Project Outline/Aims
My project seeks to explore the role of Contextual and Theoretical Studies in design education. With the growing emphasis on employability and technical competency within the design field, as well as the growing use of AI tools, engagement with theoretical and historical knowledge seems to be increasingly marginalised within design education. This marginalisation is further compounded by the emphasis on reading and writing as key skills through which contextual and theoretical knowledge shared and assessed.
To examine this topic, I would like to understand how students perceive the impact of CTS on their practice/career/personal development once they leave university (i.e. what is the long-term impact CTS might have had on their personal and professional journey); secondly, I want to explore how students experience reading and writing as part of their creative practice.
The focus of the project will be to interview LCC Design School alumni and, in response, implement the findings as part of the curriculum design for the 2025/2026 academic year in dialogue with the CTS team.
- The documentation of the ARP research process, both primary and secondary research sources, designed intervention, final presentation and any other relevant materials can be found on dedicated pages under the ARP menu at the top.