MODULAR
(and fit for purpose)

—
^{‘The need for modular programs and personalised learning paths that cater to the needs and interests of students, is becoming increasingly apparent. This development leads to the creation of more flexibly designed learning environments, both physically and virtually. These approaches enable students to pursue their education at a time, pace of study, and location that suit their own needs and interests.‘}
Future Campus (2040) trend report 2023.

Are you curious for more? Would you like to get in touch? Feel free to contact our lead directly for any questions or inquiries you may have. tikvah@studioblended.com +31 6 42 47 29 69

Photo: An open building framework for a house in Japan, Tokyo by Shigeru Ban (1995). Birkhauser 2008. Edition Detail. Components and Systems, p. 132. With thanks to the Netherlands Architecture institute’s library.

Modular

Modular is currently very much in swing as it relates to all the terms concerning flexibility and student agency. From another angle, a modular approach, can lead you to identify clear individual products and boost the financial health and resilience of your course/training; you are now enabled to reassemble modules into certain learning tracks instead of working tailor-made only with high time and cost investment. You may want to use the ‘flipping the classroom approach’ as part of your blended or bichronous course/training and work with online knowledge clips, so that you need modules with a very short time slot to teach a topic, say 6-9 video, or 20 min. podcast, or even 30 sec. video. Our Studio is all about modular design, an interest, experimentation and innovation that goes beyond trends, and is more than a decade strong. 

We see modular as a integral part of our valuesystem for simplicity and are cutting edge in ‘greenful’ design - low-tech internet, low data footprint. Our unique philosophy is to not only ensure technical resilience, but also naturally and intentionally achieve human resilience for you as course/training coordinator and your teaching staff. 

An essential challenge with modular approaches to a curriculum, is to still have the ‘high way’ of the learning clear to students (and to you as coordinator). What is the main program?

You can reimagine your course or degree, when you start looking in modular ways, but only when you have robust technical resilience. One that ensures to all, crystal clarity about what the main program is. From there, all the playfulness of flexibility can start.

Key projects

Our independent senior advisor (then staff member) delivered a proposal called ‘Training as a product - A suggestion’ to the head of Education. The proposal included:
- A handful of problems identified in current trainings delivered overseas
- Suggestion for an ‘open building’ training product offered by this institute for capacity building/development
- Concrete suggested formats which could be used directly to implement the proposal
- A model in which the curriculum could be built up in a modular way
- An illustration of how to schedule in senior and medior staffmembers, both remotely and on-site
The proposal dates back to 2014, but is still decade strong and relevant today. Have a look under ‘financial health and resilience’ for more about this approach.



Have a look at a module design we created for a course in land policy and -economics. You see our module design for a game. The module fits within the overall fit for purpose ‘open building framework’ we designed for the course, partnering with the coordinator. It can also be used as a stand alone ‘product‘.

Click to expand, and get a full illustration of our format for a modular approach to your course/training. This module relates directly to the fit for purpose open building framework you find under ‘technical resilience’. Here you see the re-design/re-structuring of a decade strong game to be ready for the next decade as a module or even a product. Curious? tikvah@studioblended.com

Our Audio Podcast

Expect a release of our next Audio Podcast episode, in winter/spring 2024.

Related publications

Our lead and founder, takes a lively interest in architecture, and made an extensive exploration of the open building approach in architecture (with distinction) at the Institute for Housing and Urban Management (IHS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam.


Future Campus (2040) trend report 2023.

More design angles we use

Technical resilience
Human resilience
Modular
Evidence-based design
Financial health and resilience by (re)design
Innovative and deep pedagogy
Multi- Inter- and transdisciplinary
Blended
Bichronous
Greenfully designed (and technological simplicity) Nature and aspirations
Flexibilisation and personalisation
Simplicity and decluttering



Curios? Feel free to contact our senior advisor and teacher trainer directly:
tikvah@studioblended.com

We are here especially for you as unique professional, to come alongside you and partner with you, as you work on a (architecture / urban / water / climate) curriculum, so that you can offer effective and resilient education in all simplicity.