Thinking through making: What kinds of learning take place when HE students engage with creative arts technicians?

This article investigates the critical teaching and learning interactions between a specialist creative arts technician and higher education (HE) students within art and design, focusing on the role of technicians as educators engaged in reflective practice. Using a hybrid methodology—including conversations, observations, and interviews with sixteen students—the study identifies critical reflection occurring before, during, and after the making process, emphasizing "material thinking" or "thinking-through-materials" as a key pedagogical approach. A critical reflection gauge, inspired by the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI), was developed to analyze these interactions, revealing that technicians contribute significantly to students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative development. The research highlights the often under-recognized pedagogical role of technicians in HE, suggesting that acknowledging their teaching could enhance student learning experiences and challenge institutional hierarchies within creative arts education.