Detour from the studio: Novelty and walking as an approach to decentre studio learning

This small-scale case study explores the effects of paired walking with Year 3 (SCQF Level 9) interior design students. It seeks to understand how outdoor walks away from the studio foster pertinent and contextual discussions, both during the walk and within their ongoing studio activities. I introduced students to a new small-scale practice-based activity of paired walking, the design of which drew inspiration from collaborative learning, art walking practices, and musical walking scores. Utilising Reflexive Thematic Analysis, I conceptualised the students' engagement, management, and recognition of the value of their experiences during the activity and its impact on their project development. Using a purposively selected cohort as a critical case sample (Bryman, Sloan, Foster, and Clark, 2021, p. 379) working on a project related to, and timely to, the area of research, I asked all learners in this cohort to complete the walking activity as part of their learning. The results highlight the entangled multi-modal learning experience of paired walking, revealing the interplay of expectations and experiences of this 'decentred' learning environment. The decentring, moving a central narrative to the side to understand alternative perspectives of space and the influence of more knowledgeable others away from the studio and the tutor enabled a complex renegotiation between the learner, subject, and context. This research underscores the potential for novelty to engender robust experiential learning experiences. However, a decentred approach to learning may make the recognition of learning less accessible due to its unfamiliar and displaced nature, potentially impacting participation. Participants reported cognitive shifts in their immediate project and their approach to utilising spaces beyond the formal teaching areas as learning tools. These findings encourage us to consider ways to embed novelty and support learners in recognising 'decentred' activities as learning moments.