Effective Approaches of Interdisciplinary Collaboration In the Foundation Design Course

Abstract: Educators across disciplines increasingly acknowledge the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in today's educational context. In design education, this shift presents a challenge: to adapt pedagogies effectively for students to tackle evolving complexities. Consequently, there's a pressing need to enhance training in design foundation curricula. Our study focuses on the redesign of a foundation design course to bolster teamwork among different disciplines. Through diverse collaboration modes such as warm-up workshops, peer evaluations, and interdisciplinary team projects, we aim to analyze the outcomes of multidisciplinary approaches within course projects. No matter what the collaboration type is, students are likely to be more involved and inspired through interdisciplinary collaborations, especially when facing complex topics. Our research demonstrates that integrating various collaboration methods within a single project, including teamwork, cross-sectional evaluations, and interdisciplinary external reviews, enhances students' capacity for innovation and critical thinking. Moreover, team projects and collaboration with peers, faculty, and external stakeholders foster positive sharing experiences and yield favorable outcomes in design education.

Keywords: Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Multifaceted Collaboration, Cross-discipline, Foundation Design, Peer Evaluation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005124

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