A series of conversations (mostly in Dutch) to explore how we can understand design and what we can do to understand it better.
The power of questions
It is important to talk about the role of good questions in these seminars. Questions that are interesting to ponder over. A good way to do this is to talk about the power of questions using this (Dutch) poem by Remco Campert:
Verzet begint niet met grote woorden
maar met kleine daden
zoals storm met zacht geritsel in de tuin
of de kat die de kolder in z´n kop krijgt
zoals brede rivieren
met een kleine bron
verscholen in het woud
zoals een vuurzee
met dezelfde lucifer
die de sigaret aansteekt
zoals liefde met een blik
een aanraking iets dat je opvalt in een stem
jezelf een vraag stellen
daarmee begint verzet
en dan die vraag aan een ander stellen.
Close reading
Read the texts together with the group with markers and discuss each paragraph.
Suggestions : Murphy in week 1, Julier in week 4, Papanek in week 7
Letter to future self
During the very first seminar. Hand out pieces of paper and envelopes and ask the students to write down their understanding of design at this point. So concretely complete this sentence: I think design (as taught in this faculty) is…
Ask students to put their answers in an envelope, write down their own name on the front and collect them (without discussing them).
The envelopes should be given back and discussed at the end of the course (practically this is Week 8, given the deadlines in Week 9).
Reading Response Feedback
Ask a student (in advance or in the class) that wants feedback on their weekly reflection and distribute their reflection with the other students in the group.
Ask all the students to read the reflection and give (constructive) feedback based on the assignment in the course manual.
A good reflection is: Not opinion, but also not a summary. Talks about the materials in detail and relates it to own ideas. Contains an argumentation. Ends with a couple of questions that are interesting to discuss.
When
This should be done somewhere between week 2 and 4.