On Tuesday, 2 December 2003 9:31 PM, Nicola Morelli expanded the discussion to
include PBL, "I have been lucky enough to experience a different teaching model
in my current job. I'm talking about the "problem based learning" (PBL) model,
in which students are required to summarise all the information for a semester
(from lectures and seminars) within a project."

One of my main concerns as a teacher and as a designer is the way my teaching
or a design is perceived and understood by those to whom it is directed and/or
those who are affected by it. In teaching one of the methods I use, but not the
only one is PBL. This is a pedagogy which formally is identified as beginning
in medical schools. I do think PBL can be interpreted to mean different things,
but taken at face value; it is the idea of applying new understanding to a
"project" as a way of reinforcing learning and as a way of creating an
assessable outcome. It is one form of participatory learning, mostly used in
the form of group learning resulting in shared outcomes.
        Recently I heard a presentation by someone who had done case studies of
PBL education in their own university's teacher education program. The
presentation focused on student evaluations of teaching and learning. (I cannot
recall who or what school but could find out in the next few days)Some of the
feedback was negative in the first year but changed in the second and third
year. I think this reflects one aspect of how PBL is generally provided. I have
noticed that often the "problem" or "project" is tossed to the students without
any preparation for how they might work as a group which can result in an
ensuing free-for-all process. I believe this could be avoided if the students
were given some education and practice in functioning within a group.
        PBL is integrated into the way I teach all of my classes but it is not
enough to just pick up this method without identifying in what ways and toward
what goals you would use it. I also provide opportunities for students to
reflect on and articulate what and how they are learning. What I try to do is
to give students an opportunity to have a deep learning experience which will
foster their ability to connect new knowledge with old knowledge, to learn new
skills and integrate them into an understanding of how they might apply and
evaluate their own work. Briefly, those are 2 of the plethora of goals I have
for the learning experience I provide. Right now I am finishing an in depth
evaluation of what I have been doing including a number of student interviews
conducted by an outside interviewer.
        One thing I might highlight is that there is a corollary to
participatory learning, it is most effective when there is acknowledgement of
the existing knowledge each student has and where respect for the personal
dignity of each student is visible.
        In "Personal Theories of Teaching (Fox 1983) Fox evaluates and compares
four theories of teaching, he names them, transfer theory (the standard lecture
approach where information is transferred into a student's brain with the
assumption that it will be retained), shaping theory (the apprentice like
approach were teachers attempt to force students to form into a particular
shape such as a 'designer' with all the attending skills and attitudes) growth
theory (where the main concern is that the student become more self aware and
grow in whatever direction they determine, much like counselling ), and finally
travelling theory (where the teacher is like an experienced guide and the
student like a novice, and where they both travel over terrain familiar to the
teacher and have a unique experience because of the joint exploration). Finding
the right pedagogy for oneself is the search each teacher must make for
themselves. I do think however it is possible to use all of Fox's theories
depending on the circumstances, students, and needs.
Jan
Jan Coker
C3-10 Underdale Campus
University of South Australia
+61 8 8302 6919
"There is no way to peace, peace is the way"
Gandhi


-----Original Message-----
From: Nicola Morelli [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, 2 December 2003 9:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Session 3: Lasagna mode- On line conference.

Hi All,
Charles (and others) emphasise the need to provide design students with
the opportunity to get the information they need when they need it. This
approach is meant to be alternative to the "traditional" model, in which
different subject and different kinds of knowledge are provided to the
students without any attempt to generate links, coordination or
integration between subjects.
The "traditional" approach is based on the assumption that they will use
this knowledge whenever they will need it in their professional life.
I had this model of education (the "traditional", I mean); in fact I
studied in Italian universities and Manzini, cited by Cameron, I think,
has perfectly summarised the philosophy of the Italian system, which is
not unique in the world.
While it is inevitable that the professional life will add a big deal of
information to what students are thought in their academic curricula, I
found that this approach does not provide many opportunities for
students to "absorb" and "metabolize" the information they get into
their academic curricula.

But I have been lucky enough to experience a different teaching model in
my current job. I'm talking about the "problem based learning" (PBL)
model, in which students are required to summarise all the information
for a semester (from lectures and seminars) within a project. (I tried
to find a document on PBL in English from my University Web Site but I
found it much easier to search for PBL on google). The same model I
believe is used in other universities in other parts of the world (I
know that the design school in Aveiro is also using the same model). I
found this model the best possible approximation to what Charles
Brunette was talking about and actually very effective in providing
opportunities for students not only to use the information provided, but
also to integrate it, and therefore to metabolize and absorb it.
In this model students are given a lot of flexibility in choosing the
bits of information they need from the subjects they are offered. This
will possibly imply that there will be bits of relevant information that
will be ignored, but I think this happens in the traditional system, as
well.
The limit to this system, in my opinion, is the "rigidity" of the
subject schedule for each semester (at least according to the
application of PBL to teaching curricula in my university). In my
program students cannot choose among a wide range of subject, but only
on a specific set of subjects, offered for each semester on a specific
theme (product design, integrated design, system design, strategic
design are some of the themes). This rigidity is, I think, justified by
the need to address student through an educational path that would be
otherwise too impervious and difficult to control, but we are discussing
the way to generate a sort of "controlled flexibility" for the choice of
subjects.

I don't know whether there are other participants to this conference who
have experience on this model or on different educational models which
may go in the direction suggested by Charles...

Cheers
Nicola


Nicola Morelli
Associate Professor
School of Architecture and Design, Aalborg University, Denmark
Web: http://www.aod.auc.dk/staff/nmor




> -----Original Message-----
> From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhDs in
> Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Charles Burnette
> Sent: 1. december 2003 22:51
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Session 3: Lasagna mode- On line conference.
>
>
> Dear Sanjoy, Ranjan, Marcella, Cameron and others
>
> First, Having been away at the time, I would like to
> express my thanks to Ken for posting my reply based on
> an early draft by Sanjoy (which he developed further).
>
> I might have added, given the lasagna metaphor,
> something similar to what Marcella and some others
> have said.
> My version would underline the strength of design
> (when properly practiced) to find new information
> relevant to a situation, to appropriately assimilate
> it and to validate it in humanistic terms relevant to
> the situation. Education has unfortunately been
> organized to favor the study of separate subjects
> (Sanjoy's "layers" if I were to be ungenerous in my
> interpretation of what he is trying to convey) with the
> unwarranted belief that a student will remember what they
> learned when the time comes to apply it. In education we
> should try to create opportunities for students to get the
> information(and expanded vision) they need when they need and
> want it-A kind of "just on time" delivery of relevant lessons
> of experience just when they will be most valuable and
> meaningful to the student. Design provides an exceptional
> opportunity for this kind of teaching and learning yet we
> have not claimed it as a contribution design can make or
> developed its great potential. I also think that we have more
> to teach and learn than we have the time to do through
> subject specific courses. We need a more coherent, effective
> approach. I totally agree with the humanistic and ecological
> focuses that Sanjoy outlined, but I want to find ways to
> consider and learn those subjects from within design
> projects. Learning by doing in the best tradition of John Dewey.
>
> "What is most thought-provoking in
> these most thought-provoking times
> is that we are still not yet
> thinking"        Martin Heidegger
>
> Thanks to Cameron
>
> Best to all,
> Chuck
>
>
> Dr. Charles Burnette
> 234 South Third Street
> Philadelphia, PA 19106
> Tel: +215 629 1387
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>