The Growing Path in Search of an Industrial Design Identity

Knowing that the education system must be reinvented periodically to face the changes of social and cultural paradigm, was reviewed the pedagogical organization of a set of disciplines of an industrial design course that were in operation for a decade. Thus, in view of the objective of restructuring the disciplinary group of industrial design, a new structure has been developed and implemented that could offer students the opportunity to explore problems and challenges that have real applications, increasing the possibility of acquiring competences effectively needed to practice the profession of designer. This restructuring had as its starting point the concept of Project-based learning, which is designated as student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic classroom approach in which it is believed that students acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. Consequently, resulting in a learning process organized into levels with increasing degree of complexity. As well, different assimilations of markets and design scenarios. Starting from the first year of the course, where students are still understanding the context of industrial design and its potentialities. At a time when their techniques, principles and methods are still very raw and basic. They are initiated in a LOW-ID and local industry context, to acquire basic skills. The second year allows embark on an intermediate level called MID-ID, with new skills in international brands approach. In the last year of the course the 3rd level is reached, HIGH-ID, with projects with the national industry. The first year of implementation of this curriculum structure showed good results. Thus, favoring a solid interdisciplinary formation with, skills and competences that allow future designers to intervene creatively and competently in a variety of fields. This process allows to progress to the next academic degree to complete and validate the entire formation of the student