Enhancing the design curriculum through pedagogic research

Pedagogic research is becoming increasingly recognised as an important aspect of academic life. Many generic studies (Marton, Saljo, Entwistle, Biggs, Gibbs, Prosser, Trigwell et al), focusing on broad concepts of student learning, have found a purchase within particular disciplines. Concepts of 'deep' and 'surface' approaches to learning are now commonplace within subject-based rationales. Approaches to assessment have also benefited from research of this kind. The value of this kind of research is most pertinent when it is used at subject level to explore the learning and teaching axis. Subject-focused research, using these established frameworks and methodologies, is only just beginning to emerge. Inevitably, the application of this new research is not so widespread. Subject-based research asks the questions about what it is that is characteristic about learning and teaching a particular subject. Recent research in creative subjects (Reid A, 1998 and Reid A and Davies A, 2000) has revealed that the quality of learning is predicated on how both students and teachers conceptualise the subject of study. In design, for instance, what teachers think design is determines how they frame the curriculum and how they go about teaching. Equally, students beliefs about what design is underpin their intentions when they go about learning. The research reveals that there are significant qualitative differences amongst teachers as well as students as to what design is. This has an impact on the quality of the outcomes of learning design. This paper explores the implications of the outcomes of thi