Models For Lighting Design Education

While educators assure the need for equipping architecture and design students with lighting design knowledge, the nature of the teaching methods employed in imparting that knowledge is not easy to define. The mere number and diversified orientations of academic programs speak for the enormous proportions of such a task. However, lighting educators are familiar with one or more methods of instruction that contribute to developing students’ lighting design competency. Common among these methods are the traditional theoretical lecture, design synthesis, and field case studies. The lecture format is probably the most common, but the instructional practice of supplementing lecture with design exercises or with case study assignments can also be found. This situation engenders a look at the practiced teaching methods and the possible ways of combining them to forge viable models for lighting design education.