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]
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