The Burnout Phenomenon: A Comparative ... - Wiley Online Library

The Burnout Phenomenon: A Comparative Study of Student Attitudes Toward Collaborative Learning and Sustainability Amanda J. Gale, Ph.D., David Martin, Ph.D., Kelly Martin, M.S., Auburn University and Melanie A. Duffey, M.C.P., Clemson University

ABSTRACT

The importance of sustainable design and building practices has been well documented in recent literature by Stieg (2006), and as the emphasis on this type of design and construction continues to grow, institutions of higher education are increasingly integrating sustainable design into their curriculum. Congruent with this movement has been the growing realization that interior designers must be able to work and collaborate with a diverse and multifaceted workforce, particularly when sustainable design is a goal. Therefore, using a social constructivist approach this study sought to (1) measure the differences in attitudes toward sustainable design and collaborative learning between lowerand upper-division undergraduate students majoring in interior design at a Southeastern university, (2) investigate the potential impact of interior design education on attitudes toward sustainable design and collaborative learning among the sample, and (3) assess a potential relationship among the variables. Since the interior design program examined for this study incorporates increasing levels of sustainable design education and collaborative learning as students progress through the curriculum, the authors sought to determine whether upper-division students would display more favorable attitudes toward these competencies, which are so highly desired for the workforce. Results revealed that upper-division students held more positive attitudes toward sustainable design than lowerdivision students and provided support for a relationship between the two variables. However, contrary to expectations, results also revealed that upper-division students held less favorable attitudes toward collaborative learning than their lower-division peers. Educational implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

USGBC, 2010). In the building industry, collaboration in sustainable design requires individuals to work together from initial project conceptualization to the culmination of an integrated design because each team member possesses a necessary and unique area of expertise (USGBC, 2010).

Introduction The importance of sustainable design and building practices has been well documented in recent literature (Stieg, 2006). As the emphasis on this sector of design rises, institutions of higher education are increasingly integrating sustainable design into their curriculum. Congruent with this movement has been the growing realization that interior designers must be able to work and collaborate with a diverse and multifaceted workforce, particularly when sustainable design is a goal. Communication skills, teamwork, and critical thinking have been found to be essential aspects of this integrated design process. Additionally, research has indicated that within the realm of sustainable design, there is an increased need for interdisciplinary collaboration (Stieg, 2006;

Journal of Interior Design

The study reported here focused on collaborative learning and sustainable design from a constructivist theoretical framework. Constructivism recognizes that knowledge is actively coconstructed, not uncovered through discovery. It relies on the epistemological premise that knowledge is generated through shared interpretations and social interactions within an environment. As a result, social constructivism strives for consensus between various subjects

17

© Copyright 2014, Interior Design Educators Council, Journal of Interior Design 39(1), 17–31

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND SUSTAINABILITY GALE ET AL.

Educators must also anticipate negative responses that students may have toward collaborative learning, and be prepared to address these issues.

to generate and judge knowledge (Powers, 2001). This study reinforces scholars’ assertions that social constructivism ‘‘does not claim to have made earthshaking inventions in the area of education; it merely claims to provide a solid conceptual basis for some of the things that, until now, inspired teachers had to do without theoretical foundation’’ (von Glasersfeld, 1995, p. 3). Social constructivism has been recognized as an ideal pedagogical structure for studio environments. It is particularly useful in classroom settings where both formal and informal interaction and critique occurs among peers (Powers, 2001). Collaborative learning is defined as an instructional design delivery that encourages students to work cooperatively through social interaction and shared intellectual efforts toward a common outcome (Karantzas et al., 2013; Kim, LaFleur, & Schaeffer, 2008). The process through which collaborative learning occurs stimulates brainstorming, enhances critical-thinking skills and reinforces real-world scenarios (Kim et al., 2008). Working in partnership both to divide the workload and to share ideas can enhance understanding and learning outcomes (Karantzas et al., 2013). However, educators must also anticipate negative responses that students may have toward collaborative learning, and be prepared to address these issues.

damages caused by the building industry (Stegall, 2006). There are financial and social motivations for businesses to reduce their environmental impact. Sustainable design can positively affect building occupants’ health while simultaneously providing a connection with nature (Stieg, 2006). Energy efficiency, resource conservation, and healthy indoor air quality are just some of the benefits (USGBC, 2010). The sustainable design movement in the interior design profession has driven the need to educate interior design students in environmentally sustainable principles to carry into the workforce (Stieg, 2006). Increasing knowledge about sustainability is the first step toward solving the sustainability crisis (Stegall, 2006). However, without collaboration, sustainability may not be successful due to the complexity of the issue and the many disciplines that are involved (USGBC, 2010). Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate interior design students’ attitudes toward the two key professional competencies of collaboration and sustainable design and their perceived relationship.

Review of Literature Although numerous studies have focused on the importance of sustainability (Ruff & Olson, 2009) or the benefits of collaborative learning (Byun, Kim, & Duffey, 2012), there is little research addressing how upper-division students preparing to enter the design and building industry view the issues of sustainability and collaboration in comparison to their younger peers. Collaborative learning is a strategy that can promote the successful integration of sustainable design education (USGBC, 2010). Sustainability and collaborative learning are both addressed in the 2014 Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) professional standards (2, 5, and 14) for program accreditation (CIDA, 2013). Design education highly values collaborative learning. This can be seen in the annual rankings published by DesignIntelligence magazine (DesignIntelligence, 2013). DesignIntelligence annually surveys the nation’s architecture, design, and engineering firms to rank the academic programs that are best preparing

Negative feedback from students regarding collaborative projects is not uncommon. Typical student complaints include lack of control, unequal workload, poor communication, and difficulties in coordinating schedules (Webb & Miller, 2006). Both positive experiences and dilemmas that may occur during collaborative projects reflect the reality of the design workplace (Kim et al., 2008). Therefore, it is advantageous to educate students on successful strategies for working collaboratively and the benefits, which can be gained from collaborative learning. This study investigates student attitudes toward collaborative learning and sustainable design together with how those attitudes may impact student performance. Sustainable design is a critical focus area for the disciplines of the built environment, particularly in interior design due to environmental


18

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


Collaborative learning facilitates the development of social and cognitive learning through creativity, interpersonal relations, social support, and critical analytical thinking.

students for success in the field. Survey results provide program rankings specific to the two skill areas of communication and cross-disciplinary teamwork. Furthermore, DesignIntelligence’s (2013) survey identified sustainability and integrated design as two major emerging issues within the design profession.

was evidenced through faculty observations, student reflections, and self-assessment reports. The students also acquired a higher level of understanding of the sustainable design strategies they investigated. The authors recommended project-based learning as an important strategy for implementing sustainable education.

Ruff and Olson (2009) used a modified version of the New Ecological Paradigm Scale to survey 95 interior design students to assess their perceptions toward sustainability. Results indicated that despite their education in sustainability, many students held a belief that nature can endlessly renew itself. The researchers cautioned interior design educators against inferring that students share their attitudes of sustainability (Ruff & Olson, 2009). Their findings substantiate the need for empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of instruction on sustainable design. Beery (2013) investigated undergraduate students’ perceptions of sustainability to assess their engagement in pro-ecological and pro-social components of sustainability. Through content analysis of participant interviews, Beery (2013) found that the activities students participated in throughout their college experience influenced their outlook, both positively and negatively, on sustainability. The findings suggest that education should be used as a tool to increase awareness and reinforce positive behaviors. Promoting both convenient and easily accessible activities to engage students can encourage sustainable behaviors and strengthen positive perceptions.

Research has been conducted on students’ attitudes toward sustainability (Ruff & Olson, 2009), variables impacting student attitudes (Beery, 2013), and strategies that can enhance student understanding of sustainability (Driza & Torres-Antonini, 2013). However, the literature has failed to consider the vital nature of collaborative learning. Collaboration is critical for integrated project delivery that creates a more sustainable design as well as increasing efficiency and saving money (USGBC, 2010). Researchers need to consider variables such as collaboration that can impact the success of sustainable design. Collaborative learning facilitates the development of social and cognitive learning through creativity, interpersonal relations, social support, and critical analytical thinking (Byun et al., 2012). Kim et al. (2008) studied student learning through a multicourse collaborative project using technology to facilitate communication and teamwork among fashion merchandising students. Sixty students taking three required courses in their program worked collaboratively on a joint project. A postproject survey showed that those who realized and appreciated the importance of collaboration had a more favorable evaluation of the multicourse project and the subject matter addressed in their individual courses. Kim et al. (2008) did not distinguish loweror upper-division students’ attitudes.

Driza and Torres-Antonini (2013) conducted exploratory research on the effectiveness of implementing project-based learning on their course with 25 students from various disciplines. The projectbased learning framework incorporated collaborative and applied learning strategies. Students were tasked to jointly assess energy and water consumption and waste generation for three residential halls on campus. They then surveyed residents on their sustainable (positive and negative) behaviors and documented their results as a team. The findings revealed that students developed collaborative, interdisciplinary, and participatory skills through the project. This


In a similar study, Byun et al. (2012) examined students’ emotional, social, and cognitive learning outcomes with attitudes toward a multicourse collaborative project. They surveyed students who were enrolled in one of three courses (global retailing, lighting design, and visual merchandising) from three disciplines (apparel design, apparel merchandising,

19

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


and interior design). The selected courses included both lower and upper division. Results revealed that learning outcomes significantly affected the development of a positive attitude toward the collaborative project. Like Kim et al., Byun et al. (2012) did not compare lower- and upper-division students’ attitudes toward the collaborative project.

opportunities in multiple courses but warned that this act alone would not inherently increase favorable team attitudes or behaviors. Furthermore, their results indicated that educators and students often differed in their perceptions of the level of training provided for the collaborative projects. Karantzas et al. (2013) recently reported findings based on the implementation of collaborative learning techniques over a 10-week period with undergraduate psychology students and then measuring their critical analysis and problem-solving abilities. Results showed increases in both skill sets, which are among those needed in the interior design field to create integrated and sustainable designs (Stieg, 2006).

Russ and Dickinson (1999) developed a senior-level collaborative design studio that enrolled interior design, architecture, and landscape architecture students. The objective for the studio and subsequent study was to promote integrated design and collaborative learning through the completion of three design charrettes. Interdisciplinary teams completed each charrette, which was scheduled over a 3-day period for each month of the semester. The findings revealed three problem areas: (1) lack of, or difficulty with, communication, (2) a deficiency of collaboration, and (3) a failure to develop integrated designs. Through qualitative analysis of students’ surveys, the studio was modified for the subsequent semester to include the integration of instructional material on team-building strategies and group dynamics. Results of the study revealed that as collaboration increased, quality of student work increased. An implication of the study was the authors’ suggestion of incorporating collaborative learning into lower-division courses.

Previous research has been conducted on learning outcomes and attitudes toward collaborative projects (Byun et al., 2012; Kim et al., 2008), perceptions of team training (Webb & Miller, 2006), and the effectiveness of integrated design and collaborative learning using design charrettes (Russ & Dickinson, 1999). However, the literature lacks any comparison of lower- and upper-division students. Research has shown that upper-division interior design students have more realistic expectations of the type of work they will perform in the field than do lower-division students (Lee & Hagerty, 1996). Collaborative work has become a standard practice, and increasingly valued in the building industry. Given that upperdivision interior design students are close to entering the workforce, it is important to investigate whether they demonstrate more positive attitudes toward collaboration and sustainability than their lowerdivision peers (O’Brien, Soibelman, & Elvin, 2003; Russ & Dickinson, 1999; Webb & Miller, 2006). As highlighted by Webb and Miller’s (2006) study, the simple act of engaging in collaborative projects during one’s college education may not be enough to influence favorability. The study reported here sought to assess whether attitudes toward collaborative learning are different between lower- and upper-division students, and, if so, whether interior design education impacts attitude toward collaborative learning.

Webb and Miller (2006) compared student and faculty perceptions of team training and its effectiveness for collaborative projects completed in studio courses. They conducted a national survey of Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) members including 15 faculty representing 13 interior design programs and 214 students from 12 interior design programs. Results indicated that, from the students’ perspective, the most successful studio collaborations occurred when educators engaged in coaching strategies for effective teamwork. Team training also resulted in students displaying more positive attitudes toward collaboration and increased motivational behaviors in team settings (Webb & Miller, 2006). The researchers advised educators to reinforce team training by incorporating collaborative


Equally important is assessment of students’ attitudes toward sustainable design; practitioners’ responses

20

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


Collaborative work has become a standard practice, and increasingly valued in the building industry.

(54.2%) and 39 upper-division students (45.8%), reflecting a 93.3% response rate. Most of the sample was Caucasian (94%) and the remainder was composed of Asians (2.4%) and African Americans (1.2%). Most were female (96%); only three males were in the sample. Although the sample is skewed toward a Caucasian female demographic, this is representative of the undergraduate interior design program under investigation.

in the DesignIntelligence rankings clearly illustrated the importance of this educational area (DesignIntelligence, 2013). Therefore, this study also investigated whether attitudes toward sustainability vary between lower- and upper-division students and, if so, whether interior design education impacts attitudes toward sustainability. Finding no research addressing the significance of the potential relationship, the study sought to assess whether there is a significant relationship between students’ attitudes toward collaborative learning and sustainability. Thus, the following research questions were developed:

Intervention Sustainability and collaborative learning were addressed in the program of study throughout the curriculum, using various teaching methods, as required by CIDA (2013; see Table 1). On average, students were tested on sustainable content through examination, activities, or projects 18 times within the 4-year program. Education on sustainability predominantly occurred during the students’ junior and senior years. Therefore, the researchers sought to assess sustainability attitudes among upper-division

RQ1: Are there differences in attitudes toward sustainability between lower-division students and upper-division students? RQ2: Does interior design education, operationalized by level in interior design program, influence students’ attitude toward sustainable design? RQ3: Are there differences in attitudes toward collaborative learning between lower-division students and upper-division students?

Table 1. Instruction on collaboration and sustainability within the programa Teaching method

RQ4: Does interior design education, operationalized by level in interior design program, influence students’ attitude toward collaborative learning? RQ5: Is there a significant relationship between attitude toward sustainability and attitude toward collaborative learning among students?

Oral

Lower division Freshman Sustainability Collaborative learning Sophomore Sustainability Collaborative learning

5c

Upper division Junior Sustainability Collaborative learning Senior Sustainability Collaborative learning

Research Methods Participants

Visual

Applied

5a, 5c

2a, 14a 5a, 5c

2a, 14a

2a, 14a 5a, 5c

2a, 14a 5a, 5b, 5c

2a, 14a 5b

2a, 14a 5a, 5b, 5c

2a, 14a 5a, 5b, 5c

2a, 14a 5b

2a, 14a 5a, 5c

a CIDA Standards addressed (CIDA, 2013). 2a: Student work demonstrated understanding on the concepts, principles, and theories of sustainability as they pertain to building methods, materials, systems, and occupants; 5a: Students have awareness of teamwork structures and dynamics; 5b: Students have awareness of the nature and value or integrated design practices; 5c: The interior design program includes learning experiences that engage students in collaboration, consensus building, leadership, and team work; 14a: Students have awareness of sustainability guidelines.

A nonprobability convenience sample was drawn from the interior design undergraduate students at a mid-sized Southeastern university. There were 85 total respondents, with 46 lower-division students


Level in program

21

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


students (juniors and seniors) as compared to lowerdivision students (freshmen and sophomores) to determine if increased exposure to sustainability impacted their attitudes.

year. Once again, depending on the assignment, students were either assigned group members or allowed to select group members from their peers. No training was provided. During the junior level, students’ degree of sustainability knowledge increased to include strategies such as energy efficiency, water conservation, site orientation, indoor environmental quality, and material selection; visual, oral, and applied teaching methods were used.

Collaborative learning occurred throughout each level of the curriculum beginning freshman year. On average, students worked collaboratively on activities or projects 13 times within the four-year program. There was no formalized approach or continuity across course levels among faculty for the integration of collaborative learning. However, faculty provided coaching through oral instructions, which students then applied on collaborative projects.

Students in senior-level courses had one project and several components of projects (i.e., completing asbuilts) for which they worked collaboratively through the year. Group members were assigned or identified through self-selection. Instructions for working in teams were provided in the form of multiple in-class discussions. During this year visual, oral, and applied teaching methods were used to build students’ degree of knowledge of sustainability through more in-depth information on facets to which they had previously exposed. In addition, information was introduced on heat island effects, storm water management, refrigerants, commissioning, and embodied energy.

Students in freshman-level courses had small group projects in which they worked collaboratively on tasks such as taking field dimensions. In these group projects, students were assigned team members and given brief instructions on how to work as a team. The expected learning outcomes were the development of time management, problem solving, and communication skills in a group environment. Students in sophomore-level courses had several projects throughout the year on which they worked collaboratively; these ranged from project components to full projects (programming to schematic design). Depending on the course, students were either assigned or allowed to choose group members. In one project, students were required to complete peer evaluations. The amount of training received from faculty ranged from none to brief reminders at the beginning of several studio courses. Students were first exposed to the topic of sustainability within the interior design program during spring semester of the sophomore level. At this point, student learning included general knowledge about eco-certification programs, indoor air quality, material sources, and life cycle analysis through visual, oral, and applied teaching methods.

Measures A 12-item, self-administered questionnaire consisted of two scales, one on attitude toward sustainability and one on attitude toward collaborative learning (see Table 2). Two of the five items measuring attitude toward sustainability that were modified from a previous scale (Kim et al., 2008) are as follows: •

It is important that I learn about social responsibility in my interior design classes. • Projects involving practical applications of sustainable concepts are important to enhance my understanding. The remaining three items were developed by the researchers: •

Sustainability is relevant to the field of Interior Design. • I am confident in my understanding of sustainability, as it relates to the field of interior design.

Students in junior-level courses worked collaboratively on two projects (programing to construction documents) and several components of projects (i.e., collecting programming information) throughout the


22

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


Table 2.

Measurement for attitudinal variablesa

Dimension

Items

Source

Attitude toward sustainability

It is important that I learn about social responsibility in my interior design classes Projects involving practical applications of sustainable concepts are important to enhance my understanding Sustainability is relevant to the field of Interior Design I am confident in my understanding of sustainability, as it relates to the field of interior design Interior designers have a social responsibility to incorporate sustainable practices in their designs

Kim et al. (2008)

Attitude toward collaborative learning

Please indicate the number that best reflects your attitude toward the collaborative project. Bad—Good Useless—Useful Worthless—Worthwhile Not Valuable—Valuable Negative—Positive Unfavorable—Favorable Dislike—Like

Kim et al. (2008) Developed Developed Developed Byun et al. (2012), Madden, Ellen, & Ajzen (1992) and Holbrook & Batra (1987)

a Items used to measure variables of interest were developed using sources of literature in addition to three items developed by the authors.

•

Interior designers have a social responsibility to incorporate sustainable practices in their designs.

representing a strong positive attitude. Reliability was found to be very high (α = .966). An expert on research methods and statistical analyses was consulted prior to data collection to confirm content validity for both scales.

Items were scored on a 5-point Likert scale with level of agreement ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), with the middle value represented by 3 (neutral). The sustainability attitude scale was examined by an expert to confirm content validity and was found to have acceptable reliability (α = .711).

Procedures The exploratory study consisted of a cross-sectional survey design. Questionnaires were administered in January 2011 to students in five courses representing each level in the interior design program. These were freshman-level ‘‘Introduction to Interior Design’’ (n = 15) and ‘‘Technical Design of Interior Design’’ (n = 12); sophomore-level ‘‘Interior Materials and Components’’ (n = 19); junior-level ‘‘Non-Residential Interiors’’ (n = 15); and seniorlevel ‘‘Institutional Design’’ (n = 23). To reduce the potential for an implementer effect, the same trained Graduate Teaching Assistant administered the survey to all interior design courses using a scripted introduction. The students were informed that they were being asked to complete a survey regarding sustainability and collaborative learning. The survey was voluntary and all responses were anonymous.

A 7-item semantic differential scale was used to measure attitude toward collaborative learning. This scale consisted of adjective pairs derived from items developed by Byun et al. (2012), Madden, Ellen, and Ajzen (1992) and Holbrook and Batra (1987). The questionnaire instructed respondents to think about their experience working on a typical collaborative project. Respondents were then asked to indicate the number that best reflected their attitude toward collaboration; response choices included ‘‘worthless, worthwhile,’’ ‘‘not valuable, valuable,’’ (Byun et al., 2012); ‘‘good, bad,’’ ‘‘useless, useful,’’ (Madden et al., 1992); ‘‘negative, positive,’’ ‘‘unfavorable–favorable,’’ ‘‘dislike, like,’’ (Holbrook & Batra, 1987). Items were scored from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating a strong negative attitude and 5


23

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


Table 3.

Means of upper- and lower-level student scores for attitudinal measuresa

Mean score Upper level (n = 39) Lower level (n = 46)

Dimension

Measure

Attitude toward sustainability

It is important that I learn about social responsibility in my interior design classes Projects involving practical applications of sustainable concepts are important to enhance my understanding Sustainability is relevant to the field of Interior Design I am confident in my understanding of sustainability, as it relates to the field of interior design Interior designers have a social responsibility to incorporate sustainable practices in their designs

Attitude toward collaborative learning

Please indicate the number that best reflects your attitude toward the collaborative project. Bad—Good Useless—Useful Worthless—Worthwhile Not valuable—Valuable Negative—Positive Unfavorable—Favorable Dislike—Like

4.74

4.59

4.69

4.48

4.90 4.18

4.59 3.69

4.64

4.11

Upper level (n = 39) Lower level (n = 46) 3.33 3.02 2.94 3.12 3.17 3.03 3.05

3.78 3.76 3.65 3.85 3.67 3.50 3.52

a The values represent the mean score of all responses. Attitude toward sustainability: 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree. Attitude toward collaborative

learning: 1 = strong negative attitude and 5 = strong positive attitude.

level at (p < .05). The Levene’s test did not reach statistical significance (p = .062), indicating that the equal variance assumption was not violated. The one-way ANOVA test results indicated that there was a difference in attitude toward sustainability between lower- and upper-division students, F(1, 83) = 12.077, p = .001. Descriptive results indicate that upper-division students had more favorable attitudes toward sustainability (M = 4.63, SD = .374) than lower-division students (M = 4.29, SD = .494). Effect size was large, (partial η2 = .13). Observed power was desirable at .930.

Results Attitude Toward Sustainability Are there differences in attitudes toward sustainability between lower-division students and upper-division students? The independent variable was ‘‘division in program,’’ (lower or upper), and the dependent variable was ‘‘attitude toward sustainability,’’ which was measured using the mean score of the 5-item scale (see Table 3). The variable ‘‘division in program’’ was operationalized with lower division consisting of freshman and sophomore students in the program, and with upper division consisting of junior and senior students in the program. To determine if there was a statistically significant difference in attitudes toward sustainability between lower- and upper-division students (RQ1), a oneway ANOVA was conducted for the two groups (see Table 4). The researchers set the significance


Does interior design education, operationalized by level in interior design program, influence students’ attitude toward sustainable design? To address RQ2, further analysis using linear regression was conducted to determine if level in program was a statistically significant predictor for attitudes toward sustainability (see Table 5).

24

Volume 39

Number 1

2014


Table 4.

Results of one-way ANOVAa

Upper-level students (n = 39)

M

SD

M

SD

F

p

4.63 3.09

0.374 1.061

4.29 3.67

0.494 0.936

12.077 7.117

.001** .009*

Attitude Sustainability Collaborative learning

Lower-level students (n = 46)

a Statistical results indicate that upper-level interior design students (jr. & sr.) demonstrated a higher level of favorability toward sustainable design, but a lower level of favorability toward collaborative learning, than their lower level (fr. & soph.) peers. *p < .05; **p < .001

Table 5.

DV

Results of regression analysis

β

IV

Attitude toward Level in sustainability program Attitude toward Level in collaborative program learning

p

Adjusted R2

.392