabrication used in furniture design. They developed high-level competence in controlling the creative process from inception to realisation.
Students will be expected to develop an understanding of the role and responsibilities of the designer and designer-maker in a commercial
context, including one-off, batch and mass production, and to develop the ability to communicate 3D ideas through 2D drawing techniques
and 3D making, modeling and prototyping skills.
On successful completion of this course students become able to:
• Understand the visual, tactile and functional characteristics of furniture and related products
• Understand the making processes required to meet design requirements
• Demonstrate skills in design development, using appropriate techniques to communicate ideas and respond to identified needs
• Apply professional practice in furniture design.

Major theoretical and practical topics:
• INTRODUCTION TO FURNITURE
• HISTORY OF FURNITURE
• ERGONOMIC
• DESIGN & PROCESSES
• METALS FOR FURNITURE DESIGN
• DESIGN FOR PRODUCTION
• CABINETS, DOORS AND DRAWERS
• EXPERIMENTS IN FIBER COMPOSITES
• CNC FURNITURE PROCESSING
• EXPLORING UPHOLSTERY FROM THE BASICS TO THE EXTREME
Furniture Design Course, implementation and evaluation of student work was divided in four stages.
Figure 4.1. Furniture Course Organization

Figure4.2. Furniture Course Schedule

Learning and Supporting Material
This material has been developed for students to support strategies for positive learning outcomes. It was not designed to be used in its current
form as a student handout but to be used to support student understandings of what is involved in brief development and to guide and support
students to use this as a model for their future practice.
Learning Material was provided to students in “Hard copy” form, and on line selfprepared presentations in PPT form at “Slideshare” and “Prezi”
web platforms. Here are few samples:
Solid Wood in Product Design: http://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/1-150824135859-lva1-app6892-thumbnail.jpg?cb=1440425159
Furniture Design Part 1: http://www.slideshare.net/sinisaprvanov3/michael-thonet-vs-alvar-aalto-part-i
Part 2: http://www.slideshare.net/sinisaprvanov3/michael-thonet-vsalvar-aalto-part-ii
Part 3: http://www.slideshare.net/sinisaprvanov3/michael-thonet-vsalvar-aalto-part-iii
Figure4.3. Furniture Course Material
Also very useful on line student portfolios from other design schools abroad presented on “ISSUU” web platform:
Furniture Design Portfolio Sample 1: https://issuu.com/vanessayuenyeechan/docs/fpd_portfolio-yuen_yee_chan
Furniture Design Portfolio Sample 2: https://issuu.com/nicolamurphy9/docs/final_portfolio
Furniture Design Portfolio Sample 3: https://issuu.com/ctgarcia/docs/garcia_furniture_portfolio_2016_pag
Furniture Design Portfolio Sample 4: https://issuu.com/kiranprasanth/docs/portfolio_-_furniture___interior_de

Also articles about Ergonomic, manufacturing techniques and CNC processing.
Ergonomic and Human Dimensions:
http://besitee.site/pdf-online/h/human-dimension-and-interior-space-by-julius-panero-and-martin-zelnick-5091.pdf.
CNC Furniture Production:
http://www.slideshare.net/ssuser6d1143/furniture-design-46398209?qid=7e841a3d-00bc-4a89-84cb-ed5117ad35b8&v=&b=&from_search=41
Furniture and Joinery CNC Production: http://www.gearingmediagroup.com/
Video Links related to CNC Furniture Production:
CNC Panel Production: https://youtu.be/3xkhHmCfbBs
CNC Solid Wood Fabrication: https://youtu.be/b95zanOYb-U
From SKETCHUP to PRODUCTION: https://youtu.be/FTWR9iovgrs
Figure4.4. CNC Folding Chair. SCAD University Savannah, GA ,USA.

Figure4.5. Evidence of consultancy and student progress between stage 2 and 3

Figure4.6. Evidence of Field Trip to Furniture Company
Purpose: Understanding of solid wood furniture production, finishing and upholstery

Figure4.7. Evidence of Student Work (Stage by Stage) Student: Le Hyunh Anh Thu
Assignment no.1
(Test 1)
Idea Generation
Weight 10%
Student:
Le Hyunh Anh Thu

Assignment no.2
(Test 2)
Presentation 1
Weight 30%
Student:
Le Hyunh Anh Thu

Assignment no.3
(Test 3)
Final Project
Weight 10%
Student:
Le Hyunh Anh Thu

Evaluation
Marking Criteria
and
Overall Grade: 8,00

Figure 4.8. Evidence of Student Work. Assignment 2 & 3. Student: Hoa Minh Nguyen

Figure 4.9. Evidence of Student Work. Assignment 2 & 3. Student: Minh Anh Truong, Ho Anh Nguyen, Hoa Sen Mai

Figure 4.10. Evidence of Student Work. Assignment 2 & 3. Student: Truonh Thi Ngoc Yen

Figure 4.11. Final Project Evaluation and Exhibition
Ton Duc Than University (FIFA), Ho Chi Minh City, December 2016

Example 3
Subject (Unit): Bachelor Thesis Project
Date: June 2015 - January 2016
Thesis Process
Interior Design students complete both a written and a design thesis, supervised by their graduate faculty committee. The thesis process and
guidelines were defined in the Thesis Guidelines Document.
In Spring Semester of pre-thesis year, Design and Research Methods subjects works to establish a foundation for the written thesis and for site
research in the summer preceding thesis year. Students develop and present a preliminary thesis question in poster format to the graduate
faculty. This encourages discussion and allows students to begin forming their thesis committees. Writing and diagramming exercises hone both
textual and graphical communication with a focus on academic discourse. Independent research, guided by their instructor and thesis committee,
informs individual methodologies and the development of a thesis draft. At the end of the semester, 80% of the written thesis is complete,
allowing time for revisions, site selection, and site analysis during the summer.
In the summer before thesis year, students engage in independent work under the supervision of their committee chair. Thesis Coursework is
focused on refinement and revision of the thesis draft and Site Analysis works to select a site or potential sites and conduct preliminary site
analysis.
In Fall Semester of thesis year, students are encouraged to submit to other relevant conferences, encouraging participation in academic discourse.
Written thesis presentations occur early in the semester to the thesis respondent At this point, students begin their design thesis, including site
selection, site analysis, programming, and schematic design, regularly consulting with their thesis committees.
In Spring Semester of thesis year, students must regularly consult with their committees for feedback and critique throughout this critical period.
Near the end of the semester, the thesis respondent attends the thesis presentations to critique each student’s design thesis in light of their
written thesis.

Thesis Schedule
1. Thesis Planning Dates and Guidelines Abstract
2. Spring and Summer Thesis Development Schedule
3. Written Thesis Proposal
4. Thesis Committee Selection
5. Written Thesis Assessment
6. Summer Thesis Development
7. Thesis Development
8. Summer Work Assessment
9. Design Thesis Guidelines
10. Graduate Thesis Assessment
11. Thesis Defense
Thesis Planning Dates and Guidelines Abstract
I. Spring. Students begin the written thesis process .Process includes the Written Thesis Proposal and the formation of the Thesis Committee.
II. April Students meet with their Thesis Committees and formulate a summer research plan. Documentation of their three thesis sites and site
analyses.
III. August Students supply their thesis committee chair with a substantially developed draft document with bibliography, notes, and illustrations
by the second week of August. This draft document and the preliminary site documentation and program serve as a prerequisite for enrollment.
IV. Sept-Nov Written thesis document completed for presentation and submitted. Oral presentations occur over two days moderated by a thesis
respondent, faculty moderators and the thesis committee. Students begin submission of the written thesis to additional relevant venues.
V. December Students present program site analysis, site investigation process, site design proposal, and schematic building design process and
ideation at the end of the semester review, working in concert with their committee.
VI. Jan-March Comprehensive assessment review of thesis progress (typically prior to spring break) in the form of a full presentation mock up,
final design scope, and signed presentation contract agreed upon between the student, instructor and thesis committee.
VII. April Thesis Design Presentations. Design grade established in consultation with the instructor and thesis committee. Students develop a
written addendum to their thesis document to include reduced project drawings and a critical concluding section exploring the relationship
between their theoretical frame and design outcome.
VIII. May Completion of thesis document (text and design documentation). Submission to their committee for signature at least one week prior to
graduation. Committee members must approve completed document content before they sign cover sheets. Graduation cannot occur until a final
grade is approved and signed documents are deposited with Graduate Department's Administrative Assistant.

Figure 5.1 Sample of general thesis writing Instructions provided to students in early July 2015

Figure 5.2. Evidence of Student Work. BA Thesis Project: “DECKO” Office Design
Student: Le Hyunh Anh Thu

Figure5.3. Evidence of Student Work. BA Thesis Project: “DECKO” Office Design

Figure 5.5. BA Thesis “ ADOBE Office Design”
Student: Nguyễn Thụy Thanh Thảo

Figure 5.10. BA Thesis Defence. January 2016. Ton Duc Thang University, Faculty of Industrial Fine Arts, HCMC Vietnam
Members of Thesis Committee:
Prof. Ma. Thierry Defose
Prof. Nguyen Bao
Prof. Dr. Sinisa Prvanov
Prof. Ma. Giao Thanh Pham

Teaching Goals: Short and Long-Term
I worked in professional design for about seventeen years in Greece before moving to Asia, and I had the opportunity to be a lecturer and critic. I
really enjoyed it, so when the opportunity at Raffles Design Institute opened up to get involved in teaching I was really excited. I also had a few
teachers in my undergraduate studies who were huge mentors and had a big impact on my life. Teachers can change your destiny, and I wanted
to have that kind of impact.
In the beginning my primary goal was to offer fundamental interior design training and to encourage students to discover, analyze, and solve the
problems independently. As an instructor, I was worked hard to gain the success of my courses and program. It is interesting to see the level of
improvement from start to finish. If you look at projects at the sophomore level and set them side-by-side with senior-level projects -- that is how
you can gauge success. The change is mind blowing. How students grow in that short time defines if a program is great or not.
Some challenges are typically associated with technical instruction and program. There are two sides. One area is hands-on skill sets. Students will
build models, draft by hand, and mark up renderings -- there is a lot of technical instruction teaching students how to craft with their hands. The
second part is the computer programs that are critical to our industry and critical for students to advance and excel in. They have to learn those
technical skills, and they are skills that they can infuse with their own creativity once they get a grasp on their technical ability.
Teaching strategies are very important to help student’s difficulties in concepts or subjects. I feel very strongly that people learn through
repeating a process over and over. When I teach the process of design, I try to break it down into methods they can approach with a step-by-step
solution, so they have a chance to practice the same five or six steps applied to the same problem.
During the last few years, Interior Design has experienced a rapid evolution. From a focus on sustainability to an increased reliance on technology
to a growing demand for enhanced professionalism, Interior Design continues to progress despite bleak economic forces that seemed primed to
stunt such growth. But considering that the heart of the profession is education, Interior Design programs at colleges are still not effective.
Today’s students often have a different approach and attitude toward technology, with an expectation of quickly acquired knowledge. At times,
however, fast pace can threaten deep knowledge and critical thinking. Therefore, it is our responsibility to instill value of in-depth knowledge in
learners, as this is a key to complex problem-solving that today’s challenges require. Technology, in fact, can make deep knowledge acquisition
very possible, if we take steps to direct it to do so.
A defining factor of Interior Design education in 2010 is the integration of technology. Technology has served as a significant catalyst for changing
how educators and students not only share knowledge, but also how students think about design and how they communicate design ideas.

The next evolution on the technology front may be online Interior Design education. A lot of Universities recently launched an online Interior
Design bachelor’s degree program, and many educators expect more schools to follow suit in the near future. Given current students’ need for
flexibility in their schedules and their deep understanding of technology and mobile devices, online education is an inevitable part of the future of
Interior Design. We’re still in a time of transition. Many Interior Design education programs are still evaluating the best methods of delivering the
various components of design knowledge through online learning. There are opportunities for online hybrid approaches, where students could
choose to take certain courses online while taking others in a physical setting.
This focus on collaboration and integration is helping produce Interior Design graduates who are able to see the big picture.
One change I’ve observed over the past few years is that a number of Interior Design students are coming out of school with more than an
Interior Design degree. They have been exposed to — or purposely studied — other related areas, such as lighting design, business, planning,
sustainable design, and have sometimes taken classes with architecture students. Interior Design students today have a better understanding of
the profession and its place in society.
My personal goal for my future classroom is to challenge students and watch them grow to their full potential. I want to take students at different
levels and see them develop together for the betterment of each individual. Therefore, group work is the key to having a successful class and is
something I value, especially with older students. The impact of group work, when students help fellow students, changes each person and
transforms the atmosphere of the class as a whole. In my classroom, I want students to have freedom that allows for expression and creativity.
Students should be able to experiment with likes and dislikes and to realize their strengths and weaknesses. After this base is developed, the
curriculum can be molded to tie in each student’s learning style. I want to teach students in a way that has some straightforward instruction, but
that also gives students room to grow and expand on their own. At the beginning of the year, it is understandable for the teacher to lead class
discussions, but towards the end of the year, students will pose their own questions and try to answer them independently. I feel it is beneficial
for students to sometimes work for the answer rather than being told because it stretches their knowledge and teaches them how to find
information in a variety of ways. I also feel a key to success is for the class to work on projects to help others. As an educator, it is important not
only to help the students that you are teaching, but also give them direction to help others. One of the mine most important personal teaching
goals is to bring inventions in teaching methods. Getting innovative teaching ideas and tools from teaching associations as Interior Design
Educators Council (IDEC). Focused on and engaged with critical contemporary issues. Places project-based learning at the center of the
educational experience. Permanently helping students to attend workshops and to participate at local and international student competitions.
As a Interior Design educator, it is critical to remember to enjoy students and everything they have to offer. Sometimes it can be a struggle, but if
something goes wrong, there is always a way to fix the problem. No matter what, there is always the power to make change.

Teaching Practice Overview

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