2017 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)
Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood Collaboration a... more Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood games games
This paper describes the methodology for an ongoing PhD study that explores how reflection suppor... more This paper describes the methodology for an ongoing PhD study that explores how reflection supports articulation of design knowledge by the tertiary graphic design student. The study seeks to make connections between the reflective process and the articulation of knowledge inherent in the design experience, leading to the transfer of that knowledge to future problems. A case study strategy of inquiry has been employed, which draws on a mixed methods research approach, framed by cognitive psychology theory. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework has been developed and applied. To analyse the outcomes emerging from the learning framework, a taxonomy identifying levels of cognition evident in student reflective reports has been developed. The rationale for this methodology is discussed, along with how the approach was implemented. Preliminary findings from the case study are reported. Initial observations suggest that structured critical refl...
This paper (see link to itunes ) presents part of a study carried out in 2011 by researchers in t... more This paper (see link to itunes ) presents part of a study carried out in 2011 by researchers in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong. The purpose of the project was to customise nationally developed Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLO) for the Bachelor of Creative Arts degree in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong (UOW). The participants in the study included both full and part-time faculty staff from the Performance, Graphic Design and Journalism programs at UOW. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out to determine what each participant understood by the terms Standards and Graduate Qualities in relation to discipline and course specific outcomes. A common theme that emerged during interviews and focus group discussions was the need for graduates of the creative and performing arts to be resilient. A return to the literature on resilience showed a strong congruence between the principles of experiential and practice-based learning which, underlie programs in the Faculty of Creative Arts, and parts of the literature on building resilient professionals. This similarity in key elements in the literature on resilience and the literature on experiential, practice based learning would seem to support the argument of this paper that approaches to teaching described in this paper have potential to produce informed and creative students who will become seasoned, flexible resilient practitioners ready to contribute to their communities.
While there is a tradition of research in design pedagogy, literature specifically engaging with ... more While there is a tradition of research in design pedagogy, literature specifically engaging with graphic design pedagogy is an emerging area. The main area of interest to this study is the loss of learning opportunities in traditional graphic design pedagogy due to a primary focus on project outcomes without formalised design process discourse. A component worthy of further investigation is the role reflection can play to provide a framework for engagement with the design process to enhance learning outcomes for the graphic design student. The current pedagogical approach employed at the University of Wollongong is based on a blending of project-based and studio-based learning. Utilising either of these strategies or a combination is a common approach in many graphic design tertiary programs. (Davies & Reid, 2000) Project-based learning has been identified as a 'comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems'. (Blumenfeld, Soloway, Marz, Krajcik, Guzdail & Palincsar, 1991) By placing students in realistic, contextualised problem-solving environments, project-based learning can serve to establish bridges between knowledge gained in the classroom and real-life experiences.
This case study describes the design and development of a multisensory environment for use by a l... more This case study describes the design and development of a multisensory environment for use by a local community, in response to local needs. Multisensory environments allow users to control the sensory inputs they experience from the environment. This autonomy may be especially impactful for those living with autism or dementia. The evidence base supporting the design, development and implementation of multisensory environments has been limited to date. This case study explores the evolution of the interdisciplinary team from a request for collaboration to the creation of a functioning multisensory room. It describes the experiences of the group of researchers finding shared understandings and evolving to a transdisciplinary approach.
This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach to a creative arts honours collaboration that ... more This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach to a creative arts honours collaboration that set aside a conventional approach to facilitate an experimental methodology to support greater creative innovation and knowledge acquisition. This paper examines an honours study which explored analogue and digital hybridity in board game design. The methodology employed a practice-led research approach with the Double Diamond design process model used to structure the study. A structured and critical reflective practice model was used to identify and analyse the thinking present within the creative project. A core innovation of this approach was the shift from a focus on a finalised project consisting of a separate creative work and critical thesis, to a study where the critical and creative work were still separate, but included a greater focus on process and prototyping as a means to engage with design principles, rather than a finalised product or artefact. Lessons from the collabora...
Explored in an ongoing PhD study is the notion that reflective practice has the potential to scaf... more Explored in an ongoing PhD study is the notion that reflective practice has the potential to scaffold enhanced cognitive engagement and articulation of tacit knowledge through visual arts and design education. The study seeks to make connections between the reflective process, the articulation of tacit knowledge inherent in the creative process and artefact, and the transfer of that knowledge to future problems. This paper focuses in particular on the research methodology developed for the study A case study strategy of inquiry has been employed, which draws on a mixed methods research approach, and is framed by cognitive psychology theory An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework has been developed and applied. To analyse the participant artefacts emerging from the learning framework, taxonomy identifying levels of cognition evident in the artefacts has been developed. The rationale for this methodology is discussed, along with how the appro...
This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this c... more This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this can support graphic design students in a project-based learning environment to learn from their projects. Graphic design education has traditionally adopted a project-based learning approach where students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. While there are many advantages to project-based learning, research suggests that in this environment, learning can become overly bound to the project with the risk that students have difficulty identifying and articulating what they have learned. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning through a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents.
A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach.
The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design ... more This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design undergraduate program at the University of Wollongong.
This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design ... more This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design undergraduate program at the University of Wollongong.
This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this c... more This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this can support graphic design students in a project-based learning environment to learn from their projects. Graphic design education has traditionally adopted a project-based learning approach where students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. While there are many advantages to project-based learning, research suggests that in this environment, learning can become overly bound to the project with the risk that students have difficulty identifying and articulating what they have learned. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning through a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach. The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
Graphic design education has traditionally adopted project- and studio-based learning approaches ... more Graphic design education has traditionally adopted project- and studio-based learning approaches in which students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. The intention is that students’ expertise increases as they progress through their program of study. For this curriculum approach to be effective, students need to transfer their learning between projects. However, despite the widespread application of project- and studio-based learning, there is little empirical research examining their efficacy.
Studies from other design disciplines, such as industrial design and architecture, reveal concerns about the efficacy of project- and studio-based learning. Researchers have argued these learning approaches emphasise the artefact leaving the student at risk of not learning from the design process itself. Research suggests that learning can become overly bound to the project, resulting in learning outcomes that are unclear, and students who are often unable to articulate what they have learned. This suggests that important learning opportunities are potentially being lost.
Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and its role in supporting graphic design students to learn from their project in ways that foster the conditions for transfer.
A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach, and framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework was designed and introduced to a third year graphic design studio class. The reflective framework aimed to foster the conditions for transfer by prompting students to think about their design process and artefact in a systematic and specific manner, to identify learning from their project, and then connect that learning with thinking about how they might approach projects in the future.
The results indicate that a structured and critical approach to reflection can foster the conditions for transfer, however not all students may achieve this outcome. In its most successful form, this approach to reflection can support learners to critically analyse their process in ways consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action, and both low- and high-road transfer. However, students may take differing periods of time to achieve these learning outcomes, and some may not achieve these outcomes at all.
The results further reveal an effective way to support students to reflect is through the activity of reflecting, and providing multiple opportunities to reflect is an important way to help students grasp the concepts of reflective practice. However careful consideration must be given to how reflective tasks are scheduled within the curriculum with respect to the scheduling of submission of the design artefact.
It is concluded that reflective practice, applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role in guiding students to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting students to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to projects in the future, and importantly to the broader context of their practice. In this study, not all students achieved these learning outcomes and further research is needed to understand the limitations of this approach, and more importantly, how future students might be supported more effectively. Further research is also needed to examine how the results from this study might inform the broader discipline of design education, and indeed other education settings that employ project- and studio-based learning.
The application of project-based and studio-based learning in design education is widespread. For... more The application of project-based and studio-based learning in design education is widespread. For this multiple-project curriculum to be effective, it is important students transfer their learning between projects as they progress through their program of study, however students are often left to connect their learning themselves. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the learning inherent in the design process.
This paper examines a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and the role it can play fostering the conditions for transfer. The results from this emperical study suggest that reflective practice can play an effective role to guide learners to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting learners to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to other projects and thinking about their practice.
In this paper we outline the review and iterative refinement of assessment procedures in a final ... more In this paper we outline the review and iterative refinement of assessment procedures in a final year graphic design subject at the University of Wollongong. Our aim is to represent the main issues in assessing graphic design work, and informed by the literature, particularly 'notions of creativity , to develop and incorporate assessment procedures that allow creative ability to be assessed with greater transparency and objectivity. In the first iteration we developed a structure to standardise and clarify the existing model for the subject. Once this structure was in place we identified issues that would benefit from a review of the literature on assessment in the creative disciplines and the broader field of pedagogy.
2017 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)
Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood Collaboration a... more Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood Collaboration and co-location: making sense of digital design for early childhood games games
This paper describes the methodology for an ongoing PhD study that explores how reflection suppor... more This paper describes the methodology for an ongoing PhD study that explores how reflection supports articulation of design knowledge by the tertiary graphic design student. The study seeks to make connections between the reflective process and the articulation of knowledge inherent in the design experience, leading to the transfer of that knowledge to future problems. A case study strategy of inquiry has been employed, which draws on a mixed methods research approach, framed by cognitive psychology theory. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework has been developed and applied. To analyse the outcomes emerging from the learning framework, a taxonomy identifying levels of cognition evident in student reflective reports has been developed. The rationale for this methodology is discussed, along with how the approach was implemented. Preliminary findings from the case study are reported. Initial observations suggest that structured critical refl...
This paper (see link to itunes ) presents part of a study carried out in 2011 by researchers in t... more This paper (see link to itunes ) presents part of a study carried out in 2011 by researchers in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong. The purpose of the project was to customise nationally developed Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLO) for the Bachelor of Creative Arts degree in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong (UOW). The participants in the study included both full and part-time faculty staff from the Performance, Graphic Design and Journalism programs at UOW. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out to determine what each participant understood by the terms Standards and Graduate Qualities in relation to discipline and course specific outcomes. A common theme that emerged during interviews and focus group discussions was the need for graduates of the creative and performing arts to be resilient. A return to the literature on resilience showed a strong congruence between the principles of experiential and practice-based learning which, underlie programs in the Faculty of Creative Arts, and parts of the literature on building resilient professionals. This similarity in key elements in the literature on resilience and the literature on experiential, practice based learning would seem to support the argument of this paper that approaches to teaching described in this paper have potential to produce informed and creative students who will become seasoned, flexible resilient practitioners ready to contribute to their communities.
While there is a tradition of research in design pedagogy, literature specifically engaging with ... more While there is a tradition of research in design pedagogy, literature specifically engaging with graphic design pedagogy is an emerging area. The main area of interest to this study is the loss of learning opportunities in traditional graphic design pedagogy due to a primary focus on project outcomes without formalised design process discourse. A component worthy of further investigation is the role reflection can play to provide a framework for engagement with the design process to enhance learning outcomes for the graphic design student. The current pedagogical approach employed at the University of Wollongong is based on a blending of project-based and studio-based learning. Utilising either of these strategies or a combination is a common approach in many graphic design tertiary programs. (Davies & Reid, 2000) Project-based learning has been identified as a 'comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems'. (Blumenfeld, Soloway, Marz, Krajcik, Guzdail & Palincsar, 1991) By placing students in realistic, contextualised problem-solving environments, project-based learning can serve to establish bridges between knowledge gained in the classroom and real-life experiences.
This case study describes the design and development of a multisensory environment for use by a l... more This case study describes the design and development of a multisensory environment for use by a local community, in response to local needs. Multisensory environments allow users to control the sensory inputs they experience from the environment. This autonomy may be especially impactful for those living with autism or dementia. The evidence base supporting the design, development and implementation of multisensory environments has been limited to date. This case study explores the evolution of the interdisciplinary team from a request for collaboration to the creation of a functioning multisensory room. It describes the experiences of the group of researchers finding shared understandings and evolving to a transdisciplinary approach.
This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach to a creative arts honours collaboration that ... more This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach to a creative arts honours collaboration that set aside a conventional approach to facilitate an experimental methodology to support greater creative innovation and knowledge acquisition. This paper examines an honours study which explored analogue and digital hybridity in board game design. The methodology employed a practice-led research approach with the Double Diamond design process model used to structure the study. A structured and critical reflective practice model was used to identify and analyse the thinking present within the creative project. A core innovation of this approach was the shift from a focus on a finalised project consisting of a separate creative work and critical thesis, to a study where the critical and creative work were still separate, but included a greater focus on process and prototyping as a means to engage with design principles, rather than a finalised product or artefact. Lessons from the collabora...
Explored in an ongoing PhD study is the notion that reflective practice has the potential to scaf... more Explored in an ongoing PhD study is the notion that reflective practice has the potential to scaffold enhanced cognitive engagement and articulation of tacit knowledge through visual arts and design education. The study seeks to make connections between the reflective process, the articulation of tacit knowledge inherent in the creative process and artefact, and the transfer of that knowledge to future problems. This paper focuses in particular on the research methodology developed for the study A case study strategy of inquiry has been employed, which draws on a mixed methods research approach, and is framed by cognitive psychology theory An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework has been developed and applied. To analyse the participant artefacts emerging from the learning framework, taxonomy identifying levels of cognition evident in the artefacts has been developed. The rationale for this methodology is discussed, along with how the appro...
This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this c... more This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this can support graphic design students in a project-based learning environment to learn from their projects. Graphic design education has traditionally adopted a project-based learning approach where students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. While there are many advantages to project-based learning, research suggests that in this environment, learning can become overly bound to the project with the risk that students have difficulty identifying and articulating what they have learned. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning through a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents.
A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach.
The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design ... more This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design undergraduate program at the University of Wollongong.
This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design ... more This paper will outline and review a curriculum approach under development in the Graphic Design undergraduate program at the University of Wollongong.
This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this c... more This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and how this can support graphic design students in a project-based learning environment to learn from their projects. Graphic design education has traditionally adopted a project-based learning approach where students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. While there are many advantages to project-based learning, research suggests that in this environment, learning can become overly bound to the project with the risk that students have difficulty identifying and articulating what they have learned. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning through a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach. The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
Graphic design education has traditionally adopted project- and studio-based learning approaches ... more Graphic design education has traditionally adopted project- and studio-based learning approaches in which students are introduced to the principles of design through a series of projects. The intention is that students’ expertise increases as they progress through their program of study. For this curriculum approach to be effective, students need to transfer their learning between projects. However, despite the widespread application of project- and studio-based learning, there is little empirical research examining their efficacy.
Studies from other design disciplines, such as industrial design and architecture, reveal concerns about the efficacy of project- and studio-based learning. Researchers have argued these learning approaches emphasise the artefact leaving the student at risk of not learning from the design process itself. Research suggests that learning can become overly bound to the project, resulting in learning outcomes that are unclear, and students who are often unable to articulate what they have learned. This suggests that important learning opportunities are potentially being lost.
Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and its role in supporting graphic design students to learn from their project in ways that foster the conditions for transfer.
A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach, and framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework was designed and introduced to a third year graphic design studio class. The reflective framework aimed to foster the conditions for transfer by prompting students to think about their design process and artefact in a systematic and specific manner, to identify learning from their project, and then connect that learning with thinking about how they might approach projects in the future.
The results indicate that a structured and critical approach to reflection can foster the conditions for transfer, however not all students may achieve this outcome. In its most successful form, this approach to reflection can support learners to critically analyse their process in ways consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action, and both low- and high-road transfer. However, students may take differing periods of time to achieve these learning outcomes, and some may not achieve these outcomes at all.
The results further reveal an effective way to support students to reflect is through the activity of reflecting, and providing multiple opportunities to reflect is an important way to help students grasp the concepts of reflective practice. However careful consideration must be given to how reflective tasks are scheduled within the curriculum with respect to the scheduling of submission of the design artefact.
It is concluded that reflective practice, applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role in guiding students to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting students to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to projects in the future, and importantly to the broader context of their practice. In this study, not all students achieved these learning outcomes and further research is needed to understand the limitations of this approach, and more importantly, how future students might be supported more effectively. Further research is also needed to examine how the results from this study might inform the broader discipline of design education, and indeed other education settings that employ project- and studio-based learning.
The application of project-based and studio-based learning in design education is widespread. For... more The application of project-based and studio-based learning in design education is widespread. For this multiple-project curriculum to be effective, it is important students transfer their learning between projects as they progress through their program of study, however students are often left to connect their learning themselves. Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the learning inherent in the design process.
This paper examines a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and the role it can play fostering the conditions for transfer. The results from this emperical study suggest that reflective practice can play an effective role to guide learners to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting learners to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to other projects and thinking about their practice.
In this paper we outline the review and iterative refinement of assessment procedures in a final ... more In this paper we outline the review and iterative refinement of assessment procedures in a final year graphic design subject at the University of Wollongong. Our aim is to represent the main issues in assessing graphic design work, and informed by the literature, particularly 'notions of creativity , to develop and incorporate assessment procedures that allow creative ability to be assessed with greater transparency and objectivity. In the first iteration we developed a structure to standardise and clarify the existing model for the subject. Once this structure was in place we identified issues that would benefit from a review of the literature on assessment in the creative disciplines and the broader field of pedagogy.
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A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach.
The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
Studies from other design disciplines, such as industrial design and architecture, reveal concerns about the efficacy of project- and studio-based learning. Researchers have argued these learning approaches emphasise the artefact leaving the student at risk of not learning from the design process itself. Research suggests that learning can become overly bound to the project, resulting in learning outcomes that are unclear, and students who are often unable to articulate what they have learned. This suggests that important learning opportunities are potentially being lost.
Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and its role in supporting graphic design students to learn from their project in ways that foster the conditions for transfer.
A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach, and framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework was designed and introduced to a third year graphic design studio class. The reflective framework aimed to foster the conditions for transfer by prompting students to think about their design process and artefact in a systematic and specific manner, to identify learning from their project, and then connect that learning with thinking about how they might approach projects in the future.
The results indicate that a structured and critical approach to reflection can foster the conditions for transfer, however not all students may achieve this outcome. In its most successful form, this approach to reflection can support learners to critically analyse their process in ways consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action, and both low- and high-road transfer. However, students may take differing periods of time to achieve these learning outcomes, and some may not achieve these outcomes at all.
The results further reveal an effective way to support students to reflect is through the activity of reflecting, and providing multiple opportunities to reflect is an important way to help students grasp the concepts of reflective practice. However careful consideration must be given to how reflective tasks are scheduled within the curriculum with respect to the scheduling of submission of the design artefact.
It is concluded that reflective practice, applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role in guiding students to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting students to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to projects in the future, and importantly to the broader context of their practice. In this study, not all students achieved these learning outcomes and further research is needed to understand the limitations of this approach, and more importantly, how future students might be supported more effectively. Further research is also needed to examine how the results from this study might inform the broader discipline of design education, and indeed other education settings that employ project- and studio-based learning.
This paper examines a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and the role it can play fostering the conditions for transfer. The results from this emperical study suggest that reflective practice can play an effective role to guide learners to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting learners to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to other projects and thinking about their practice.
A learning intervention in the form of a structured and critical approach to reflective practice was designed, framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. The aim was to prompt students to reflect on their project in ways that supported them to identify their learning and challenge their approach(es) to the project. A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach.
The findings from this study demonstrate that when supported by a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, students reflected in a critical manner and consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action. Whilst in this study not all students critically reflected, nor did students critically reflect all the time, it is concluded that reflective practice applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role to guide graphic design students to learn from their project. This article presents a detailed description of the research method and the structured critical reflective practice (SCRP) developed for the study. A summary of the overall findings are presented.
Studies from other design disciplines, such as industrial design and architecture, reveal concerns about the efficacy of project- and studio-based learning. Researchers have argued these learning approaches emphasise the artefact leaving the student at risk of not learning from the design process itself. Research suggests that learning can become overly bound to the project, resulting in learning outcomes that are unclear, and students who are often unable to articulate what they have learned. This suggests that important learning opportunities are potentially being lost.
Reflection offers a means to support students to connect their learning across projects by introducing a more deliberate engagement with the design process and the learning opportunities this presents. This study investigated a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and its role in supporting graphic design students to learn from their project in ways that foster the conditions for transfer.
A case study strategy of inquiry was employed, drawing on a mixed-method research approach, and framed by theories of reflective practice and cognitive psychology. An intervention in the form of a structured critical reflective learning framework was designed and introduced to a third year graphic design studio class. The reflective framework aimed to foster the conditions for transfer by prompting students to think about their design process and artefact in a systematic and specific manner, to identify learning from their project, and then connect that learning with thinking about how they might approach projects in the future.
The results indicate that a structured and critical approach to reflection can foster the conditions for transfer, however not all students may achieve this outcome. In its most successful form, this approach to reflection can support learners to critically analyse their process in ways consistent with the principles of reflection-on-action, and both low- and high-road transfer. However, students may take differing periods of time to achieve these learning outcomes, and some may not achieve these outcomes at all.
The results further reveal an effective way to support students to reflect is through the activity of reflecting, and providing multiple opportunities to reflect is an important way to help students grasp the concepts of reflective practice. However careful consideration must be given to how reflective tasks are scheduled within the curriculum with respect to the scheduling of submission of the design artefact.
It is concluded that reflective practice, applied in a structured and critical manner can play an effective role in guiding students to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting students to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to projects in the future, and importantly to the broader context of their practice. In this study, not all students achieved these learning outcomes and further research is needed to understand the limitations of this approach, and more importantly, how future students might be supported more effectively. Further research is also needed to examine how the results from this study might inform the broader discipline of design education, and indeed other education settings that employ project- and studio-based learning.
This paper examines a structured and critical approach to reflective practice, and the role it can play fostering the conditions for transfer. The results from this emperical study suggest that reflective practice can play an effective role to guide learners to identify and analyse the learning inherent in their project. This approach fosters transfer by supporting learners to connect their thinking from the project with thinking about approaches to other projects and thinking about their practice.