The comparison between architecture students’ peer learning in informal situations within physical and virtual environments during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper aims to evaluate British architecture students’ peer learning experiences in informal situations, that is, outside formal timetables. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the study made a comparison between those students’ learning experiences within physical and virtual environments, to find out if there are changes, difficulties and novelties when those students were introduced to unfamiliar learning contexts. Using the theoretical lens of the community of practice, the author conducted interviews and questionnaires to collect students’ learning experiences and stories when they were engaged in those two environments, respectively. It was found that the physical design studio environment and mutual engagements within it are essential to those students’ individual learning. Therefore, even if those students learned within the virtual environment, they still tried their best to simulate a design studio atmosphere to learn as the form of a community. Another obvious issue is that students normally lack peer-to-peer support, such as architectural knowledge, IT skills and mental health, when they are engaged in virtual environments. Comparatively, those supports are easily obtained via peer learning within physical environments, especially design studios. Based on the finding, future work should determine what architectural knowledge, skills, values and attitudes students developed from the community of practice.