To conclude the spring quarter at the d.school, teaching teams were invited to contribute "artifacts or parcels" that we had created for our classes. The items were displayed on pedestals during the final meeting/happy hour to spark discussion and invite group reflection. The exhibition was fantastically assembled, reinforcing the d.school's sense of community and allowing all of us to glean ideas that could enhance our own classroom offerings. Every artifact was lovingly crafted, and one could sense the care with which each team approaches the task of teaching.
Beyond highlighting diverse teaching strategies, the exhibit also sparked a larger conversation about how instructors learn from and communicate with each other. A lively interchange arose over the eventual fate of the artifacts. The discussion rapidly evolved into a debate about the purpose and effectiveness of physical exhibits in the first place. This back-and-forth revealed the multiple strands of pedagogical and design philosophies woven throughout the d.school community.
Beyond highlighting diverse teaching strategies, the exhibit also sparked a larger conversation about how instructors learn from and communicate with each other. A lively interchange arose over the eventual fate of the artifacts. The discussion rapidly evolved into a debate about the purpose and effectiveness of physical exhibits in the first place. This back-and-forth revealed the multiple strands of pedagogical and design philosophies woven throughout the d.school community.
One key question we wrestled with: how we can preserve and transmit the knowledge embedded in each object, after they begin fading into memory? Someone suggested keeping the exhibit in a rotating "permanent collection" open to the public. Another instructor simply wanted PDF files of the texts and syllabi. To her, the content itself was the most important thing, and the physical objects could be discarded. Still others expressed an interest in understanding not just the fact of the objects' existence, but the experience of using the objects in the classroom. They suggested that we needed to go beyond simply sharing the artifacts, to capturing the emotions and responses associated with their use.
Some folks expressed their excitement that we’d established enough distance from the traditional design trope of only “making things look pretty”, and that we could now return to making highly-crafted objects. At present, many d.school experiences go for the simple and home-made: post-it notes, butcher paper, duct tape and string. This simplicity removes the "sheen" of design that can intimidate students and occlude the true purpose of learning. However, it seemed to this particular cadre of instructors, we can now return to "designing" with more intentionality, combining pedagogical effectiveness with high production value. It's okay for sign-in sheets to be meticulously designed and aesthetically pleasing!
These debates mirrored questions relevant to designing exhibitions in general, such as “form vs. substance” and “artistry vs. accessibility.” They also shed light on fundamental questions of why we gather artifacts in the first place—which is reflected in subsequent choices about an exhibit’s aesthetics, the amount of context-setting and style of public communication. In the ensuing discussion, there seemed to be three distinct visions regarding how we should display and maintain the artifacts, with teaching teams gathering around the following poles. I'll describe these below and suggest a “next step” for each type of exhibition, in keeping with its distinct vision.
Some folks expressed their excitement that we’d established enough distance from the traditional design trope of only “making things look pretty”, and that we could now return to making highly-crafted objects. At present, many d.school experiences go for the simple and home-made: post-it notes, butcher paper, duct tape and string. This simplicity removes the "sheen" of design that can intimidate students and occlude the true purpose of learning. However, it seemed to this particular cadre of instructors, we can now return to "designing" with more intentionality, combining pedagogical effectiveness with high production value. It's okay for sign-in sheets to be meticulously designed and aesthetically pleasing!
These debates mirrored questions relevant to designing exhibitions in general, such as “form vs. substance” and “artistry vs. accessibility.” They also shed light on fundamental questions of why we gather artifacts in the first place—which is reflected in subsequent choices about an exhibit’s aesthetics, the amount of context-setting and style of public communication. In the ensuing discussion, there seemed to be three distinct visions regarding how we should display and maintain the artifacts, with teaching teams gathering around the following poles. I'll describe these below and suggest a “next step” for each type of exhibition, in keeping with its distinct vision.
Vision 1. Art Gallery
Some of the participants thought of the teaching objects as works of art—beautiful and fully-formed. In this view, the display space should be akin to a gallery where curated “high art” is displayed. Each object is highly-designed, intended to communicate a message on its own without a lot of extra verbiage or explanation. The purpose is to provoke questions and to set an aspirational bar for art/design. While some instructors worried that this would intimidate students, others felt that modeling intentionality in even the smallest of things can inspire students to use the same amount of care in their own project.
A Step Further: A nice takeaway from an Art Gallery would be an exhibition catalogue, where each teaching team could go into a little more detail about the motivations behind the art piece and (in our d.school situation) the experience of applying it in the classroom.
A Step Further: A nice takeaway from an Art Gallery would be an exhibition catalogue, where each teaching team could go into a little more detail about the motivations behind the art piece and (in our d.school situation) the experience of applying it in the classroom.
Vision 2. History Museum
In this type of display, objects are placed in a historical moment through extensive descriptions and detailed explanations. The duty of the exhibit is to set the social and cultural context—not only describing the object itself, but painting a picture of how the object was used, by which strata of society, to what effect, etc. The purpose of the exhibit is both to transmit specific knowledge about the object (e.g. how/when an activity occurred), but also to capture the impact of the object on individuals and communities ("it helped teams of students fine-tune their working relationship"), and highlight the values and priorities of the society that created the object ("The d.school has an emphasis on open communication and collaborative teamwork.")
A Step Further: If the museum is the concept we are shooting for, an oral history could be a helpful extension to the concept—perhaps a short 1-2 minute video interview accompanying each artifact, where the teaching team chimes in about what the object was, why they created it, and what the ultimate impact was on the classroom experience. The video could also include students describing their own reaction and responses to the activity.
A Step Further: If the museum is the concept we are shooting for, an oral history could be a helpful extension to the concept—perhaps a short 1-2 minute video interview accompanying each artifact, where the teaching team chimes in about what the object was, why they created it, and what the ultimate impact was on the classroom experience. The video could also include students describing their own reaction and responses to the activity.
Vision 3. How-To Guide
A third vision of the exhibition is to see it as a "how-to" primer. "Which local printer did you go to?" "What type of ink did you use?" "How much did assembling the packet of cards cost?" These were some of the questions posed by instructors during the debrief. One archetypal example of this can-do, how-to spirit can be found at the Maker Faire, where the audience is invited to touch and play with objects (well, at least the objects that don’t emit flames), usually in the presence of the "makers" themselves. The goal is not only to display cool things, but also to elucidate the process of creation and encourage attendees to become makers in their own right.
A Step Further: A takeaway for an exhibition in this style might be an instructional guide that includes some of the basic building blocks for each artifact, such as an FAQ page, a "cookbook recipe," or tips for replicating and customizing the artifact for your own class.
Beyond these three models, there are a variety of other exhibit types — science fair, county agricultural expo, trade show — buy your d.school teaching team gear here! — that could be relevant. However, the sentiments at the d.school meeting coalesced around the three poles described above, revealing distinct approaches in thinking about design and design education.
It will be exciting to see how these three visions can be deconstructed and woven back together for next year’s courses, and to think where future d.school happy hours will take us!
It will be exciting to see how these three visions can be deconstructed and woven back together for next year’s courses, and to think where future d.school happy hours will take us!