Abstract:

The authors use the phenomenography method in this paper to study the variation of ways in which design educators experience, conceptualize, perceive, and understand design education phenomena in basic education in schools in India. The objective of the research is to ascertain the principles for selection of content, method, pedagogy and assessment for a contextual design education in basic education at school level for developing a theoretical framework. With this research objective, the authors conduct interviews with twenty design educators in schools across India, to examine the nature of design awareness in ‘basic education’ and the existing design education practices at school level in India. In addition, the authors interview 5 design experts who have been involved with school education in India, to identify the attributes or the essential features of a design education curriculum at school and build a theoretical framework which can be examined for theoretical replication through empirical research. The authors analyse design education in schools at two levels — as a subject and as a co-curricular activity. The research study is limited to schools in India across the three major boards, Central Board of Secondary Education —CBSE, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations — CISCE and International Baccalaureate — IB and alternative schools in India.

Keywords:

School, Design Education, Contextual, Curriculum, Framework, India.