The Studio: 10 Years and Counting

Yes, it's been 10 years since we began the instructional technology design studio at the University of Georgia. Ten is a nice round number and is cause enough to stop, reflect, and hopefully celebrate. If this were a marriage, the traditional gifts would be tin and aluminum (kinda weird actually; of course, my wife and I just celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary, and I think the traditional gift is "linoleum.")

Most people know that the studio concept was born on the drive to Sapelo Island in March 1997 for the instructional technology faculty's annual retreat. Over that weekend, Michael Orey, Jim King, and I roughed out a structure and organization for the studio. Of course, a ton of work took place between then and the actual start of the studio in the fall semester of 1998. The studio approach was a radical departure for graduate education in instructional technology at the time, and remains one of the most innovative approaches to graduate education in the field. Over the past 10 years, we've since been a model for many other graduate programs around the world, even though relatively few have adopted a similar studio model. We have been held up as an example of a group who actually practices what they believe (and teach). In hindsight, I think it was a very gutsy move and I am very proud of my role in the studio's birth and life so far (I think we are at least at the adolescent stage).

The studio experience has proven to be the core experience for our masters students. M.Ed. students tend to report during their portfolio meetings that they were uncomfortable with the studio approach at the beginning, but came to understand and enjoy the studio experience by the end. Even for those students who did not resonate entirely with the studio approach, I find much satisfaction in knowing they at least experienced a different kind of "school" from what they experienced for their first 16 years of education (kindergarten doesn't count).

We had some notable events over the past year recognizing the studio at UGA. We had several sessions at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) conference in Orlando in November, 2008 recognizing our efforts over the past decade. Most notably we were featured in AECT's Design & Development Showcase. The studio was also part of a session organized by Elizabeth Boling of Indiana University at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference in April, 2009 in San Diego in which many of the nation's leading programs described how they prepare instructional designers.

It is somewhat fitting that I write this entry the day after the spring 2009 studio showcase was held. This, it turns out, was the final showcase to be held in Athens. This is because the Instructional Design & Development area is moving its curriculum (which includes the studio) to the new UGA Gwinnett campus. So, we are entering into a new era, one full of promise and opportunity, but also some anxiety and apprehension. We certainly look forward to connecting with more students, schools, companies, and organizations in the Atlanta area.

It's been an honor working with and getting to know all of the students who passed through one or more of the studio courses over the past 10 years. I know you are out there and it would be great to hear from you. I've been humbled and inspired by all of the outstanding design projects over the years. However, I think it fitting to end this posting by recognizing those individuals who were part of the first studio back in 1998 and who completed the first cycle of studio courses: Sara Bradbury, Shannon Crupi, Sebastian Fiedler, Michael Gardner, Beaumie Kim, Vivian Liu, Bryan McLucas, Susan Paul, Jerry Slezak, Marcia Walker-Guy, Bethany White, and Hong Wu.

Here's to the next 10 years!