This current method is good in that it allows students to use what they have learned about design and apply it to new situations. I learn alot talking with other students and from one on one help. Currently we could use the newsgroup, but this forum is open to the public, and isn't very friendly in an academic sense in that organization becomes a problem as well as monitoring of participation. What we propose is a system that is already being tested here at Brown. For his math courses Professor Banchoff has had developed a system just as we have described.
Students log into a web page and have access to all sorts of forums for public participation.
Most applicable for us is a forum which poses challenge questions. Students then respond to the questions as well as each other's responses. This would allow interested students to explore areas not directly related to class without interfering with other's education. I would probably draw a bunch of rectangles and position then accordingly. When I was finished with the body of the house I would place a triangle on top.