Student independence and teaching design

The work of the GRASP Project at the King Alfred's College has been concerned for five years with the relationship between designing, learning and teaching. This investigation has led to an increasing interest in teaching approaches which promote student independence in the context of design education and design training. The Department of Design and Technology in which the GRASP Project is located has over this period been faced with dramatic rises in staff-student ratios. This paper reveals the way in which a strong conceptual underpinning in design education combined with a well thought-through commitment to the GRASP model for achieving results has supported progress despite a worsening educational climate. It also reveals how this work has contributed to team building, around a shared sense of purpose. As such it should be valuable for others engaged in the forming of teaching teams in design and technology.