Dear Colleagues,
Just a small addition to the discussion. To be a good design educator (in
design itself we teach very little) you do need to be a good designer but on
its own this is not enough.
There are many good designers who ought not to be let anywhere near
(certainly the less experienced) design student. Amongst them there are
bullies, thieves, giant egos, and slave masters. There are those without
generosity of spirit, empathy or love of the subject. There are those who
cannot articulate what they know, and are not interested in trying. Let them
continue to be good designers. Let the good design educators help students
to learn what they can from the works of other good designers.
The good design educator has a set of skills or qualifications over and
above those of being a good designer. First, an interest in students, how
they learn individually and collaboratively. Second, a desire to understand
the learning process in all its variations, and to create situations that
facilitate the participation of every student. Third, a willingness to
interrogate one's own values, beliefs and methods, to change them, and to
articulate how and why these have validity in practice. Fourth, the ability
to present alternative ways of thinking about any problem and relating these
to the values, beliefs and methods that flow from them. Fifth (a really
tough one for most designers but essential for a design educator) the
confidence and ability to perform day in day out any and every aspect of
designing at the same time as explaining what one is doing and why. Sixth, a
willingness to engage with the peculiar institutional constraints of higher
education - modular schemes, programme validation, etc. etc.
I have run out of steam. My point is that a good designer does not
necessarily make a good design educator. But a good design educator does
need to be a good designer.
Dr Geoff Matthews
Course Leader MA Interdisciplinary Design
Lincoln School of Architecture
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