Design Education Reimagined: A Conversation with David Houston from the V&A

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In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with David Houston, team leader for schools and colleges at the V&A South Kensington. David shares his passion for design education and the pivotal role museums play in inspiring young minds.

We delve into the V&A's innovative programmes, including DesignLab Nation and V&A Innovate, which bring design thinking to schools across the UK. David's insights on creating 'eureka moments' for students and the importance of hands-on experiences with objects are particularly fascinating.

Our conversation explores how museums can complement classroom learning, offering fresh perspectives and igniting creativity. David's anecdotes about students finding their voice in museum settings are inspiring.

We discuss the challenges facing D&T education and how museums can support teachers in delivering rich, engaging content. The V&A's teacher twilight sessions and resources emerge as useful tools for professional development.

This episode offers ideas for D&T teachers looking to enhance their practice. Consider how you might incorporate museum visits or object-based learning into your teaching. Could you collaborate with local museums to create similar opportunities for your students?

As we reflect on the cultural, social, and democratic aspects of design education, I encourage you to think about how these ideas align with your own teaching philosophy.

How might you foster those 'gasping for air' moments of learning in your classroom?
How can we, as D&T educators, build stronger bridges between schools and cultural institutions to enrich our students' learning experiences?

Mentioned:

Schools and Colleges In-person workshops Autumn 2024 - Summer 2025 - Workshop at V&A South KensingtonTeachers' resources for primary schoolsTeachers' resources for secondary schools & collegesTeacher Twilights & Teacher Sanctuaries can be found on the V&A What’s On page. DesignLab NationV&A InnovateYou can find  V&A Innovate object in focus films on YouTube: 

Acknowledgement:
Some of the supplementary content for this podcast episode was crafted with the assistance of Claude, an AI language model developed by Anthropic. While the core content is based on the actual conversation and my editorial direction, Claude helped in refining and structuring information to best serve listeners. This collaborative approach allows me to provide y

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