October 17, 2010

By: Michael D. from Barkhamsted, CT
Comments: 15

Posted By: Michael DiMartino
On: 11/18/2008 11:58:18 AM

A good website to preview and use as a foundation to take students through the design process. The site provides some great ideas and direction to teaching design. https://www.igs.net/~mascott/design/design.htm

Posted By: Michael DiMartino
On: 11/18/2008 12:02:24 PM

The following is advice for the teachers when teaching the design process from the website previously mentioned above. this is only part of the useful information available. FOR TEACHERS OF DESIGN Teaching design is not easy. It relies on a lot of subjective criteria, keeping tabs on students at all different levels and needs, and constant gathering of resources. Sure would be a lot easier to have all of them make the same keychain, bookshelf or bike rack. Somebody shoot me if I ever fall into that rut. Do not panic! Design is a far reaching and all encompassing subject area. There are no experts, mostly informed and talented individuals really. It is subjective...teach the students how to rationalize and critique, and you are on your way. Design is not drafting Many tech educators think that drafting is design. Drafting is just one component, and one tool, in the process of designing. I can't imagine teaching students to draft jigs and fixtures and houses when they haven't learned what they are designing. Drafting is one of the last steps before manufacturing, not the first step. Kind of like teaching calculus before you have a use for it! The consumer Teaching students how to be better consumers is a good way to start to analyze design, good design will follow. (Thanks for this particular insight goes to Prof. Brian Burns, Carleton University's School of Industrial Design). Note that it is a rare product indeed that is invented...almost everything is innovated from preceding ideas. RELEVANCY The design project must be relevant to the student's needs and experience. SIGNIFICANCE The design project must be significant, it must have a purpose and never should be treated as a make-work time filler. NEED Have students analyze the everyday: around the home games and toys around the school tools around the neighbourhood pets parent's professions trends and fads Limit the variables Constraining the project creates more room for creativity. I learned a lot about painting from my art teacher who made us paint with one colour. Avoid vacuums, kitchen sinks and little black boxes Students can't design in a vacuum, they need to see what was done before, what the rationale is, what their experience gives them. Another tendency is for students to throw everything into the design, such as the built in jacuzzi and surround sound in the portable chair. Also avoid the "black box", such as "well, you put it on your tail pipe and it eliminates pollution and creates energy and world peace" type of solution. Setting it all up The design brief is a short description of the problem to solve that you give to students. This includes: the background the tasks to perform the deliverables (reports, sketches, models, illustrations, etc.) the timeline Record everything, throw away nothing Always. Skills students need to learn, can learn from design: research team work computer related tasks human interaction with technology properties of materials the process of analyzing marketing visualization project management sketching and 3D illustration, drafting and CADD use-cycles manufacturing law and regulations community involvement environmental concerns electronics testing procedures Some thoughts on using computers yes, the computer lies the computer slows process the computer divorces us from reality the computer is one of the best damn tools we have, and one of the worst How to judge aesthetics does it make sense? does it meet design criteria? most important: can the designer rationalize their design decisions? Make and build, make and build, make and build The secret to learning On sketching Sketching is a talent, students need to be trained how to visualize, use abstraction, put it down on paper. Engineers should be fired if they can't draw. On visualization Visualization is a talent, students need to be trained. The real clue to innovation is to see in one's mind's eye. Conceptual blockbusting There are many ways to remove the barriers to creativity…you have to break the ice. Try speed sketching, word associations, etc. Humour works Another secret to learning. And by the way, did I mention it must be fun? GO BEYOND THE ORDINARY Enough said.

Posted By: Deborah Klose
On: 12/7/2008 9:38:31 PM

Michael- Sometimes all of the distractions in the educational system cause us to lose focus on what we know and what is important. Reading your conversation helped me to put things back into perspective. Thank you for the reminder! The website on the design process you suggested is great.

Posted By: Anna Bennett
On: 12/14/2008 10:30:13 AM

I like everything that you had to say about making sure that the kids have some sort of design context, and to not put them in a vacuum or a black box. Its true that kids, especially students with limited exposure to the world at large, not to mention the design process, need to be given context if we want them to think creatively. I recently did a project where students were asked to design a better wind turbine for a community considering wind power as alternative energy-- wow, did I get results! The entire time I asked the students to focus more on function and solving a problem, less about the mechanical nitty-gritty of a wind turbine. I then presented a powerpoint slideshow of various styles of wind turbines and we discussed why certain ones might need to be designed in different ways. The results that I got from the project were amazing-- and mechanically sound and functional in most cases. Brilliant. Without the context references though, I don't think they would have been so bold.

Posted By: Karen Lennan
On: 12/15/2008 9:27:10 AM

Giving a context while avoiding a black box syndrome sounds tricky...Can you give me an example of such? Karen Lennan

Posted By: Karen Lennan
On: 12/16/2008 10:11:07 AM

I feel there is much pedagogical guidance needed for design depending upon the subject area. What are some guidelines for English, for example? or a foreign language? Karen Lennan

Posted By: Cathy Fox
On: 12/20/2008 12:50:18 PM

Our students are used to everyone always giving the answers that they need, so I feel teaching them design process would be a wonderful thing for them; however, I am concerned about how to spend time both on design based learning and still sticking to the standardized curriculum we need to follow. I feel as if it would be much easier to work with if we didn't have day to day lesson plan we needed to follow! Any suggestions for keeping both in your lesson planning?

Posted By: Juliana James
On: 12/30/2008 9:06:15 AM

I too feel that frustration of being in the "box" of teaching standardized curriculum. But sometimes you have to let you and teach your passion, you can't ignite a fire in students minds doing the same thing year after year. For example, we received a district award of $5,000.00 to do Talking Suitcases with artist Susan Armington, just google her and explore what this idea is. Our students will write an essay based on grief, loss, immigration, or what is most precious to you, then design three dimensional objects that represent what students choose to write about. While I imagine how designers could help us with this project, we thought of designers coming in after the Talking Suitcases are made to propose to students how to create a real life "solution" to the heart felt deep problems that were a part of their process of grief or loss. One students story told of her neighbors poisoning and killing their whole family of dogs, how tragic. Another student's told of living on the streets of India, being picked up by police and put in an orphanage where she was beaten with wooden sticks with nails on it...I believe strongly in at least one at the very least one project where I can integrate subjects into an experience for students that hopefully they remember forever! Design fits that description! Hope this helps a little.

Posted By: Debra Buchan
On: 12/30/2008 5:42:15 PM

I love the idea of "talking suitcases." English teachers probably teach more by design than they might think. For example, I want my students to design a recycling program for our charter school because our city has earned the sad name of "Filthadelphia." The lessons will explore labels, neighborhoods, school/community pride, relationships ("I don't have to pick up that mess; I didn't make it."), and will include research and presentation of the problem and solutions.

Posted By: Ben zhao
On: 12/30/2008 6:32:43 PM

Susan Armington is a friend of mine. I have watched her "suitcase" concept from the very beginning. It's a profoundly moving multi-disciplined experience for anyone who gets involved. However, from the visual arts and design stand point, it's hard to get participants to think about their design or visual impact when they are so emotional involved. The conversation starts with -how to introduce the design process in multi disciplined settings. So, I will say that bringing the design process in any learning experience starts with us- the adults and the teachers. How much do each one of us use those problem solving steps and skills in our daily lives besides the classrooms? Learning and growing should be anywhere, anytime.