Learner Centered Design Education

In this episode I have a eulogy for my teaching mentor. He was there for me. Young man, is how he referred to me, and to all the others. Big generous, supportive and what an appetite for risk taking. All his examples, nay metaphors, would be about climbing mountains. Don't look back. Hang on! And the laugh, that wave if the hand, so many memories.

Do you remember the first time you ever taught? My first teaching assignment was to teach creativity in a School of Architecture. Did the student love it? I am sure they hated it. Maybe it was just about me learning the ropes in this particular way. But then the 1980s were a different time. The university, the college, was a place of idealism and activism. Or so I had framed it. 

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In Episode 3 - How do you teach manufacturing - I was speaking about a course I taught at IIT Delhi. I have an intro from one of the students who was in that course. I then am using that to speak an audio letter to a collaborator about a very different kind of 'how'. This is about what could be imagined as an intensive for young people, children and generally for anyone. I make the case, not very effectively, that the alignment with school is not really the point. Rather the aspirations that people have of becoming something. The becoming is a project owned by individuals. Schooling is an older manifestation from a time when we used to be paternalistic. We just haven't found the chutzpah to throw away the bath water.

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This is a podcast, that serves as a note to self. I am reading Dyson's book, his autobiography "Invention: A life". This - the emergence of Dyson on the Industrial Design landscape in the early 1980s - was a significant moment at a time when I was adjusting the meanings associated with the phrase 'product design' from the way I had encountered it in engineering to this new 'design school' construct. Dyson knocked the bureau model on the head. Though not a lot of people called it out in this way. I did. But as a weird voice, had to keep silent. As you do.

The Intro continues the theme of being self deprecatory. But also a obfuscatory. For you may wonder who Rajesh Khanna is.

The BOOK, Invention: A Life LINK

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

Industrial designers embedded within large mass production enterprises, design products to be manufactured within the manufacturing facilities and vendor ecosystem of that company. It is possible that designers of products need to be aware of the manufacturing considerations. Well, at least in theory. In practice however the designer is the 'artist' in that manufacturing ecology. The place is teeming with expertise; engineers, shop floor technicians and a whole host of design engineers. 

It is possible that how the others behave with the designer will be determined by the context. In Italy and Japan, the designer will be given the space to imagine - and the engineer will say; "challenge me". It is possible that in some other countries this relationship is adversarial. Or at least so goes the narrative. The design student is inveigled - "You have to know"! Really?

Knowing or becoming? That is the question.

I too went to design school. After completing a five year degree in mechanical engineering. First class with distinction. Over the two and half years at design school, the teachers had zero interest in what I already knew and could do. Not okay? I think so too.

Maybe a disclaimer: 'No students were harmed in choosing to conduct education in this way'. 

For images go have a look at the Blog Post here: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

If you believe that the class is not one uniform mass that needs one inoculation jab. If you permit yourself to trust the students to educate themselves. If you are willing to spend twice, nay four times, as long doing the things you could have done in much less time. Then you need to find out who else does it this way. Who else is focussed upon what students can let themselves become. And when you find your answer. Cherish it. It will give you meaning.

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

After the assessment tabulation is complete. There is another process - the Moderation.

I have participated in Moderation processes for about 20 years. They are a thing. Misunderstood, avoided, cancelled. They bring a lot to the academy. I am a fan of the qualitative celebration of work. Just as I am a fan of the peer peer assessment process. As a way of building academy.

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

My first experience of a capstone project was 39 years ago. Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a group of seven of us designed, built a windmill. We then put the prototype through its paces - as an experimental test rig.

This podcast is a musing about the Capstone Project. If there are 30 million of these happening on the planet right now. If there are a lot ways to do Capstone projects. The surely there is a typology of these kinds of projects. I hint at 4 types. 

More importantly I ask if the Capstone always serves its purpose as the transformative program in a student's educational and developmental journey. It was for me - even if I became a Dune tragic at the end of it. 

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

This is a podcast targeted at a very very small cohort. This is specific to Nov2021. 

It is about allowing students to realize their agency.

It is about redirecting students to focus upon their becoming.

It is about re igniting a focus upon the essential purpose for which the students and teachers assemble.

It is about remembering that the teacher is a midwife.

Midwife? Maybe you could take a look at Weimer: LINK

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My Focus upon SDGs? LINK

Correction: I keep referring to "Philosophize this". So this is a correction. That is another show. The ABC show that I have been listening to is "The Philosopher's Zone".

The Philosopher's Zone: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

Learner Centered Design Education: https://rawslearn.wordpress.com/

The Philosopher's zone: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/philosophers-zone/id135353439?i=1000540262386