Sources of inspiration: How design students learn from museum collections and other sources of inspiration

Abstract

We need a clearer picture of the ways in which students learn from museum collections and other sources of inspiration. Taking a phenomenographic approach this research suggests ways in which students learn from the collections, and argues that some students, lacking the motivation and skills they need to enable them to get the best out of this important resource, find their engagement with museums challenging. The research concludes that Higher Education (HE) and museums will need to work collaboratively to champion measures to reinvigorate learning from these sources.