Review of the literature indicated that today’s knowledge-driven economy demands a workforce equipped with complex skills and attitudes.  Examples of these skills and attitudes are general problems solving, meta-cognitive skills, critical thinking and lifelong learning.  Such skills can only be acquired if learning and teaching are guided by the constructivists and cognitive learning theories.  In particular, the constructivist approach emphasises effective learning processes based on learning by doing and collaboration.  This approach is congruent with use of technologies, such as Virtual Design Studio (VDS), for the purpose of architecture education in design courses, but such use is lacking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  It is thus important to assess the extent to which the constructivist and cognitive theories are implemented in teaching design courses in the Architecture schools of the UAE.  It is also important to assess the effectiveness of employing technology in general and VDS in particular in implementing these theories.  The author intends to study the relationship between effective learning on one hand and using VDS in implementing the constructivist and cognitive approaches on the other hand thus, the author conducted a preliminary study to gain a basic understanding of the difficulties, approaches, attitudes, perceptions, and motivation related to the learning of design in architecture schools.  Second, the investigation is designed to assess the extent to which the students would be interested in the use of sophisticated technology in the teaching and learning environment in the UAE architecture education schools in order to achieve effective learning.  The study has been conducted in the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) because it is the largest university in the UAE, and because other universities that house an architectural school or department follow a similar educational system.  Methodology used for this was the focus group method.  In addition to the focus group interviews with the UAEU students, unstructured individual interviews with lecturers from this university and the AUS have been carried out.  This study presents the results of this investigation.