Design Education

Imagination is also essential in order to understand and evaluate design proposals. It is a common experience to find that potential users of a product or environment cannot extrapolate from drawings, models or computer programs to imagine what the finished result will be like in reality.

Designing calls for the use of many different skills and many different types of knowledge. Imagination is indispensable. Imagination is essential because design is only called for if the future is unknown. If we already know what we need to know, there is no necessity for design activity though many crafts, cooking for example, involve ‘designerly’ thinking to organise and plan the work.

nation is the use of questions, as questions can promote thinking. However in terms of the questions to ask it is important that they are not questions that only have a right or wrong answer as this can suppress imagination that requires space for the unexpected, novel or divergent thought.
As well as providing positive ways forward to encourage imagination there are a number of ‘do not’ statements that if avoided will remove some of the imagination inhibitors. In terms of evaluating imagination, care should be taken not to tell learners whether imagined solutions are good or bad, or why an idea will or will not work, instead ask them to explain their ideas. This will help the teacher access the mindset of the pupils. In the same vein one should not overly reward imagination, as there is a tendency for that to cause a loss in the desire to improve an idea. In terms of questioning, encourage the use of open/thinking questions. Stimulate pupils with replies that ask them for further insight, questions such as ‘what would happen if’; ‘What do you think?’, ‘Is there a better way?’ and ‘try it and see’. Questioning of this nature will push the child’s imagination and allows ownership of the idea/thought to remain with the pupil. Teachers should be careful how they give praise. To tell a pupil that an idea is excellent can make the child think that only this one answer is required. Instead use praise in terms of ‘I like the way you used your imagination to answer that’.
CONCLUSION
Imagination, as the basis of creative activity, is an important component of all aspects of cultural life, enabling artistic, scientific, and technical creation. It is therefore vital that imagination is encouraged at every stage of a child’s education. Being able to use one’s imagination depends upon the acquisition of a broad knowledge base and as rich a variety of experiences as possible, ones that can be utilized in new ways and combinations. Young children naturally use their imagination in their games and pretend play to great effect. However, once children are faced with the formal structuring of school they seem to loose that ability and most never regain it as they progress through the educational system. It would appear that there are two main reasons for this. Firstly it is considered a natural consequence of children maturing and becoming constrained by social convention. Secondly there is considerable evidence to suggest that the way in which children are educated impinges greatly upon this aspect of their development. In order to alleviate these problems teachers need to take every opportunity to achieve a balance between developing pupils’ sound knowledge base and at the same time allowing imagination and curiosity to flourish throughout the educational system and not just when children are very young. The difficulties identified with assessment regimes imposed upon older children can be alleviated if teachers change their habits of work; develop their own skills in coping with shared uncertainty; allow children to be in the position of decision maker and develop teaching strategies and questioning strategies that will support and encourage imagination.