Landscape Metaphors for Bachelor Design Students’ Identity and Vision Development

Abstract

Professional identity and vision (PIV) development is important for students to shape their educational path and future careers. It is important for students to be guided in this PIV development, but writing a PIV text could be challenging for many. To supplement the text-based approach of PIV writing, we explore how a physical toolkit using landscape and other metaphors could help students in their PIV development and reflection. Two case studies were conducted at Eindhoven University of Technology. Data collection was done through an adapted professional identity scale supplemented by semistructured interviews. We conclude that our toolkit is most suitable for final-year bachelor students and those beyond this stage in their degree, and that the main use of the toolkit lies in its reflective nature.