Abstract

Internet technology has long changed the conditions of the learning environment at universities in Indonesia. Many traditional face-to-face teaching and practical methods have changed to online forms of teaching. This phenomenon also changes students’ perspectives and learning process in a virtual learning environment. In the field of visual communication design (VCD), practice-based and face-to-face learning in the studio is often the main subject each semester. This type of learning is unique in its learning process. Research on this virtual environment has not been widely explored, especially in creative-based fields of study. Using activity theory and a case study approach to describe data obtained from interviews, learning documents, and participant observation, the researcher analyzes and reveals descriptively how this phenomenon impacts students’ design activities in-studio classes. The case study is a practical studio class in the VCD program at a private university in Bandung, Indonesia. Data was collected over one entire semester of lectures conducted online. This research can provide educators with insight so that implementation in a virtual learning environment is feasible for VCD education in the future. The study also offers insights into how VCD learning practices can migrate physical teaching environments online.