Learning and Teaching

In this chapter, we take forward the idea (from Chapter 10) of designing as a pedagogic vehicle. We examine in particular the role of design portfolios from the points of view of both the learner and the teacher. Learners will typically see the portfolio as a product development device, whilst the teacher will additionally be looking in on it as evidence of learners’ cognitive processes; their proposals, their communication approaches and their decision making. We recognise the need to respect the individuality of learners’ approaches to designing and reassert the design-like nature of broader decision-making processes.