Post-digital Pedagogies Toolkit

Generative AI tools present critical challenges to design practice and in design teaching. These technologies, like the printing press and desktop computing before, will have a profound effect on creative industries. Design educators and students must develop literacy with these tools, and understand how to locate them professionally, or risk being left behind.

The aim of this design-led research project is to explore, document and analyse how generative machine learning models or “genAI” platforms like Firefly, MidJourney, and Chat GPT can be woven critically into design education to support collaboration, ideation and design development. The insights presented in this project have emerged from investigations in the design classroom alongside engagement with educators who use genAI in tertiary design teaching. This has led to the development of a genAI toolkit with a set of recommendations and activities that other educators may use in their own teaching practice.

The Report and Activities were generated through 2 workshops held with Academics from the RMIT University College of Design and Social Context. The contributors are: Dr. Emma Luke (Industrial Design), Kate Geck (Interior Design), Dr. Tom Penney (Games Design), Kirsten Black (Learning + Teaching), Ian Haig (Art), Dr. Alan Nguyen (Media and Communication), Martine Corompt (Art), Jess Sansum (Art), Dr. Daniel Binns (Media and Communication), Ying-Lan Dann (Interior Design), Dr. Olivia Hamilton (Interior Design), Thom Luke (Industrial Design), Dr. John Power (Digital Design) and Kate Thaus (Research Assistant).

Below you will find the toolkit as a set of 3 links. The Report outlines the context for the project, then details 2 teaching case studies working with genAI in the design classroom. This is followed by findings from workshops with academics considering the challenges and opportunities for using genAI in the classroom. The Activities contain suggested approaches to working with genAI in the classroom that address the challenges and opportunities uncovered in the Report. These can be used by other educators. The Resources board contains links to papers, platforms and precedents that may be of use to educators wanting to work with genAI in the classroom. Download the Report and Classroom Activities as PDFs, and view our Miro board of GenAI Resources.