Think tank: assessing the industrial design learning environment.

Abstract

In higher education, it is imperative to equip students with both simple and complex skills required for their future professions. Skill required of a professional Industrial Designer includes the ability to find creative and suitable solution to what are often complex problems, as well as more general problem solving and decision making. In essence, that is the true core of design as a discourse as stated by Heskett (2002:4): “While the influence of context and circumstances may be considerable, the human factor is present in decisions taken at all levels in design practice.” As decision-making and problem-solving are key elements of a professional industrial designer’s practice, these elements should be developed and encouraged as part of the tertiary programme. The trend towards ‘learner-driver investigation’ and research as well as interactive mixed methodologies, have facilitated many projects requiring thinking skills. But does the learning environment support and develop these skills? The Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking test was used to evaluate current Industrial Design students’ critical thinking ability and results highlight the need for further critical thinking trainings. This paper, delivered at the first annual Research & Innovation in teaching and Learning (RITAL) conference, takes into account current research pertaining to critical thought and investigates the relationship between critical thought and Industrial Design. The paper was presented in the conference’s Developing Responsive Curricula stream as the ultimate goal of the Think Tank project, of which this paper forms a part, is to initiate curricular changes.