MUO-E3039 - Design for Social Change - Co-Design D, Lecture, 1.11.2021-10.12.2021

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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

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • understand how design can facilitate social change in different socio-techno-economic settings;
  • critically assess potentials and pitfalls of different strategies to social change in particular contexts;
  • plan projects so that the merits and downsides of different ways, combinations, intensities and resources for fostering change are adequately addressed;
  • assess potentials and pitfalls of different approaches to design for social change.

Credits: 5

Schedule: 01.11.2021 - 10.12.2021

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Sampsa Hyysalo

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Designing for Social change (DSC) courses provide students basic understanding and competences to build design projects aimed towards social change. The course has a two part structure. 

    1. Theories and key concepts of social change the course provides a selective overview of most design relevant research on what it takes to achieve significant social change. DSC provides basics of core concepts, including sociotechnical systems, path dependence and path creation, sociotechnical couplings and interdependencies, practice change, social worlds and arenas for action, activist and post-capitalist frameworks, policy issues and economic drivers.
    2. Collaborative design for social change (Hyysalo): collaborative design extending design from professionals to impacted peoples and relevant stakeholders is often a prerequisite for fostering social change. The interests, resources, legitimacy and enthusiasm of these peoples need to be met for a change initiative to have a chance to succeed. This is very difficult for designers to approximate these in their studio alone. DSC features a set of hands-on exercises and associated learning materials on key aspects of planning and running different types of collaborative design in different settings. Successful design collaboration requires analyzing the big picture contexts and working from there to the nitty gritty details of designing for collaboration ( and back again). The student groups use these learning to device a plan for use (or non use) of collaborative design as part of their extended project brief and, if practicable, also enact some of the planned actions. 

Assessment Methods and Criteria

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Assessment is made on attendance and participation and the completion of all assignments, exercises and projects.

    Criteria

    1. Clear understanding of how design can facilitate social change in different socio-techno-economic settings;
    2. Critical assessment of the potentials and pitfalls of different strategies to social change in particular contexts;
    3. Demonstration of ability to plan projects so that the merits and downsides of different ways, combinations, intensities and resources for fostering change are adequately addressed;
    4. Assessment of the potentials and pitfalls of different approaches to design for social change.
    5. Attendance and participation in at least 80% of programmed lectures, workshops, seminars or field visits and successful completion of all teaching assignments and exercises within deadlines given.

Workload

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Design for Social Change - Strategy (DSC) 5 ects, 135 hrs

    • Lectures, in-class demonstrations, in-class discussions and in-class work with tutoring: 40hrs
    • Time to think: 20 hrs
    • Independent literature study: 35hrs
    • Work in project assignment individually or in teams, preparing a presentation and a report: 40hrs

DETAILS

Study Material

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Will be announced in the beginning of the course.

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    1 No Poverty

    2 Zero Hunger

    3 Good Health and Well-being

    5 Gender Equality

    7 Affordable and Clean Energy

    11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

    12 Responsible Production and Consumption

    13 Climate Action

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Max 25 students. Priority to Collaborative and Industrial Design students, Creative Stustainability Students, Doctor of ARTS students, USchool minor students,  and Collaborative and Industrial Design minor students, in this order. 

    The course can be included in doctoral studies (L)

    Teaching Period:

    2020-2021 Autumn II

    2021-2022 Autumn II

    Course Homepage: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/search.php?search=MUO-E3039

    Registration for Courses: Sisu replaces Oodi on 9 August, 2021. Priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture: https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-in-aalto-arts

    WebOodi

    Minimum number of students 10

    Maximum number of students 25

     

    Priority is given to students in the Master's Collaborative and Industrial Design Programme.

Rules of Conduct - Students´ Rights and Responsibilities (in force from 1 August 2020)

Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity and Handling Violations Thereof