Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
The development of a Lego Mindstorms-based curriculum for design and ergonomics students
Garrett, David W.; Underwood, Peter J.; Jun, Gyuchan Thomas
Type:
Year:
2013
Editor:
Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author:
Series:
ICED
Institution:
Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University, United Kingdom
Page(s):
021-028
ISBN:
978-1-904670-51-3
ISSN:
2220-4334
Abstract:
Design students' understanding of design processes and their ability to continually improve on them is a fundamental concern in design education. This paper discusses a curriculum development project at Loughborough Design School, investigating the use of LEGO Mindstorms as the basis for a system design learning activity. A range of studies have demonstrated the value of Mindstorms in higher education applications. However, these have typically focused on undergraduate engineering courses and emphasise the development of technical skills. Our aim was to create a learning activity for students from a range of design programmes, focusing on their understanding of design processes. We developed a team design learning activity for undergraduate design and ergonomics students, and conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility and value of this approach to student learning. This has shown the potential usefulness of Mindstorms problem-based learning activities in improving students' understanding of the design process.
Keywords:
