Greenside Design Center

GDC is an accredited and internationally renowned design institution in Johannesburg, South Africa. GDC specialises in design education, awarding degrees in Graphic Design, Interior Design and Multimedia Design. We graduate leaders in design thinking and design practice, feeding both local and international markets

A successful career in an ever changing world demands that we are innovative and flexible thinkers, that we consistently hone our skills and craft, and that we stand out above the rest.Programmes offered include BA degrees in Graphic Design, Interior Design or Multimedia Design

GDC was the first education institution to become members of the Cumulus International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media; International Council of Graphic Designers, and International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers.

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Makers space/space making: Understanding the role of a MakersLab in fostering new creative pathways

Author	Institution
Fischer, Steffen	Greenside Design Center

Keywords:

4IR, democracy, design education, innovation, human capital, incubator

Discipline:

Design Education Strategy

Fischer - Makers space-space making Understanding the role of a MakersLab in fostering.pdf

The MakersLab is a new creative space within a leading South African design education institution. The space encourages creative intersections to bridge the 4IR knowledge gap with sustainable development goals, 4IR and explorative making. Over the past year, the development and integration of the MakersLab have been integral in establishing educator/student relationships. The development of the MakersLab is seen as an ‘incubator’ for change whilst navigating current socio-economic and gender development gaps. Here, the space aims to foster user needs, develop new ways of thinking, and engage with the community. The fast development of technology means that educators learn from students as much as students learn from educators.

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Humanising online education: A practical approach to teaching theory online

Author	Institution
Balkanska, Alexandra	Greenside Design Center

Keywords:

collaborative learning, digital well-being, ethics of care, humanising pedagogy, hybrid learning, student engagement, participation.

Discipline:

Design Education Strategy

Balkanska - Humanising online education.pdf

During 2020/1, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, education has had to adapt to a predominantly online learning environment as part of an emergency response strategy that replaced the conventional Face-to-Face (F2F) student interaction. Fuelled by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), we are now steadily moving towards a hybrid-learning environment. The overall notion has been that within the crisis there are also opportunities to evolve, adapt, and make new pathways. However, most local institutions currently rely on a blended method of lecture delivery, which is not as radical.

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The role of student-staff partnership and collaborative learning in interior design education

Author	Institution
Balkanska, Alexandra	Greenside Design Center

Keywords:

collaborative learning, critical thinking, radical pedagogy, reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT), research equals teaching (R=T), student-staff partnership

Discipline:

Design Education Research

The role of student-staff partnership and collaborative learning in interior design education

This paper aims to propose and motivate further research in the sphere of Interior Design education in a private college environment in South Africa. The study focuses on finding strategies that motivate for student-staff partnership and collaborative learning in the theory subject of Critical Studies (CS) within a hybrid/online learning environment. The discussion takes the reader on a journey of analysis and discussion starting with traditional method of education and alternative pedagogies; the value of critical thinking skills in the twenty-first century and research based-education. The emphasis is on Critical Theory in Higher Education (HE) as a valuable drive in stimulating self-reflection that produces graduates that are contributing members to our society.

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Learners as Agents: design as a learning vehicle

Author	Institution
Gray, Brenden	Greenside Design Center

Keywords:

globalisation, cultural influence, outcomes based education

Discipline:

Design Education Strategy

Learners as Agents: design as a learning vehicle

This paper proposes design as the guiding pedagogical metaphor for education in the 21st century. Educational reform literature is preoccupied with notions of indeterminacy in relation to learning because of major social changes that have occurred over the last two decades. Globalization, pluriculturalism, informalisation, consumerism, the rise of the network or information/knowledge based society have increasingly become defining markers of these changes.

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Latest News & Events

DEFSA conferences

DEFSA promotes relevant research with the focus on design + education through its biennial conferences, to promote professionalism, accountability and ethics in the education of young designers. Our next conference is a hybrid event. See above for details.

Critical skills endorsement

Professional Members in good standing can receive a certificate of membership, but DEFSA cannot provide confirmation or endorsement of skills whatsoever. DEFSA only confirm membership of DEFSA which is a NPO for Design Education in South Africa (https://www.defsa.org.za/imagine).