Developing interdisciplinary learning and teaching approaches to promote socially responsible design practices

Social design highlights design-based practices towards collective and social ends rather than predominantly commercial or consumer-orientated objectives. This paper shares staff and students experiences of participating in a pioneering interdisciplinary approach to social design at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. The paper describes the key learning that arose from the implementation of a pioneering approach to the teaching of social design practice in the MA Design Programme (Graphics, Product, Interiors, Jewellery & Metalwork, Packaging, Illustration & Fashion) at Sheffield Hallam University. Staff reflections on the process of crafting the learning experience will be situated alongside the student voice of how it felt to participate in the module and to work alongside people in real-world scenarios. Taking the conference theme of design process, planning and strategy for sustainable best practices holistically and the sub-theme of design curriculum on sustainability the session particularly highlights the value of situating learning beyond the classroom in real-world contexts. Holism here relates to the recognition that learning is socially situated, that it draws on the individual strengths and resources the student brings and that by involving practitioners from different specialisms learning has the potential to bring about real-world transformation and change beyond the boundaries of the subject discipline.