Design, New Media, and Human-Computer Interactions

In higher education design-oriented programs, collaborations with industry can be challenging to establish because of the time demands and work priories of professionals working in the field. Education should foster these relationships to enhance the overall educational experience for students. A common form of collaboration is projects in which students are given “real-world” design problems for which they propose a solution. These types of endeavors are very much practice-based and can be especially valuable in digital media and interactive design academic programs. When education partners with industry on such practice-based projects, education can add value and potentially help sustain these collaborations by ensuring that student methods and solutions are rooted in theory and call upon the rich research and theoretical bases of these disciplines. This chapter reviews approaches that educators can use to enhance educational projects with industry partners and ultimately enrich student learning outcomes.