RAISING OUR GAME: CREATING NEW LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS
Year: 2015
Editor: Guy Bingham, Darren Southee, John McCardle, Ahmed Kovacevic, Erik Bohemia, Brian Parkinson
Author: Loy (1), Jennifer; Reay (2), Stephen; White (2), David
Series: E&PDE
Institution: 1Griffith University, 2Auckland University of Technology
Section: Learning Paradigm
Page(s): 562-567
ISBN: 978-1-904670-62-9
Abstract
Within the University sector, there has been concern expressed in recent years over the accreditation
of alternative higher education providers to deliver degree programs. This presupposes that the two
sectors would be in direct competition for the same students with providers offering similar programs
and content, and catering to students with similar learning styles for comparable outcomes. Arguably,
if a University is failing to provide a learning experience that is significantly more elevated and
substantially different to one that is offered by an alternative higher education provider, then it should
be re-evaluating its own practice rather than trying to eliminate the opposition.
Product Design programs have undergone a contracted evolution since their academic inception
following the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, they are arguably best placed to lead an evolution of
University education as they are less hampered by the weight of historical expectation than traditional
academic disciplines. This paper is a reflective opinion piece that proposes new practice to provide
innovative, high order thinking learning experiences inspired by cutting edge collaborative practice
between international University research partners. This partnership is based on an aspiration model
of authentic collaboration between product design and engineering, in a health and wellbeing context.
It suggests a way forward that clearly differentiates and enhances University Product Design education
for a next generation research design education nexus.
Keywords: Transformative, collaboration, innovation, eLearning, transdisciplinary