The Cartography of Theory and Practice

Roxburgh, MW; Sweetapple, K

The Cartography of Theory and Practice

Roxburgh, MW Sweetapple, K

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Publisher:: University of New South Wales
Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: ConnectED: International Conference on Design Education, 2007, pp. 1 - 6
Issue Date:: 2007-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Roxburgh, MW	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sweetapple, K https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6214-3125	en_US
dc.contributor.editor	Zehner, BEA	en_US
dc.date	2007-07-09	en_US
dc.date.issued	2007-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	ConnectED: International Conference on Design Education, 2007, pp. 1 - 6	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	978-0-646-48147-0	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3022
dc.description.abstract	Strickler argues that the growth of visual communication as an academic discipline can only occur if there is an âempirical bridge between theory and practiceâ (1999: 38). Such a bridge is also a precondition for the evolution of visual communication as a forward looking and reflective industry as opposed to one that simply responds to the dictates of the market. However, building this bridge is no easy task; visually articulate and practically oriented students are reluctant to engage with theories that may challenge their passionately held understandings of design. All the more so when the commonest mode such inquiry is conducted through is reading and writing. The challenges and problems of writing for visual thinkers has been well articulated by Grow (1994). That such students are resistant to forms that they are generally not well equipped for or confident in is hardly surprising. Couple this with a seemingly near universal questioning of the relevance of theory by aspiring practitioners and it would seem the odds are stacked against such an enterprise. In this paper we will reflect upon efforts to build this bridge through design theory curriculum using visual mapping tools drawn from constructivist education theory. The efficacy of these efforts is explored through both quantitative and qualitative student feedback.	en_US
dc.publisher	University of New South Wales	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	ConnectED: International Conference on Design Education	en_US
dc.title	The Cartography of Theory and Practice	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.location	Sydney, Australia	en_US
utslib.location.activity	Sydney, Australia	en_US
utslib.for	1203 Design Practice and Management	en_US
dc.location.activity	Sydney, Australia	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Design
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.place-of-publication	Sydney, Australia	en_US
pubs.start-date	2007-07-09	en_US

Abstract:

Strickler argues that the growth of visual communication as an academic discipline can only occur if there is an âempirical bridge between theory and practiceâ (1999: 38). Such a bridge is also a precondition for the evolution of visual communication as a forward looking and reflective industry as opposed to one that simply responds to the dictates of the market. However, building this bridge is no easy task; visually articulate and practically oriented students are reluctant to engage with theories that may challenge their passionately held understandings of design. All the more so when the commonest mode such inquiry is conducted through is reading and writing. The challenges and problems of writing for visual thinkers has been well articulated by Grow (1994). That such students are resistant to forms that they are generally not well equipped for or confident in is hardly surprising. Couple this with a seemingly near universal questioning of the relevance of theory by aspiring practitioners and it would seem the odds are stacked against such an enterprise. In this paper we will reflect upon efforts to build this bridge through design theory curriculum using visual mapping tools drawn from constructivist education theory. The efficacy of these efforts is explored through both quantitative and qualitative student feedback.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3022