Delivered Workshops as Tools for Agility, Collaboration, and Disruption with Rachael Paine, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Human-Centered Design at Virginia Tech University; Bree McMahon, Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Arkansas; and Piper Schuerman, Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee during the 2025 National Conference on the Beginning Design Student: Tool(ing) at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. The paper was delivered as part of Tools for Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration session. This session was moderated by Jarrett Fuller, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at North Carolina State University.
Workshops as Tools for Agility, Collaboration, and Disruption: Workshops are widely utilized yet under-theorized in design education, often perceived as informal or supplementary. This perception undermines their potential as structured pedagogical tools capable of addressing contemporary challenges in design practice, including fostering collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking. This paper employs a qualitative approach, drawing from literature reviews, historical analysis, and case studies to examine workshops’ evolving role in design education. It explores their impact on pedagogy and professional practice, focusing on their adaptability, inclusivity, and capacity to cultivate essential design skills.
Workshops foster student engagement through iterative, collaborative, and flexible learning environments that align with heutagogical principles. They address gaps in traditional pedagogical models by emphasizing process over product, accommodating diverse learning needs, and integrating emerging technologies in accessible ways. Workshops hold transformative potential for design education by bridging traditional approaches with the demands of contemporary practice. To fully realize their value, workshops must be formalized as structured, research-driven pedagogical strategies, ensuring their integration into curricula and recognition within academic discourse. This formalization is essential for preparing students to navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving design landscape.
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Tools for Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration included:
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