Sunday, July 29, 2012

Edutopia Announces Design Thinking Online Course

Design Thinking Workshop for Educators (7/30 - 8/31)  

Join Edutopia, IDEO and Riverdale Country School for this five-week, (FREE!) virtual course.

As educators, we are designing every single day -- whether it’s finding new ways to teach content more effectively, using our classroom space differently, or developing new approaches to connecting with parents.
At Edutopia, we are inspired by some of the change we've seen using Design Thinking. That's why we're teaming up with IDEO and Riverdale Country Day School -- two organizations that live and breathe this innovative process each day -- to produce the Design Thinking for Educators Workshop.

Design Thinking Workshop Schedule

Each Monday we will post a new assignment. Participants will use Edutopia.org and a Ning site to complete the assignments at any time during the week. The workshop exercises are designed to take roughly 2-5 hours/week. We will send detailed emails once a week with links and resources for that week's assignment.
July 30 - August 3 (Week 1): Introduction to the Design Thinking Process
What is Design Thinking? How does it work?

We'll do some exercises to familiarize ourselves with the process and help us get into the Design Thinking mindset.

August 6 - 10 (Week 2): Discovery & Interpretation Phase
I have a challenge. How do I approach it? I learned something. How do I interpret it?

We'll define a group challenge, prepare research, and gather inspiration. To interpret, we'll tell stories, look for patterns, and frame our opportunities.

August 13 - 17 (Week 3): Ideation
We have a better understanding of our challenge. What are some solutions?

Now we brainstorm. No idea is wrong or too stupid. This week, we generate ideas, and refine them.

August 20 - 24 (Week 4): Experimentation & Evolution
I see an opportunity: What do I create? I tried something new: How can I use it?

We'll create prototypes and refine them using real world feedback.

August 27-31 (Week 5): The Future
In our final week, we'll work to apply Design Thinking in our school or community setting.

At the end of the five weeks, the content will be archived, but we will continue the conversation about Design Thinking in education on Edutopia.org and social media.

COST: Free!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The 2nd International Conference for Design Education Researchers Announced


14-17 May 2013, Oslo, Norway
Organised by  Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
DRS (Design Research Society)
CUMULUS (the International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media)
 http://www.cumulusassociation.org

This international conference is a springboard for sharing ideas and concepts about contemporary design education research. Contributors are invited to submit research that deals with different facets of contemporary approaches to design education research. All papers will be double-blind peer-reviewed. This conference is open to research in any aspect and discipline of design education

Design Learning for Tomorrow - Design Education from Kindergarten to PhD 

Designed artefacts and solutions influence our lives and values, both from a personal and societal perspective. Designers, decision makers, investors and consumers hold different positions in the design process, but they all make choices that will influence our future visual and material culture. To promote sustainability and meet global challenges for the future, professional designers are dependent on critical consumers and a design literate general public.  For this purpose design education is important for all. We propose that design education in general education represents both a foundation for professional design education and a vital requirement for developing the general public’s competence for informed decision making.

Now accepting  submissions along the following themes:
  • Philosophy of design education
  • Design curriculum
  • Design knowledge
  • Design education for non-designers
  • Research informed designed education – Design education informing research
  • Multidisciplinary design education
  • Challenges in design education methods
  • Assessment
  • Design continuum
  • eLearning and Design Education
  • Internationalisation of Design Education