Pedagogy and Practice
Asynchronous Session
Protest.mp4 - a Collaborative, Co-designed Learning Space for Decolonising Archival and Visual Representations of the Brixton Uprising of 1981 View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ian Jackson, Jodie Silsby
This paper communicates the findings of a project entitled Protest.mp4, a collaborative inquiry between Year 3 BA (hons) Graphic Art students at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton; the Parliamentary Archives of the Houses of Parliament, and Museumand: The National Caribbean Heritage Museum. Protest.mp4 enabled students to explore representations of Black British history through social and political archives related to the 1981 Brixton uprising. Through dialogue and research with Museumand and the Parliamentary Archives, a co-designed learning experience initiated a more critical approach to design practice beyond a visual first approach. From this, students were able to analyse and reframe the societal and media perception of what was historically termed the Brixton riots and to explore and examine shifting contemporary parallels. Students were able to articulate informed narratives, as well as position their empathic opinions and debate into appropriate visual responses. Students creatively communicated these opinions and ideas through contemporary visual interpretations in animated poster formats. From a design perspective, Protest.mp4 challenged the traditional medium of activism; the poster. Visual outcomes extended the poster beyond the printed page into contemporary digital formats to explore how this medium of active communication is still relevant today within the context of social and political debates. From an educational perspective, Protest.mp4 provided students with a model for interdisciplinary dialogue to explore perspectives around decolonisation, race, speculative practice, technology, and activism.
Neo-craft as a Response to the Relationship between Tradition and Innovation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Manuel Martínez Torán, Esteve Sendra Chele
Based on the previous experiences at the end of the twentieth century, there is an important development between 2008, when the economic crisis poses new ways of understanding the craft with young initiatives, and 2014 with the consolidation of these new businesses. The artisanal format or the activity of novice artisans, bring interesting innovations in spaces where the comfort of tradition (represented by those who promote technique for technique's sake) or the industrial production model (characterized by massive standardization), do not respond to contemporary reality. These innovations appear, thanks to these neo-crafts, from a collaborative context, from new business models, from circular projects, from an approach to luxury or premier brands, from the relationship with the art market or from new technologies. Our experience, both with the design students at the educational level since 2012, and with the work developed at the Craft Chair since 2022, show that these transformations are taking place.
Tuition or Intuition? Towards Culturally Informed Design Education Practices View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marianne Holbert
Designers today work in international teams and global contexts. To meet these new contexts, it is critical that design education support diversity and multiculturalism. Advancing the cultural consciousness in design education requires a new awareness of the dimensions of culture that impact learning. But what methods of assessment, types of data collection, or knowledge are effective to inform changes to learning environments? R.W. Emerson argued that knowledge has two primary facets: tuition and intuition. The root of tuition is the Latin verb tueor meaning “to look at,” or “to watch over or protect.” It implies examining evidence gathered from external sources. In contrast, intuition, refers to a deep inner understanding, or insight. This paper addresses the tenuous relationship between tuition and intuition to inform transformative design education pedagogy. It probes the role of data and information in design education, to better inform innovative educational pedagogy for studio-based learning environments. The research shares current research on cultural dimensions in studio-based education and a Cultural Inventory Tool for Studio (CITS). CITS is a pedagogical survey tool designed for faculty that explores the presence and impact of ten cultural parameters and the spectrums of variability to comprehend the dimensions of culture most likely to impact instructional situations. It aids faculty in the examination, evaluation, and discussion of the values and practices present in learning environments. The paper shares the CITS methodology, current findings, and strategies for probing tuition and intuition to advance the level of cultural consciousness in design education.
Investigation of Architecture Education by Using Virtual Reality and Bonding Performance View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Seham ElAlfy
Architecture is a technology-intensive discipline both in the design process and in the production process. It is believed that virtual reality will have a great impact on architectural design, architectural teaching and practice. Due to the rapid development of VR applications in architecture, there is a growing need for knowledge within architectural education programs in universities, both nationally and internationally. Therefore, it has become imperative to assess architectural school curricula while also exploring how architecture majors may be influenced by VR. This paper reviews an educational experiment involving VR within architecture history courses, comparing its applicability to traditional methods in the field of architecture. We contribute to this discourse by offering insights from three research cases, with the goal of identifying the optimal educational approach. To gain a comprehensive understanding, a survey was administered to a sample of architects to investigate how this technology can be effectively integrated into architectural practice.
"Teaching What Can't Be Taught": The Legacy of Transformative Design Educator Peter Megert View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mary Anne Beecher
This paper analyzes the significance of transformative design educational experiences. It examines a case study that demonstrates that pedagogical models used in design have the potential to provide students with new languages and new abilities to see the world in ways that are life-changing. This case examines the contributions of Swiss graphic designer turned design educator Peter Megert (1937-2022). Educated at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Bern, Switzerland, Megert established his own design firm (Studio M) in his homeland prior to his immigration to America. Following time spent working with Paul Rand at Westinghouse Corporation in Pittsburgh, Megert moved into a faculty position at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio (USA) in 1970. His work as a design educator tapped into his professional experiences at Westinghouse as well as the strong influence of his Swiss culture and modern design principles, but Megert’s true contribution to his students’ success was his knack for sharing his own curiosity. This research draws conclusions about Megert’s influence and its potential lessons for the future by articulating themes found through a close analysis of his personal records as well as the contents of numerous interviews with family members, former colleagues, clients, and students. From their memories, it is clear that Megert’s many former students credit him with “teaching what cannot be taught;” the love of design and its seemingly limitless potential. Using words and images from Megert’s archive, this paper provides a glimpse into meaningful design education practices of the past that remain relevant today.
