Project methods as the vehicle for learning in undergraduate design education: a typology

Learning through projects is a common feature in practice-based design education. While theory and case-based literature on problem-based learning abounds, the project methods more familiar to design education are rarely defined in practical curriculum development terms. This paper outlines a study of project types in use in a faculty of design. The study identified six project types, four domains and 11 sub-domains related to curriculum design and pedagogical strategies. The resulting propositional typology is presented as a tool for decision-making in project-oriented curriculum design. Also briefly discussed are some significant areas of alignment difficulty found during the study.

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