Abstract
Contemplative practices are a framework for design education that empowers students, drives cutting edge research and creative work, and cultivates satisfaction in teaching and mentoring for educators. The topic has been under explored in the western world, but is congruent with traditions in India, Nepal, and other parts of the globe that have a higher concentration of buddhist practitioners. In the context of this framework, contemplative practices are defined as those activities that a designer may do to develop awareness, connection, and the capacity for deep concentration. “Contemplative Practices for Design Education” will explain and provide examples of seven contemplative practices in design education that have measurable outcomes in course work. (1) Stillness: quieting the mind; evidence based meditation practice for emerging adults. (2) Environment: established context, immersion, ceremony based on tradition, ritual. (3) Relational: deep listening, storytelling, group dynamics, cultural awareness. (4) Movement: body awareness, perspective, progress. (5) Generative: visualization, the practice of making. (6) Creative: curiosity, art, improvisation, journaling, reflection. (7) Activist: nature of work, equanimity, bearing witness, social justice. The goal of this scholarship is to explore a holistic approach to design education and promote compassion in emerging adults. Composed of both empathy and a spirit of activism, compassion may be what sets future generations of designers apart from their less conscious predecessors. As grounded members of the ecosystem and disruptors to the world’s big sticky problems, designers who mix their technical skills with contemplative practices lead with expertise, inventiveness, and hope.
Presenters
Martha SullivanAssociate Professor of Practice and Chair of Industrial Design, Industrial Design, Virginia Tech, Virginia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Design Education, Contemplative Practices, Emerging Adults, Meditation, Activism, Creativity, Innovation
