In 1999, the School of Information Mangement & Systems at Monash University began the implemention of a novel approach to the teaching of an undergradtuate information technology degree. This paper reports on components of the evaluation conducted into students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of this teaching approach eighteeen months after its implementation. A total of one hundred and three undergraduate students from two hundred and eighty students across the three year levels of the Bachelor of Information Management & Systems, participated in the research. Overall, students preferred learning using this type of approach as compared to the standard lecture-tutoria, though this satisfaction was hindered at each year level by students’ disappointment over the subject content, and the overall content of the degree. Included in this paper are the findings from the evaluation and insights into various reasons for the the students’ reactions to the teaching and learning approach used in the degree.

Keywords: studio-based teaching and learning, portfolio assessment, evaluation, information technology