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Design+ Evaluating a building code app

working on building code calculation tasks. A mixed- Table 1. The first two questions (Q1 + Q2) were about the
methods approach was used, combining both quantitative participants’ perceptions of the importance of building
and qualitative data to assess the outcomes on information code to designers. The next two questions (Q3 + Q4) were
retention, cognitive performance, and stress reduction. about the participants’ perceptions of their familiarity
and experience with the building code. The fifth question
3.2. Participants (Q5) was about their perception of learning building
A convenience sample of 19 undergraduate senior interior code content in a design studio. Questions numbered six
design students from a CIDA-accredited program at a large to eleven (Q6 – Q11) were used to assess participants’
public university in the Southwest United States voluntarily perception of their knowledge and skills based on Bloom’s
participated in this IRB-approved study. Informed consent Taxonomy. These items were designed to assess cognitive
was obtained from all participants, and the study ensured skills across different levels of learning, from basic
the confidentiality of their responses. Participants were knowledge to higher-order thinking. It included questions
made aware that their participation was voluntary and that aligned with Bloom’s six levels: 1 – Remembering,
they could withdraw from the study at any time without 2 – Understanding, 3 – Applying, 4 – Analyzing, 5
penalty. Participants received extra course credit for their – Evaluating, and 6 – Creating. The instrument was
involvement in this study. structured to assess participants’ perception at each
cognitive level. Questions numbered twelve to seventeen
3.3. Instrumentation (Q12 – Q17) were based on Diffusion of Innovation
The questionnaire developed used a combination of five- Theory and were included to assess how individuals
point Likert scale items and open-ended questions to adopt new technologies. It measures factors influencing
capture a range of responses and insights as shown in adoption, including perceived attributes such as 1 –
Table 1. Study questionnaire

# Questionnaire items Items classification
1 Understanding building codes should be important to interior designers. Items to assess students’
2 Ensuring that interior design solutions comply with building codes should be important to interior designers. perception about building
code
3 I am familiar with the International Building Code.
4 I have experience using the International Building Code.
5 I would rate the importance of learning about building code in Interior Design Studio
6 I can remember (recall, recognize, or identify concepts) building codes content provided through the Building Items based on Bloom’s
Codes Calculator App. Taxonomy
7 I can understand (comprehend the meaning and explain in my own words) building codes content provided
through the Building Code Calculator App.
8 I can apply (use or apply knowledge in practice or real-life situations) building codes content provided through the
Building Code Calculator App.
9 I can analyze (interpret elements and structure relationships between individual components) building codes
content provided through the Building Code Calculator App.
10 I can evaluate (assess the effectiveness of whole concepts in relation to other variables) building codes content
provided through the Building Code Calculator App.
11 I can create a new point-of-view (display creative thinking and develop new concepts or approaches) based on
building codes content provided through the Building Code Calculator App.
12 The Building Code Calculator App enables me to accomplish my tasks more quickly. Items based on the
13 Using the Building Code Calculator App fits into my work style. Diffusion of Innovation
Theory
14 Overall, I believe that the Building Code Calculator App is easy-to-use.
15 The results of using the Building Code Calculator App are apparent to me.
16 I was permitted to use the Building Code Calculator App on a trial basis long enough to see what it can do.
17 I plan to use the Building Code Calculator App in the future.
18 I would rate my stress level while working on the first exercise Items to assess students’
19 I would rate my stress level while working on the first exercise with the help of the Building Code Calculator App stress levels as they work on
building code calculations
20 I would rate my stress level while working on the second exercise

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/dp.4730