Making design pedagogical content knowledge visible within design reviews

Design pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is the content-specific specialized teacher knowledge that connects the how (pedagogical knowledge) and what (content knowledge) of teaching design. In this study, we make visible the design PCK in three student design reviews: choreography, undergraduate industrial design, and mechanical engineering. We use cognitive apprenticeship and teaching-as-improvisation frameworks to characterize PK, and design judgment, design task strategies, and process management strategies to characterize CK. We identify and describe four patterns of design PCK: scaffolded articulation, driving for meaning and guidance, breaking the 4th wall to create a teaching moment, and “suggest don’t tell”. Theoretical implications of this work include translating theories of social learning to the context of design reviews and showing design-specific teaching approaches design coaches use to support and instruct students as learners of design. We summarize practical implications for design students, new design coaches, and more experienced design coaches