MA in Design Education

Core courses

Designing and Learning

In this module you will explore the nature, similarity and interconnectedness of these two big human ideas: designing is a creative process through which we continually reconfigure the world, whilst learning is a creative process through which we continually reconfigure our view of the world.

The purpose of this module is to explore the ways in which these two cognitive/concrete processes can be conceptualized and enriched. Specifically, we will explore the ways in which designing can inform learning processes, and learning can inform designing processes. Both designing and learning processes are shaped by philosophical and cultural traditions that seek to define the 'good' and what might be meant by 'better' and 'improvement' both in terms of practice and outcome. In this module, you will examine your own philosophies, traditions and practices, both as designers and learners. Through critical and creative practice you will also evolve new approaches, and new perceptions.

Researching Design Learning

This course will be a fundamental component of the programme and will be introduced at the start of the year, in parallel with a further core unit on Designing and Learning. Researching Design Learning will provide the methodological backbone to the programme, providing you with the understanding and the tools to embark successfully on your own major research project and dissertation.

The course will explore research methodology approaches and issues presented through a series of research case studies. There will include case studies presented by course tutors and those researched and presented by the students themselves. Case studies will be chosen to represent a comprehensive list of complementary, contrasting and conflicting research approaches in order that issues can by explained, explored and discussed in depth. Through each case study you will build a broad and deep understanding of research design learning in relation to research paradigm (eg positivistic, interpretative); research purposes; research clients; research design; data types, collection, analysis and presentation; research ethics; and reporting research. You will also explore the complementary concepts of research-as-design and design-as-research.

Independent Research Project

The Independent Research Project will be the final project for the programme and it will provide you with the opportunity to undertake an empirical research project in the field of design learning that can result in either a 20,000-word dissertation or a new design learning product (eg curriculum, hardware, software) supported by a 5,000-word report.

The research project will allow you to draw together work undertaken through the core and option courses to undertake a research project that will make a significant contribution to both your own and others' practice in design education. The project will involve you identifying key research questions in an area of interest and undertaking empirically-based research, supported by a review of appropriate literature in the areas of design, pedagogy and research methodologies. While the outcome will be an independent study, the course will be structured through group seminars and presentations, peer support and review, studio workshops and tutorials.

Options

You will be able to take additional options of your choice drawn from a range available in the Department of Design. Options offered from the MA in Design Education include: Design Ideation; Located Learning; International and Cultural Perspectives on Design Learning.

Options from the MA in Design - Critical Practice [link to http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/pg/ma-design-critical-practice.php ] will also be available. Please note: these may change from year to year, and not all options may be available in any one year. Also, not all courses can be timetabled to suit your programme of study. You decide on your option courses during phase one of the programme.

Assessment

The MA in Design Education utilises a range of complementary assessment methods and strategies. The following reflect the range you can expect over the whole programme, depending on individual preferences and choices:

Presentation forums give you the opportunity to select and present aspects of your work for peer feedback.

Critical and reflective statements enabled through group seminars and individual tutorials. These statements usually accompany a process-based portfolio of work that is focused on a specific practice-based field of enquiry demonstrating exploratory thinking and research. The statements give you an opportunity to express the development of your knowledge and understanding through completion of the module and are usually attached to an open module.

Essays will be set by individual course tutors and some of these will have an ‘equivalent word count’ attached to them (ie the written text will form a part of the submission and will be accompanied by other specified material). The essays vary in length according to the course units and are assessed formatively through tutorials before final submission.

The individual research project can either be submitted in the form of a dissertation or a portfolio, realised outcome and report. Project work is assessed formatively through individual tutorials. A viva at the end of the individual research project will comprise of a 30-minute interview with your written and/or project work with at least two tutors from the programme team. The structure and material for the viva will have been prepared from previous presentation forums.