A Practical Exploration Of The Project Oriented Teaching For The Art And Design Majors In Higher Vocational Colleges

With the rapid development of higher vocational education in the past30years, priorities are given to the skill training and cultivating technical talents with high quality. Due to the particularities of Art and Design ccurriculum, the undergraduate course designing is almost closer to the technology and learning union pattern advocated, which is also similar to the integrated curriculum in higher vocational education. The poor ability of the Art and Design majors to acquire professional knowledge in higher vocational colleges makes the construction of Project Curriculum necessary and pragmatic to the integrated teaching. On the one hand, when acquiring knowledge and skills, students can sense the fast-changing professional requirements, so as to adapt themselves quickly to the working enviroment and gain easy access to employment opportunities. On the other, despite the low theoretical level of teachers in vocational colleges, they possess a strong enterprise practical ability, which enables them more qualified for the workplace contextualised teaching mode.This paper studies the project based teaching model used by the Institute of Chongqing Zhengda Software Vocation and Technology, and compares it with other vocational institutes in Chongqing. It verifies the effectiveness of the project based teaching by examining any improvements in learning effect while using this approach, based on results of the researches on current course structure and career scene of the project based teaching model in art&design, as well as the analysis on students’ learning states and teachers’ teaching experience in practice.This paper can be divided by six parts. The main content of each part is listed below:Section1This section is introduction. It provides analysis of the current teaching models in diploma of art&design and both domestic and foreign state of HVET, which leads to the rudiment of project based learning model. It provides a statement of related theories and key concepts.Section2This section includes the objectives, contents, methods, theoretical supports and significance of this research.Section3This section lists the project based teaching model’s existing problems and scientificity by analysing the model’s current state in the art&design course in the institute of HVET. It also compares the effectiveness of the project based and non-project based teaching in different grades, students’ learning progress, individual interviews with selected teachers and surveys among students and teachers. It concludes the project based teaching model provides guidance to the art&design courses. It realises the significant meaning of this model in HVET by comparing the students’ fundamental professional literacy raised by non project based teaching and the independent problem solving ability raised by project based teaching.Section4This section provides a further elaboration on the courses that follow project based teaching model with scientificity and key points involved. This can be a guideline for our practical course structure and trials, which shall make our courses more like a career scene. Hence the institute is able to supply human resources that fit into the competitive market.Section5This section is a case study based on project based teaching in the school of art&design in the Institute of Chongqing Zhengda Software Vocation and Technology. It provides a distinct blue print of a complete process of project based teaching and how it influences the enthusiasm of study among our students.Section6This section concludes the research on the project based teaching model:1. The project based teaching model is able to transform complex professional theoretical knowledge to more understandable techniques and skills. In this case, students’ practical skills are improved.2. Students, who play different roles in career scene, are able to acquire the basic technical skills and professional attainment through, develop high interests in study and improve the independent problem solving skills. The role playing method builds different study cases based on various positions in the workplace. Its professional, practical and opening features shall develop students’own initiative. The art&design course shall be more practical and close to the society. It completes the training by project practice, and reach the targets through job behaviors.3. The project based teaching model improves students learning performance and results. It enhances students’ motivation and confidence in studying. Students are able to experience a complete career process through real time scenarios on each individual project in workplace. By completing projects’ requirements, students shall achieve the purpose of learning while exercising as well as exercising while learning. While learning professional knowledge, students shall also improve their core competence skills significantly for self-study, trouble shooting, information processing, communication, innovation, teamwork and so on.4. The teaching model fulfills the market needs, and students’professional knowledge can be used in a related position. Real job tasks are introduced from businesses into courses by promoting project based teaching. It enhances the participation of students, expands their perspective, improves their ability of applying knowledge. Hence, students are able to survive in the competitive workplace. The model ensures students gain experience in real job tasks and completed work process; on the other hand, it provides technical service for business’s research&development projects. In addition, students design skills are examined by those projects. Finally, the idea of "serve, rely and support local business" is achieved.