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Abstract
This paper sets out the current situation in a number of schools and institutions of higher education with departments of design. A case is presented for the design curriculum to be regarded as a serious academic subject which makes a unique contribution to pupils' cognitive, emotional, psycho-motor and social development.
It is argued that design teachers should shift the focus of their lessons from the product to the person, and that they should receive training which would help them to understand why they do what they do in terms of the contribution they are making to the psychological development of their pupils.
The special character of design education means that it has certain opportunities to offer children that other subjects do not. Activities such as modelling and making objects facilitate the expression of pent-up emotions, while also encouraging an intuitive, holistic approach to problem solving.
It is suggested that design education be used to help children think more flexibly and creatively by encouraging them to engage in exploratory, investigative behaviour toward objects in the environment. In particular it can be used to encourage those aspects of thought and understanding concerned with the more sensuous ways of knowing the world.