Learner perceptions in design critiques: impact on creative development

This paper is an exploratory study on the use of criticism as pedagogical tool in Communication Design studio to support creative development. The quantitative research method was used to explore the role of the teacher in design critiques and how learners perceive criticism, critiques and teacher interaction on their skill and knowledge acquisition. The study was conducted bearing in mind the social factors in the design studio. The study is also limited to the perceptions of Communication Design students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The subjects for the study comprised undergraduate students of the Department of Communication Design. A structured questionnaire was administered using purposive sampling method to select 140 students. The results revealed that studio critique was a valued activity and that participation in critique was shaped by some social factors such as rapport and perceptions of shared critiques among participants especially in large-numbered classes.