Nicola and Glenn are getting to the heart of the problem facing us in
the academy where I do not think we have done enough to build a proper
connection between research and professional practice. That's partly a
problem for researchers who may be good at coming up with protocols for
practice, and using them to inform teaching, but have much less success
in getting practitioners to take notice. It's also a growing problem for
practitioners in a time of change - academics have space to develop new
thinking about what design will be like in future but that's less valued
than having graduates who can slot into today's commercial world. That
outlook also means that practitioners who come into academic roles can
be very naive about the role of the university and the role they can
take in it.
That's one reason why it's helpful for researchers to engage in design
practice as part of their research practice. Not only does it provide a
means of investigating designing and its contexts at first hand, it also
prevents them from losing touch with the reality of professional life
and, properly managed with professional or industrial collaborators, may
provide the kind of professional experience needed to teach young designers.
best wishes from Sheffield
Chris
********************
Professor Chris Rust
Head of Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University
Psalter Lane, S11 8UZ, UK
+44 114 225 2706 (direct)
+44 114 225 2686 (research admin)
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www.chrisrust.net
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