Designerly Ways to Theoretical Insight: Visualisation as a means to explore, discuss and understand design theory
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Published
Feb 1, 2015
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Abstract
This paper set out to investigate how design students
learn from visualising theory in design education. The
exploration rests on the assumption that the application of
tools and techniques from design practice supports design
students with an entrance to the theoretical part of the
field.
The paper is based on teaching experiences from an MA
course in design methodology at Design School Kolding
where we use visualisation as a tool to discuss, explore
and understand design theory. To throw light on the
question, student evaluations and feedback has been
included together with a classification of the material from
one visualisation exercise. In addition, theories for how to
understand designerly ways of knowing and constructing
knowledge have been applied as tools to think with in the
discussion.
The educational approach where design students read,
analyse, and visualise theory, appears to be beneficial to
the students’ learning process for a number of reasons,
which will be discussed in the paper. The main findings
indicate that visualising theory is beneficial because it
applies a type of practice that the students are familiar
with, and supports the construction of new knowledge, by
allowing the students to express information and concepts
in ways that are personally meaningful to them.
learn from visualising theory in design education. The
exploration rests on the assumption that the application of
tools and techniques from design practice supports design
students with an entrance to the theoretical part of the
field.
The paper is based on teaching experiences from an MA
course in design methodology at Design School Kolding
where we use visualisation as a tool to discuss, explore
and understand design theory. To throw light on the
question, student evaluations and feedback has been
included together with a classification of the material from
one visualisation exercise. In addition, theories for how to
understand designerly ways of knowing and constructing
knowledge have been applied as tools to think with in the
discussion.
The educational approach where design students read,
analyse, and visualise theory, appears to be beneficial to
the students’ learning process for a number of reasons,
which will be discussed in the paper. The main findings
indicate that visualising theory is beneficial because it
applies a type of practice that the students are familiar
with, and supports the construction of new knowledge, by
allowing the students to express information and concepts
in ways that are personally meaningful to them.
Article Details
How to Cite
BANG, Anne Louise; KAMILLE FRIIS, Silje Alberthe; GELTING, Anne Katrine Gøtzsche.
Designerly Ways to Theoretical Insight: Visualisation as a means to explore, discuss and understand design theory.
Design and Technology Education: an International Journal, [S.l.], v. 20, n. 1, feb. 2015.
ISSN 1360-1431.
Available at: <https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/DATE/article/view/2017>. Date accessed: 25 mar. 2023.
Keywords
visualisation, designerly knowing, design education, design methodology
Issue
Section
Research
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