The Curriculum as Knowledge Exchange
Strengthening the relationship between research and the education
What I Did
From 2020 to 2022, I worked with researchers to design curriculum-based projects within active research projects. Our initial project was an online pilot, conducted over a week-long SPRINT in 2020/21. Here, I used a flipped classroom approach to foster collaboration and learning (Riedsema et al. 2017). The project was part of an Innovate UK project involving the Centre for Circular Design and material innovation company Annas Anam. It aimed to explore alternative ways to communicate a sustainable product lifecycle (Knight et al. 2023).
The following year, I designed a six-week project with a different research team. I designed this project as blended learning, combining digital and in-person delivery (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004; McDonald, 2008; Glazer, 2011). The research was a part of an AHRC-funded project, translating knowledge from material sciences for textile designers. Through visual prototyping, researchers and students collaborated to improve the communication of scientific concepts to creative practitioners supporting them to develop bio-inspired textiles.
Why I Did It
Strengthening the connection between research and education is crucial, especially in the face of complex problems like climate chance. The Independent Expert Group on the Universities and the 2030 Agenda recommends that students, as 'the workforce of the future,' need interdisciplinary education that 'strengthens the relationship between research and education.' (UNESCO, 2022:14)
Graphic Design, more commonly associated with vocational training than knowledge-production (Nelson, 2013:3), often employs studio-based pedagogies designed to mimic professional practices that respond to clearly defined problems (Motley, 2017). The 'live brief,' is a signature pedagogy where external clients set briefs for students who are positioned as professionals and 'design experts' in the process (Manzini, 2015:65) (V3). The outcomes of such projects are typically evaluated based on their 'appropriateness' as a 'solution' to the given problem (Cross, 1999, Norman, 1991).
Johanna Drucker (2014) believes that as we face more complex problems, we will need a corresponding sophistication of analysis and knowledge production as practitioners. As a design researcher, I've noted the increasing importance of collaborative research that integrates diverse disciplinary knowledge and methods (V4). Practice-based research literature further indicates a demand for designers with an "expanded capacity" for research and collaboration across disciplines (Vaughan 2017). As I've argued before, design education must adapt to meet these needs (Knight & Goldsworthy 2023).
How I did it
The research-led curriculum projects required careful design and planning to meet both the research objectives and student learning outcomes. This involved developing project briefs and designing both online and in-person workshops. Additionally, synchronous online feedback sessions were created to allow students to engage with the research process and develop relevant professional skills and knowledge.
As these projects were conducted during the pandemic, I had to devise hybrid methods of working across physical and digital settings. I worked with technical staff to create collaborative online workshops. Digital studios were established in Miro to facilitate the asynchronous sharing of work among researchers and students. Padlet was used for synchronous feedback during online sessions . I also collaborated with associate lecturers and technicians from different disciplines to develop and deliver the teaching .
Laura’s approach is inclusive for the students and also inclusive of many rich ideas/contexts/topics; and effective - allowing space for all levels of understanding to develop and containing encouragement for the students to go further, explore beyond their comfort zones in a safe and productive environment. As such we were able to collaborate and discuss our approaches in a rich and varied way. This was aided by Laura’s clear articulation of the (professional and study based) needs of the students and her clear perspective on the course curriculum. To me, this spoke of Laura’s ability to transfer her ideas to different contexts in a personal sense - student by student - and professionally - seeing how my skills could fit in her discipline, and how her skills speak with mine to ensure a successful collaboration between us.
— Dr. Bridget Harvey, Lecturer, CCW
Impact and Learnings
Designing and leading these projects effectively strengthened the connection between research and curriculum. This highlighted the exciting opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration with colleagues in research centres. (V3, V4, V5)
Since then, we have co-authored several publications and conference presentations about the projects with these colleagues (Knight et al. 2023; Hall, Knight and Kapsali, 2023; Knight & Goldsworthy, 2023). This has extended the reach of the work beyond direct teaching (V3, V4, A5).
As a PhD candidate and sessional teacher of sustainable fashion at RMIT University, I have found Laura’s work incredibly useful in challenging conventions around how we visualise complexity, particularly regarding the circular economy. Her work, presented at PLATE Conference in 2023, provided interdisciplinary links between sustainability, fashion and visual communication, and her articulation of methods has been something I have applied to my own work as both a researcher and an educator.
Julia English, RMIT University, Melbourne
In the publications, I suggest two potential roles for students within the design curriculum. This provides an alternative approach to defining signature pedagogies.
Related publications
Cathryn Hall, Laura Knight and Veronika Kapsali (2023) Creating translational knowledge: the role of visual communication design and prototyping methods in the research process. In: Eksig 2023: From Abstractness to Concreteness - experiential knowledge and the role of prototyping in design research. Politecnico di MIlano, Milan, pp. 225-245. ISBN 978889416743
Laura Knight, Kate Goldsworthy, Sanne Visser and Cathryn Hall (2023) Thinking beyond circles: Developing visual research methods for circularity in design education. In: Proceedings, 5th PLATE Conference. Aalto University publication series ART + DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE, 3/2023 . Aalto University, pp. 505-511. ISBN 978-952-64-1367-9
Reflections and future directions
To me, this work confirmed the exciting potential of research-based education. By situating the curriculum within live research, students were equipped with the skills necessary to navigate complex, real-world projects in their future career.
This project made me realise that I can apply my methods to different types of problem and content
— Learner feedback
The methods we used and why they are effective have provided a framework for how to approach a complex project.
— Learner feedback
The work also created opportunities to translate research into curriculum contexts, generating new knowledge for the research and the research team.
Working with Laura has opened up to me a whole new way of working between different design disciplines as a form of both pedagogy and research. The dynamics of this have created new pathways to knowledge. I had suspicions about this but I now know for certain they exist. I now better understand the role of visual communication design in exploring complex problems. This is a result of working with Laura and understanding the way she designs curriculum for her students
— Dr. Cathryn Hall, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Bio-Inspired Design
This case study showcases my leadership in developing a research-led curriculum. I collaborated with researchers to create innovative curriculum projects, helping to shape a new type of designer with the skills to tackle complex, interdisciplinary challenges. The influence of these projects goes beyond my immediate teaching, impacting research methodologies and enriching the academic discussion in the realm of design education.