Teaching Beyond the Curriculum
Abstract
Traditional product or industrial design teaching is challenged by both educators and students increasingly expressing a need to address social, ethical and environmental concerns. This is in part addressed by emerging approaches such as life-centred design and material-driven design which accommodate a broader set of considerations. However, the breadth of the considerations can be overwhelming, leaving design students struggling to understand what role they can play.
Alongside these emerging approaches, the authors suggest that opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills within their local environment provides an invaluable learning experience. Specifically, the paper details the curriculum of two practice-based studio papers. The first, situated within the university campus, takes plastic milk bottles made from HDPE from the waste stream. Through hands-on experimentation, students upcycle this valuable material into products that address an identified need on campus. The second, situated at a broader industry level, is focussed on exploring a locally produced strong wool fibre. The value of this fibre, once a profitable export category, has decreased over time, now even being considered a by-product or waste material. Industry players from throughout the supply chain meet with students to share their knowledge and concerns, and students are challenged to experiment with the fibre to explore new, value-adding product applications. In addition to the learning and connections that stem from community and industry engagement, students are empowered by the realisation that their knowledge and skills can lead to innovative solutions that have a positive impact within their local environment.
Anke is lecturer in the Industrial Design Department in the School of Art & Design at Auckland University of Technology. There she is also a researcher in the field of industrial design and sustainability. She values design innovation with a central focus on people and the environment. “I encourage my students to create meaningful products that make positive changes, where they are needed most.”
Before embarking on an academic career Anke gathered extensive professional experience as a product designer, working for numerous companies and in various countries, including The Netherlands, Italy,
Dr Jyoti Kalyanji is a research fellow and lecturer at the School of Art & Design, AUT University. Jyoti’s research interests are centred around textile design, and in particular, the potential of digital knit technologies in novel applications. Her PhD research was focused on the development of a 3-dimensional form-building system, supported by visual languages designed to broaden access to digital knit technology by a wider range of practitioners. Jyoti has experience collaborating with research and industry partners across commercial design and manufacturing applications.