Critical and Contextual Discussion within Design Education

This paper will examine how to support critical and contextual discussion at Glasgow School of Art. It is my experience that some students do not feel able or want to contribute to the critical dimension of these sessions; others object to the tone or contribution from other students; and there is a difficulty for everyone in knowing how to address sensitive or challenging subjects. Within design education, it is accepted that while the acquisition of procedural knowledge is important, more important still is that students become active critical thinkers and communicators. But what makes a critical space in an Art School and how is it cultivated? What is my role as the educator leading critical and contextual discussions, and how can I work with and support students to develop their critical skills? Furthermore, what pedagogical strategies would be useful to support critical engagement? This paper draws on original pedagogical research conducted as part of the PG Cert in Higher Education Learning, Teaching in the Creative Disciplines. Using this research, the paper will explore the extent to which collaborative learning and scaffolding of critical thinking skills is helpful when crafting teaching sessions