Teaching Design in a fully remote environment: challenges and changes in the pedagogical approach during the Covid-19 pandemic

Over the past 20 years, there has been a great debate in the literature on how to teach design knowledge and how to enable learning of the key processes related to this discipline. In this landscape, project-based learning (PBL) has always appeared as one of the most effective ways to enable the transfer of design knowledge and test the benefits of this discipline in practice. This type of activity, however, is always carried out mainly Face-to-Face, with group activities (typical of the design realm) and discussions with lecturers. However, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged these teaching methods. How does the process of teaching Design in the PBL format change with the speed of digital technology adoption (due to the COVID-19 Pandemic)? Which activities are more effective fully remote and digital, and which are more difficult? This research is based on an exploratory inquiry on 120 students enrolled in bachelor's and master's courses at the School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano. The study analyses in detail which phases and activities have changed in the new concept of online PBL produced as a result of the Pandemic. The study, therefore, gives the possibility to reflect on the main activities that require implementation and how to develop design projects in a fully remote mode.