MUO-E5051 - Reflective Practice, Lecture, 23.4.2024-5.6.2024

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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 completion of the course, the students can:   

1. Identify and discuss reflective and critical design practices in their historical, theoretical and cultural context.

2. Articulate how reflection, criticality and values shape their own practice.

3. Create a concept or prototype that challenges or expands the methods and/or frames of their own practice.

4. Conduct, record, analyse and present their research, design process and outcomes. 

Credits: 9

Schedule: 23.04.2024 - 05.06.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Julia Grundmann

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:

    The course introduces students to reflective and critical practices in design by addressing it as an expanded and evolving field with a political dimension. The key methods of reflective practice, critical design, speculative design and transition design and their theoretical and historical foundations are examined.  

    The course enables the students to apply research-oriented reflective and critical approaches to analyse and reflect upon their own actions, mindsets, methods and outputs on their own field of design practice. The course guides the students to understand the importance of curiosity on social, political, cultural and ecological issues and it provides skills to apply critical approaches as a springboard for engaging through design with relevant societal challenges.  

    During the course the students will reflect on current challenges as well as their own values and use design as a vehicle for critical deliberation. The outcome of the course is a design artefact or critical intervention accompanied by reflective writing. Students learn to explicate the foundations of their critical stand.  

Assessment Methods and Criteria

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Passing the course requires:  

    (1) Attending and contributing to 80% of the contact sessions.  

    (2) Oral and written reflection of the study material and the deliberative design process, learning diary.  

    (3) Completion and presentation of the design assignment. 

Workload

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    243 h /9 credits. 80% attendance in contact sessions required.  

    • Lectures 27h 
    • Group discussions and tutoring 54h 
    • Literature study, reading groups and writing assignments 27h  
    • Design assignment, studio work, presentation 81h 
    • Personal reflection, Learning Diary 53h 
    • Course evaluation 1 h 

DETAILS

Study Material

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The Corruption of Co-Design Political and Social Conflicts in Participatory Design Thinking (Introduction / Conclusion) Otto von Busch 

    Chapter 3, Matt Malpass. Critical Design in Context: History, Theory, and Practice  

    Investigation/Design by Nicolas Nova 

    Selected episodes of Material Matters Podcast: https://materialmatters.design/Podcast 

    First Things First Manifesto http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/first-things-first-manifesto-2000

    Hanna, Julian, Auger, James and Encinas, Enrique (2017) Reconstrained Design: A Manifesto.  In: DIS ‘17 - 2017 ACM Conference

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    12 Responsible Production and Consumption

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language : English

    Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring V
    2023-2024 Spring V

    Enrollment :

    Registration for courses: Sisu. Min. 5, max. 24 students. Priority to Contemporary Design students in year 1 and second priority to Contemporary Design students in other years who have this course accepted in their personal study plan. 

    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-at-aalto-arts

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

Aalto University Code of Academic Integrity and Handling Violations Thereof