Abstract:
Designers and design educators are expected to play a major role in any restructuring of industry as design practice is a key mechanism for adding value by producing new products and redeveloping existing ones.
The challenges and expectations facing design and technology educators, therefore, is to provide a curriculum that accommodates manufacturing and service industries goals, which are - to become competitive in the international market place and develop long term strategies for sustainable, economic development (SED).
For this to be achieved, it would seem essential that students pursuing a career in one of the design professions need an understanding of the economic, cultural and social complexities of each country, or countries and information on how consumerism effects global economies and environments.
This paper analyses the way potential design practitioners are educationally prepared to provide for these industrial and consumer needs in the context of design education policy and practice. The interactive links between industry, education and the consumer are identified in order to provide a social picture that informs the educator of how best to achieve the long term educational goal of sustainable, economic development through curriculum design and reform.
The challenges and expectations facing design and technology educators, therefore, is to provide a curriculum that accommodates manufacturing and service industries goals, which are - to become competitive in the international market place and develop long term strategies for sustainable, economic development (SED).
For this to be achieved, it would seem essential that students pursuing a career in one of the design professions need an understanding of the economic, cultural and social complexities of each country, or countries and information on how consumerism effects global economies and environments.
This paper analyses the way potential design practitioners are educationally prepared to provide for these industrial and consumer needs in the context of design education policy and practice. The interactive links between industry, education and the consumer are identified in order to provide a social picture that informs the educator of how best to achieve the long term educational goal of sustainable, economic development through curriculum design and reform.