Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of the course student is able to 1 research, analyse, interpret, edit and report design and lifestyle trend information about chosen topic 2 recognise and discuss trend creation and diffusion mechanisms 3 apply qualitative research methods in foresight work 4 utilise trend information strategically in their work
Credits: 10
Schedule: 27.10.2020 - 03.12.2020
Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022): Heidi Paavilainen
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Heidi Paavilainen
Contact information for the course (valid 11.08.2020-21.12.2112):
University lecturer Heidi Paavilainen (heidi.paavilainen@aalto.fi)
I have long academic career in the Department of Design, starting with BA+MA in Textile design and PhD in Industrial design. Already as a MA student I was interested in how products, ideas and phenomena spread and become mainstream. My MA thesis was about foresight report framed as a “knowledge creation platform” for a design team aiming at innovative product development. My PhD research was about how ideas and products enter home and become part of everyday experience, in other words, how “diffusion”, key aspect of foresight, works in the level of individual appropriation of things. These days majority of my time goes to teaching, tutoring and educational leadership, but what I can spare, I spend on research about “domestication of recycled stuff”, that is, through which processes and practices people appropriate secondhand/used products and materials, thus aiming to contribute to the general field of circular economy with a user point of view. I speak Finnish and English.
CEFR level (applies in this implementation):
Language of instruction and studies (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022):
Teaching language: English
Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
Course trains students to research and work with lifestyle and design trends. In the course student works with topic of their own choice, studies trends relevant to the topic, and reports their findings about the future of the topic. Working methods: lectures, assignments, workshops. Notice that this course trains student in indpendent working with a research report and thus can serve as a rehearsal for MA thesis.
Applies in this implementation:
See the programme below for more detailed information.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
Contact teaching with 80% attendance requirement, assignments
Applies in this implementation:
Student performance in DDF is evaluated based on individual work in class (40%) and independently (60%), provided that attendance requirement of 80% is met.
- In class work: During the course we will have 4 short presentations by students. Each of these earns student maximum of 10 points, maximum total being 40 points. In addition, active participation in literature session discussions will have positive impact on course final grade while passive participation may have negative impact.
- Independent work: During the course student will research for and compile foresight report on topic of their own choice. Report will earn maximum of 60 points.
- Assignments must be submitted on time. Each beginning 24h of being late will earn penalty of -5 points to the student.
- Detailed evaluation guidelines are published in the beginning of the course.
- 0-50 points = course grade fail (0)
- 51-60 points = course grade satisfactory (1)
- 61-70 points = course grade very satisfactory (2)
- 71-80 points = course grade good (3)
- 81-90 points = course grade very good (4)
- 91-100 points = course grade excellent (5)
If student is not satisfied with their grade, higher grade can be attempted by taking the course again or writing an extensive literature review. In any case student can always contact teacher to talk about the course, their grading or any other matter relating to the course. Technical mistakes in grading will be of course solved without redoing the course.
- In class work: During the course we will have 4 short presentations by students. Each of these earns student maximum of 10 points, maximum total being 40 points. In addition, active participation in literature session discussions will have positive impact on course final grade while passive participation may have negative impact.
Workload
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
- 270h
- Contact teaching 50h
- Independent studying 165h
- Personal reflection and self-assessment 54h
- Course feedback 1h
Applies in this implementation:
DDF is a 6 weeks long intensive course. Course workload is 10 cr = 270 hours = 45 hours / week.
- Contact teaching 50 hours refers to about 8 hours a week zoom sessions. Each week we have Tuesdays full day and Thursday mornings. Tue morning is mostly “lecture”, afternoon we have professional talks and Thu morning is for discussion based on reading and student presentations. Notice that Tuesdays afternoons may end at about 15 o’clock or later, depending on how many visitors we have and how long sessions they are doing.
- Independent studying 165 hours refers to working with the course assignments individually, including optional tutoring with teacher. Altogether this is 27,5 hours a week.
- Personal reflection and self-assessment 54 hours refers to the internalisation and reflection based on course contents to which there is about 9 hours a week. This crucial phase of learning and development takes place in student’s own time and is not scheduled or evaluated by the teacher.
- Course feedback 1 hour refers to the feedback that student gives about the course via Webropol survey and directly to the teacher.
- Contact teaching 50 hours refers to about 8 hours a week zoom sessions. Each week we have Tuesdays full day and Thursday mornings. Tue morning is mostly “lecture”, afternoon we have professional talks and Thu morning is for discussion based on reading and student presentations. Notice that Tuesdays afternoons may end at about 15 o’clock or later, depending on how many visitors we have and how long sessions they are doing.
DETAILS
Study Material
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
Vejlgaard, H. (2013). Style eruptions. How 6 different groups of trendsetters make trends happen. Denmark: Confetti Publishing. More literature listed in course syllabus
Applies in this implementation:
Required readings (articles and chapters) during the course are published in MyCourses as PDF's in the beginning of the course at latest. If student wants to familiarise themselves with foresight before the course, good introduction to forecasting is “Trendspotting. The Basics” by Alf Rehn and Magnus Lindkvist (PDF). Contents of this book are covered in class.
Substitutes for Courses
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
MUO-E1008 Trend Forecasting
FURTHER INFORMATION
Details on the schedule
Applies in this implementation:
Zoom, Tuesday October 27
- 9:15-12 Introduction to the course and foresight. Principles of foresight. How to start foresight process. Objectives, working methods, assignments and evaluation in the course.
- 13-15 Visiting professional talk
- 9:15-12 Literature session. Student presentations.
- 9:15-12 Foresight history and business. Foresight styles and clients. Future of foresight.
- 13-15 Visiting professional talk
- 9:15-12 Literature session. Student presentations.
- Culture and value sensitive foresight. Principles of “French”, lifestyle and strategic foresight.
- 9:15-12 Literature session. Student presentations.
- 9:15-12 Insight development. How to generate insights in different foresight contexts. Assignment to portrait signals for Thursday.
- 13-15 Visiting professional talk Eeva Raitio
- 9:15-12 Workshop: Developing industry specific insights
- 9:15-12 Foresight narratives. Different ways of communicating insights
- 13-15 Visiting professional talk
- 9:15-12 Literature session. Student presentations.
- 9:15-15 Workshop: Developing insights
- 9:15-12 Wrapping course up. Student presentations.
- 9:15-12 Introduction to the course and foresight. Principles of foresight. How to start foresight process. Objectives, working methods, assignments and evaluation in the course.