Slide 1:
Hello .
What follows is a presentation of my Proposal for a Symposium as part of my Masters in Art and Design Education at Limerick IT.
Slide 2: set the scene
So to set the background for this proposal - as part of this Masters, I recently conducted an ethnographic research project, involving a case study group of 3 third year Honors Degree students of Visual Communication ,
whom I teach at Athlone IT.
The central aim of this research revolved around an examination of – if; when; how; and to what degree, research is embedded into the creative design process of these 3 third year students .
As someone for whom research is a fundamental element in the design process I was very motivated to learn more about the research activities of the students I teach and I was optimistic about how that might inform my future teaching practice.
Slide 3: video grabs
Using video, photography and interviews I gained insights into my students day-to-day researching activities - their ability to select appropriate research methods and relevant researching channels, their ability to edit and filter their research; the value they place on it; the difficulities they encounter; how they are recording; the benefits they perceive with research; in essence - how they interpreted, analysed and progressed the research – synthesising it propel themselves forward creatively.
As a result - I am far better informed in how I can assist student research activity; and have a better understanding of how to respond to students researching needs and how I can integrate my activity as a designer/teacher/researcher to assist my students with their own researching requirements ..
Slide 4:
Bible images
I compiled my research observations, analysis and outcomes into a book –that presented my findings and that visualised a modus operandi for each person involved in the case study.
Here you are looking at the cover and the spread relating to James Killeen.
For each student I attempted to visually capture their individual researching style , along with my impressions and analysis of their researching methods.
On completion of this work I then had a springboard for strategy and innovation in my teaching practice
So I then went on to devise a number of ACTIONS for myself to move the research forward towards the creation of curriculum advocacy links and towards the enhancement of the socio-cultural relevance and visibility of my design curriculum.
Slide 5:
ACTION SLIDE
Two particular actions arose out of my research:
First came the acknowledgement that there is little available to teachers, students or practicioners in the way of a design research resource. I have become interested in working on an online resource to provide a space for discussion and the exchange of ideas in the area.
Secondly, and more immediately, it occurred to me that perhaps more than anything else, I have been motivated to further capture the research actions of students. I feel I have gained a bank of insights in my study of the 3 individual students researching so now I have initiated action to move my research forward by focusing on a new participatory researching scenario.
This scenario focuses on the construction of meaning and knowledge via collaborative active learning.
Slide 6:
Collaboration slide –
So I have devised a collaborative project between my Third Yr Design students in Visual Communication
and the 4th year Social Care students at AIT.
Social Studies students are given a choice of areas to research, analyse and interpret.
Social and Design students are then paired up in a collaborative process where Design students observe the Social students research in action.
The Social studies students then present their research and findings to the Designers and provide a briefing in their handover to Design students.
The Design students will then respond to the research, aiming to clarify the findings visually by creating a piece of information design that presents the research findings in an accessible and engaging manner.
Slide 7:
BRACKET SLIDE
We take it for granted that research can inform design; one aim of this project is to show the extent to which design can, in turn, enhance research. It will be a valuable exercise in demonstrating the role of the designer, and will enhance the socio-cultural relevance and visibility of the design curriculum, by highlighting to those outside the discipline the value design can bring to their work by assisting others in their understanding and evaluation of research.
The research areas include:
· Neuroscience and creativity
· Intelligence and the Arts
· Art Facilitation in marginalised groups
· Identity and Art,
· The arts role in society
· Politics and art
Slide 8:
stars
This project will allow me to conduct research on my design students researching activities that is focused, instructive and collaborative. It will enable me to expand on my existing research, providing me with a different perspective on design research - moving from the individual, to a group working collaboratively across disciplines.
It puts researching in a more ‘real life’ context for the design students and the collaborative nature will inform them in a process of shared practice– focusing on understanding, interpreting and then visually representing the research to bring it to a broader audience.
It will involve a mind shift for the students in how to approach research and bring a different responsibility especially with the final display of the work as an exhibition of social research expressed through the medium of information design.
Slide 9:
Ortoft slide 1
The purpose is not to turn graphic designers into social scientists or social scientists into graphic designers but rather foster a collaboration in how we can help each other maximise the benefit out of our work.
The image on this slide ( and the following slide) are infographics by Peter Ortoft representing data from an opinion poll of Danish people about their social related concerns.
The designer focused on individual concerns in the design of the diagrams which are effective in helping the
viewer understand more layers of information about the data findings.
Slide 10:
Ortoft slide 2
For me, making evidence is not about just collecting data and anaylsing it, its about communicating it aswell.
In this collaborative project the students will engage in participatory research where the design students participate with the social studies students in making evidence – so it is a very natural collaboration in that sense
Slide 11:
Do slide for this
I am interested in examining how design students will research within this new scenario.
And some of the areas I will investigate include:
- The sources of research students are using and the effect of the collaboration on expanding these
- methods of research – and examining the differences in the methods employed across the student groups
- motivating research – observing the spin off effect between the 2 student groups
- recording research – this was an important stage for the case study group and I am keen to investigate this area in particular in the collaborative context
- reflection on research – again in my previous study - as the creative work evolved the interpretation of earlier research often evolved also, I am interested in investigating differences between the individual and group experiences here
I am keen to observe the combined research elements at that may emerge as part of this scenario,
the multidisciplinary attitude that students will need to work together across …
ethnographic research; sociology, anthropology, psychology; problem solving, design principles, and creative interpretations of the research as it moves into concept and design development.
Despite the differences there will, I have no doubt, be a hidden affinity and structural similarity between the approaches across disciplines.
Doing research demands being comfortable with ambiguity in the early stages of a project in order to reach a point of eventual clarity. It’ s this clarity that can enable a designer to focus on the right part of the problem at the right time in the right way.
Slide 13:
Nightingale
So what is the wider signifcance of this collaborative action ? Well
My research will be of significance to design researchers, teachers and practitioners, and others responsible for the delivery of design education. I firmly believe that the role of design research needs to be clarified and developed as it provides such a strong underpinning for design education. This action of investigating students collaborative research activity in a cross disciplinary context will provide much insight and instruction on how we can evolve the process of researching and facilitate the exchange and development of best practice in the field of design research.
As this final slide demonstrates Information design has been used for centuries, and often not by graphic designers, but by people who needed it to visualise a problem in order to understand it. The visual you are looking at is by Florence Nightengale. In it she employed one of the first uses of the pie chart. She created it in order to present her research findings to government, to help make a case for her work in improving conditions for the army in the Far east.
I do believe that
This research action will also have significance to those engaged in information rich research, our partners in the Social Studies department particularly. I sincerely hope that the project successfully demonstrates the role of design in bringing valuable research findings and data to the appropriate audience in an accessible and stimulating manner.