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.

^{Adaptability is our ability to bend and come back to center over and over again, increasing our flexibility each time.}
Esther Perel

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

A modular approach offers both flexibility and student agency. It can also lead you to identify clear individual products and boost the financial health and resilience of your course/training. For instance, when every new (academic) year you need great adaptability to a new financial reality, such as the number of participants enrolling. Our Studio has embraced modular design for over a decade, as a form of experimentation and innovation that goes beyond trends.

With a modular approach, you will have the ability to reassemble modules into certain learning tracks instead of always having to develop a tailor-made design which requires more time and expense. For instance, 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 to couple a workshop face to face. This requires only short time slots for each module. A topic can be taught in 6-9 videos, or a 20 minute podcast, or even 30 second video clips.

We see modular design as an integral part of our value system, offering simplicity and cutting edge green design - low-tech internet, low data footprint. Our philosophy is not only to ensure technical resilience, but also to achieve human resilience for you as course/training coordinator and for your teaching staff intentionally.

An essential challenge with modular approaches to a curriculum is to ensure the overarching direction of the course is clear to students (and to you as coordinator). What is the main program?

When you have robust technical resilience, you can reimagine your course or degree in modular ways. This resilience ensures the clarity of the main program. You are ready to explore the playfulness of flexibility.

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, including going blended
- 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‘.

Our Audio Podcast

Expect a release of our next Audio Podcast episode, in pre-summer 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
Designed to be green (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 / land / water / climate) curriculum, so that you can offer effective and resilient education in its simplest form.