Getting the Most from Working with Higher Education - A Review of Methods Used Within a Participatory Design Activity Involving KS3 Special School Pupils and Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Industrial Design Students

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado

Education-based researchers and practitioners can use this review to identify preferred research and design methods applied in a participatory design activity. The work centers on collaboration between KS3 pupils in a special school and HEI industrial design students across undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Findings highlight informal unstructured interviews, the value of in-person dialogue, and supportive staff environments that help pupils feel safe to express themselves, while also noting communication challenges. Recommendations cover literature review, icebreaking sessions, and visual supports such as drawing templates, low-resolution sketch models, and role-play prompts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

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Getting the Most from Working with Higher Education: A review of methods used within a participatory design activity involving KS3 special school pupils and undergraduate and post-graduate industrial design students George Edward Torrens, Loughborough Design School, UK Helen Newton, Ash Field Academy, UK RESEARCH Abstract This paper provides education-based researchers and practitioners with the preferred research and design methods used by Higher Education Institute (HEI) students and Key Stage 3 (KS3) pupils applied within a participatory approach to a design activity. The outcomes were that both pupils and students found informal (unstructured) interview to be effective in creating dialogue alongside meeting in person. Students commented on the friendly environment created by staff within which the pupils felt safe to express themselves. They found the co-design activity in some cases difficult due to communication issues. Recommendations are that the HEI students would benefit from a thorough literature review of the medical conditions associated with the pupils and their school activities; an initial informal meeting or group activity involving students and pupils would reduce shyness and perform an icebreaking role prior to the initial interview; the use of drawing templates or low resolution sketch models for pupils to draw on or handle and modify to help define a product specification; and, role playing alongside other visual prompts that enable the pupils to visualise the function of the student-proposed designs. Pupils benefited through seeing professional techniques of visual communication and design practices being applied during the collaboration. Key words design and technology, participatory design, research methods, inclusive design, Special School and Higher Education Institution collaboration Introduction A core requirement of all teaching is to enhance engagement of pupils with the subject. One proven way of engaging pupils within design and technology is to introduce activities that involve people and environments external to the school. (Chrisophersen, 2002) One option is to collaborate with a higher education institution (HEI) on the delivery of the curriculum. HEI design students working directly with pupils exposes both groups to methods of gaining information to make design decisions and how best to embody the designdecisions into an artefact. The quality of a design solution depends on the quality of information available to make these design decisions. Both groups can gain from the experience of working with others of a different age, gender, life-experience, physical and cognitive ability. Whilst Cohen et al (2007), for example, provide a bibliography of research methods suitable for researchers working within education they do not provide guidance when and where to apply or prioritise these methods within a specific context or group. This paper provides an insight for researchers and practitioners within education into the preferences for the research and design methods which pupils and students found effective when working together on a design activity. Supporting evidence was provided through the design outcomes produced by students and pupils within curriculum delivery at Key Stage 3 (KS3), alongside anecdotal observations by School and HEI staff. This work is part of an on-going pedagogic development of a HEI module teaching undergraduate students how to design for people with disabilities and make their products more inclusive. (Torrens, 1998; Torrens, 2000) The paper will also provide a template of best practice in this form of collaboration through the review of a case study. The template is based on best practice of one of the authors who has over 20 years’ experience of designing inclusive products and working with elderly and people living with disabilities. An optimised method for assistive technology (AT) product design is documented in a number of resource

FAQs

What recommendations does the paper provide to improve the collaboration?

It recommends a thorough literature review of related medical conditions, an initial informal icebreaking session, use of drawing templates or low-resolution sketch models, and role playing with visual prompts to help pupils visualize the proposed designs.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado