From Sydney to Saigon: Action Research Insights for Transnational Design Studies Good Teaching Practice

Good teaching practice in creative disciplines is not necessarily transferable culturally and geographically, which provides an opportunity to explore transnational critical teaching reflections and recommendations. This chapter draws on the pedagogical reflective practice of the author who encountered cultural differences and pedagogical dissonance when applying teaching methods that were successful in a first-year higher education design studies context in Sydney, Australia, but which did not translate effectively in a university context in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam. The primary aim of the chapter is to introduce a student-centred cross-cultural transformative teaching model (the C2T2 model) for undergraduate design education. I outline and discuss eight pedagogical methods—clarify, inspire, scaffold, support, empower, reassure, community and praise—that are successful for satisfying teaching and learning journeys across both contexts. Additionally, the chapter provides insight and instruction on an effective framework of teaching methods for design studies students to assist lecturers teaching design in a transnational higher education context. Finally, the chapter provides information and input for lecturers seeking to inform pedagogical opportunities in developing their own teaching approaches and methodologies fitting for a transnational design teaching context.