Students will be students

Further to the issues raises on Design Observer referred to in the previous post...

Students will in my experience always try to produce what they see a "cool" work. Work that is inevitably based on their own interests and backgrounds. I think this is generally a very positive thing. On purely pedagogical grounds one can argue that this is a desirable thing - they learn more and better in this way.

Realistically if we are trying to foster creativity then surely anything goes really - it's a process of discovery. Setting benchmarks of performance based on what "clients" may require is not neccessarily the best way to develop creative processes.

Students will inevitably come to terms with the "real world" of design practice very quickly after graduations. The opportunity to play as a student with one's creativity will rarely be given again and so I maintain that it is important to allow students in creative fields to make the most of this opportunity to explore.

It si likely our best chance of innovation for the future...