Evaluation of basic design education at meet department of industrial design

Abstract

Basic Design is a crucial course for design education. This course is offered in the first year to initiate students to the theory, practice and communication of design and to lay a basis on which more advanced and specialized knowledge will be gathered throughout the rest of their design education and careers. However, the course's results, influence in design education and methods of conduct receives many criticisms from students, educators, designers and researchers. Even though the course plays a founding role in design education and is criticized for not being successful, there are very few studies on how this course should be formulated or updated. For this reason, a study is conducted in two stages with the students and instructors of METU Department of ID in order to assess basic design education within the scope of this department. The results of the fieldwork are examined in consideration of the criticisms found in literature to determine the major problems of this course and to offer suggestions for improvement.