Hyper design thinking: critique, praxis and reflection

A practice of critique, integrated with design as a ‘disciplinary habit of mind’ (Klebesadel and Kornetsky 2009, p. 99), sustains and hyperextends students’ capacity for design thinking and metacognition. A forward-thinking, design-focused curriculum in design and technology education demands the evolution of such critical dispositions. Reflective thinking and writing practices unite creative and critical analysis with design process, enabling deeper engagement with praxis, metacognition and critique. This chapter observes how these critical, creative and reflective dialogic design-based thinking and writing practices, already employed in design and visual arts education, can augment design and technology curricula. Reflective practice and writing are able to enhance cyclic, critical and design thinking within design and technology curricula through the praxis-based application of critique. Practical methods to stimulate modes of design thinking and communication include critical, creative and reflective thinking and writing. Application of these dialogic methods occurs through opportunities for low-risk exploration through oral and written discourse within a critical and cylic design process. The integration of creative, critical and reflective thinking practices within a design process leads to the sustained reflexive habits and evolving critical dispositions crucial to design and technology education