Description:
<p>The first year of city and regional planning discipline education is based on one-on-one and face-to-face basic design education and is implemented generally through planning studios I-II. Different assignments are given to freshmen to form their urban design knowledge and perspectives and to develop their design thinking, creative thinking, and design judgments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online education became obligatory in many universities. Education methodologies, materials, and course contents had to be amended when deemed necessary. The aims and objectives of design courses were fulfilled through different digitalized learning systems and programs. Parallel to these, the quality of the design products differed.Accordingly, this study aims to compare students’ basic design outputs of 2020-2021 online and 2022-2023 face-to-face spring term planning studios of the Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta Turkey. Different studies, which are both designed during the online courses are compared to face-to-face courses in this study to assess the impacts of online education on students’ learning and creativity. It is exploratory research implementing a comparative analysis of final term assignments.The research presented that there is an increase in the design quality of assignments in face-to-face education in terms of enhancing course requirements, the interactive character of the courses, and changing implementation processes. The level of interaction with students and their efforts to learn and to participate in the course also accelerated. The outcomes of this research can lead lecturers and academic staff enrolled in the first-year planning studios in the development of course curricula, methodologies, and preparation and delivery of design education.<br></p>