Student experience of intensive delivery in large scale studio-based learning

This article explores the effect of the intensive mode of delivery on the student experience in large scale studio-based learning, by reporting on the shift to block teaching at Griffith University’s Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production. We use quantitative student experience data over a six-year period (the three years prior to the introduction and the first three full years of the block model) for all 8 first-year core courses and 11 second year elective courses, and perform a reflexive thematic analysis of 3,036 comments in student experience surveys of 46 first-year core course instances. We conclude that the intensive mode of delivery benefits active learning strategies, can create a stronger student-teacher rapport and positively impacts students’ perception of their own learning. We argue that students might react more positively to iterative feedback and continuous assessment, and that instructors need to carefully consider volume of learning as well as avoid course overlaps and overly complex course designs. The article adds to a growing body of literature on intensive delivery and fills a gap in the knowledge of its effects on the student experience in large-scale studio-based screen production degrees.