| This dissertation tells the story of the design and development of an experimental first-year art foundations course at Iowa State University. This instructional design (ID) project used an instructional design model that is based on a constructivist theory of learning and an interpretivist philosophy of science. The R2D2 ID model uses three principles---recursion, reflection, and participation---to guide the design and development process rather than a set of prescriptive steps that are typically found in traditional ID models.; The classroom environment was structured around the constructivist teaching strategies of cognitive apprenticeship and problem-based learning. Each of the studio problems were written as scenarios, which the researcher/instructor solved along with the students. The website that was created for the course included a discussion group, a course calendar, examples of successful student work, and student-created course notes.; Evaluation in the form of student focus groups, external evaluator comments, and researcher reflections discusses successful aspects of the project and identifies potential areas for improvement. |
