Design and Creatuve Studies Departments - Have we Gone too Far?

Abstract

The promotion of design studies in schools of secondary education from such investigations as the study of Keele University and the more recent enquity at the Royal College has promoted much criticism, analysis and discussion as to the nature of art and craft studies in school from people in all spheres of educational practice. Commendable recognition must be given to the aims of design studies in schools from those educationalises who have so elequently promoted its advancement and studied its possibilities. Their criticism that art and craft studies have previously been too insular in activity, uncoordinated with, and often of low status within the general school curricula, lacking in academic content, and material and technique based in activity is undoubtedly in many cases absolutely true. It would seem logical that the activity of designing, and enquity into the nature of design in a rapidly advancing technological society, would serve as an excellent tool for developing all the educational experiences and understandings that the promoters of the movement both expected, and in many cases, proved it would do.