Abstract
This paper presents the activities of a multi-sectorial research project within a baccalaureate design studio, two seemingly diverse experiences that come together for a dynamic exploration of issues of accessibility for people with disabilities. Students collaborate with various stakeholders to develop design concepts for the scenario within a public space. They explore how multiple contexts including visual impairment, sensory, environmental, cultural and social issues of integration affect design responses within the environment. In this learning context, students are confronted with how the social construction of reality of the world we live in is not independent of real life settings, how actions play out socially and personally in cooperative inquiry (Berger & Luckmann 1966; Guba & Lincoln 1994; Heron & Reason 2001/2006) and how learning is informed using research alongside design thinking and doing, wherein the design studio in turn informs perspectives of both researchers and stakeholders. Collaborative and individual activities frame student understanding of diverse issues not normally understood in the design studio classroom, including the dynamic of the stakeholders and how priorities are framed within design intentions, project aesthetics, universal design issues, and social considerations such as inclusion and participation of users through their lived experiences in real time.
Keywords
participatory action research, social inclusion, co-operative inquiry, re-adaptation, integrated design studio, theory informed practice, project-based learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/learnxdesign.2013.112
Citation
Poldma, T.,and Joannidis, M.(2013) Exploring Real-life Settings: Integrating Research and Learning as Thinking-and-Doing in Design Studio Projects, in Reitan, J.B., Lloyd, P., Bohemia, E., Nielsen, L.M., Digranes, I., & Lutnæs, E. (eds.), DRS // Cumulus: Design Learning for Tomorrow, 14-17 May, Oslo, Norway. https://doi.org/10.21606/learnxdesign.2013.112
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Exploring Real-life Settings: Integrating Research and Learning as Thinking-and-Doing in Design Studio Projects
This paper presents the activities of a multi-sectorial research project within a baccalaureate design studio, two seemingly diverse experiences that come together for a dynamic exploration of issues of accessibility for people with disabilities. Students collaborate with various stakeholders to develop design concepts for the scenario within a public space. They explore how multiple contexts including visual impairment, sensory, environmental, cultural and social issues of integration affect design responses within the environment. In this learning context, students are confronted with how the social construction of reality of the world we live in is not independent of real life settings, how actions play out socially and personally in cooperative inquiry (Berger & Luckmann 1966; Guba & Lincoln 1994; Heron & Reason 2001/2006) and how learning is informed using research alongside design thinking and doing, wherein the design studio in turn informs perspectives of both researchers and stakeholders. Collaborative and individual activities frame student understanding of diverse issues not normally understood in the design studio classroom, including the dynamic of the stakeholders and how priorities are framed within design intentions, project aesthetics, universal design issues, and social considerations such as inclusion and participation of users through their lived experiences in real time.