BASC Lab on the news
USC has recently published a media release about the Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities (BASC) Lab which is led by Dr Nicholas Stevens and myself, and is part of the university’s School of Law and Society and the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems.
The BASC Lab is focused both on teaching and research, and will help us to enhance a human-centred approach to urban design and town planning by considering the many factors of the physical environment that impact on people.
Read more…
Urban Design Studio in flipped classroom mode
Last week I taught for the first time the Urban Design Studio at James Cook University. It was a very intense but enjoyable week with classes from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Read more…
Online teaching and learning for practice-based disciplines
Last August I wrote about the blended learning challenges I’d embrance in the new Design Communication subject at JCU.
When I started working at JCU I was given the Design Communication subject with students both in Townsville and Cairns, both groups enrolled at the same time and part of the same subject, while I am based in Cairns only. It soon became clear to me that, with the resources JCU makes available – it has invested a lot in online technologies, from Blackboard platforms with Collaborate tools, to Mediasite capability, videoconference equipment, document cameras and so forth – blended learning was the way to go. Read more…
Blended learning for design communication studio
From next year I will be teaching Design Communication at JCU. This subject is a core subject in the new Major in Urban Environments and Landscape Design.
This is not a new subject for me, as this was the very first experience I had as a tutor in Brazil when I was still an undergrad student. Then I lectured the subject at UFT also in Brazil, and later on in New Zealand.
Despite all these years, the way it will be delivered this time is completely new and challenging to me. Read more…
The academic job selection
Several months ago I mentioned I was moving to Cairns (Australia) to take up a position as a lecturer in Urban Design, and I promised I’d share my experience here. Read more…
Joining James Cook University as a Lecturer in Urban Design
I am very proud to share some recent good news: On 30 January 2017 I will join James Cook University as a Lecturer in Urban Design. James Cook is Australia’s leading tropical research university, with campuses in Townsville, Cairns and Singapore. Read more…
Professional Practice and Landscape Architecture office visits
This post was originally published at The SoLA Blog, the blog of the School of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University.
Professional Practice (SOCI 314) is a shared course delivered by the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University, and shared between the School of Landscape Architecture and the Department of Environmental Management.
The aim of the course is to provide students with an opportunity to critically study issues related to the provision of professional services in environmental planning and design. Therefore, students develop a critical understanding of the social, ethical, and organisational issues involved in the provision of professional services.
The course is divided in two streams: BLA and BEM/BEPP. BLA students have recently had the opportunity to visit Landscape Architecture practices including Christchurch City Council, Jeremy Head and Andrew Craig’s practice and Rough and Milne, where they were received by Tony Milne.
These office visits covered topics such as work flows, office structure and practice mode, collaboration, charging out and invoicing, work sources, software used, hand drawing…
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Second year students visit preschool
The post below was originally published at The SoLA Blog, the blog of the School of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University.
LASC 216 (Site Design) students have visited their very first real-life client, the Lincoln University Childhood Centre (LUECC). The site visit happened on the July 7 and was aimed at collecting information that will support a class project focused on the redesign of the LUECC outdoor area, including their gardens and playground areas.
The project involves the preparation of a landscape concept plan, and a concept for planting design. Students’ proposals shall respond to the client’s requirements as highlighted in the site visit.
Students have until July 29 to develop their proposals with the support of their tutors and project leaders Silvia Tavares and Jess Rae.
This is the first of a three-stage project where the students will then have the chance to go deeper into defining planting strategies and construction details (LASC 216 Project 2). After the conclusion of Project 2 students will have a chance to present their projects to the LUECC staff and parents…
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Effective Tertiary Teaching
I am reasonably new as a teacher. I have formally been following the teaching path for the past six years. But the other day when I decided to update the teaching page of this blog I had a strange surprise… Read more…
‘To teach or not to teach’ (while undertaking a PhD)?
Although ‘not to teach’ is not an option in many countries, most Masters and PhD students have at least a chance of teaching, but should we go for it? Read more…
SILVIA TAVARES 