Increasing authenticity through multidisciplinary collaboration in real-life scenarios in digital media design education

Abstract

Undergraduate digital media design education is linked to a professional or vocational model, given that students are typically focused on the industry and its employment opportunities. Introducing authentic real-life scenarios in digital media design education is an effective strategy to replicate industry and the profession in order to prepare students for a successful transition from the classroom to their future multidisciplinary collaborative work environment. Linking industry and education in the scenario allows students to explore workplace issues and interact with practitioners, enabling them to understand the realities and complexities associated with multidisciplinary teamwork within the sector in which they will work. This article overviews the design of a real-life scenario to foster collaborative learning for digital media design and information technology students. Key findings include the fact that the majority of students indicated a future preference to work on real-world projects, they found the integrated feedback from an industry professional helpful, and more complex projects of a higher standard were completed. Students also experienced ‘authentic’ challenges during the collaborative process (e.g. communication challenges) and which reflect those of industry. The study also revealed that the introduction of multidisciplinary teams leads to a more enriched learning environment for all participating students.