Modules

Module title: Design Studies 1
SCQF level: 08:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: DES08130
Module leader: Peter Buwert
School School of Arts and Creative Industries
Subject area group: Design Photography and Advertising
Prerequisites

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2019/0, Trimester 2, Face-to-Face,
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Face-to-Face
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Peter Buwert
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Learning within this module is organised around a student-centred approach. This allows a degree of personalisation in choosing the specific content to be explored as you develop the skills to demonstrate achievement of the intended learning outcomes (LOs1-5).
Tutor led lectures and workshops will provide structured presentation of key theoretical concepts, texts and case-studies (LOs1,2). You will meet in peer-led seminar groups to discuss, debate and analyse these ideas and examples (LOs2,3,4). In your groups you will present your analyses to each other, discuss them, and receive formative feedback from peers and tutors (LOs3,4).
You will work individually and in groups to develop design projects which test and explore the theoretical ideas presented for consideration in class and through reading list material (LOs4,5).
Progress on project work will be presented in class to receive formative feedback and assessment on learning. Project work will form the basis of a portfolio submitted for summative assessment (LOs1-5). The student-centred portfolio submission format allows for personalisation in learning throughout the module, as you will be encouraged to develop your own areas of interest to explore and critically reflect upon. Portfolios will be assessed based on their overall demonstration of achievement of module learning outcomes, rather than solely on specific attributes of individual tasks.
Formative Assessment:
Formative feedback is provided throughout the module in class from peers and tutors during regular group discussions and presentations. Formative assessment will take place at midway points during scheduled learning activities. This will help to direct your learning prior to submission of work for summative assessment. This will take place formally in week 9 in relation to group work. And in weeks 11 and 12 in relation to individual preparation of the summative portfolio submission.

Summative Assessment:
Summative assessment will take place through a single submission of a portfolio of work in week 13. This submission will constitute 100% of your summative module grade. The portfolio will present each of the tasks you have undertaken throughout the module. The student-centred portfolio format allows a degree of personalisation in learning throughout the module as you will be encouraged to select and develop your own areas of interest to explore and critically reflect upon. You will have had opportunities to receive formative assessment and feedback on each task undertaken as part of the module. This provides time to implement changes and improvements based on this feedback prior to submission of the final summative assessment. Tasks included within the portfolio may be presented in any appropriate format. The portfolio will be a substantial body of work including research, documentation and reflection on design process, results of design process, and critical reflection on all of this design activity, with reference to theoretical issues raised by the course. At least one component of the portfolio must be an academically written and referenced essay (2,000 words). Portfolios will be assessed based on their overall demonstration of achievement of module learning outcomes, rather than solely on specific attributes of individual tasks. While choice of specific content can be personalised, the portfolio as a whole must demonstrate a developing knowledge and understanding of key concepts in design studies through exploration of key relationships between design history, theory, criticism and practice. The portfolio must also demonstrate a clear ability to observe, critically explore and present opinions on design activity (both that of others, and your own) within social, political and economic contexts. In this way the portfolio submission will allow you to present a personalised account of your engagement and activity throughout the module in order to demonstrate that you have met the LOs 1-5.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Lecture 12
Independent Learning Groupwork (Independent Study) 20
Face To Face Tutorial 24
Independent Learning Guided independent study 144
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Portfolio 100 1-5 13 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 0
Component 1 subtotal: 100
Component 2 subtotal: 0
Module subtotal: 100

Description of module content:

In this module, you will increase your knowledge and understanding of design, the design industry, and the evolving role and responsibilities of the designer in society. By examining key texts and case studies you will explore the history and theory of design’s complex relationships with society, ethics, politics and economics, and how this relationship shapes and influences contemporary design practise. You will deepen your skills in critical and reflective thinking as you consider, discuss, debate and critically analyse these issues. Working individually and in groups, you will test and explore theoretical ideas about design practise in the real world by putting ideas into action through design projects. There will be regular opportunities in class to present and reflect on your progress and receive constructive feedback from your peers and tutors. You will demonstrate the knowledge you have gained throughout the module by producing a portfolio of work which presents your critical reflections on the relationships between design history, theory, criticism and practice in context.
Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
LO1: Develop knowledge and understanding of key concepts in design studies
LO2: Explore key relationships between design history, theory, criticism and practice
LO3: Make observations exploring design’s relationships with key social, political and economic issues
LO4: Express opinions and construct arguments critiquing design activity in context
LO5: Critically contextualise and reflect on personal design activity
Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
Design Studies 1
 

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