DOM-E1023 - Discourse in Design, Lecture, 14.9.2021-20.10.2021

Topic outline

• Info for reading groups
  Reading groups:

  A Holiday Team: Veera Kesänen, Hares Bassil, Nina Grönlund, Eero Urala

  Bread: Petra Zajácz, Paula Rautanen, Aziza Lo, Katri Astala

  Chandelier Discourse: Elina Ahonen, Juha Koivusalo, Noa Joulin, Pihla Lemmetyinen

  De-: Ulla Eronen, Markus Grönlund, Muniba Rasheed, Laura Soini

  Enjoyment Book Club: Aino Salo, Anastasiia Balagurova, Iisa Pappi

  Fantastic Fudge: Sofia Mejia, Pinja Mäentaka, Anjori Tandon, Anna Mäkelä

  Giant Cerebrums: Milja Komulainen, Veera Kemppainen, Adelaida Avila

  H: Jen Sanderson, Ossi Kannosto, Kai Nordfors, Aleksanda Czupryna
  

  
  

  
  

  The reading groups are an opportunity to read, write and discuss various themes all with your peers. Your reading group will discuss provided thematic literature in three different meetings. After the group meetings, each theme will be unpacked in class.

  Your group will organise meetings independently but according to this schedule:
  Reading I: meeting before unpacking on Tuesday 28 Sept
  Reading II: meeting before unpacking on Tuesday 5 or Wednesday 6 Oct
  Reading III: meeting before unpacking on Tuesday 12th Oct

  
  

  Your group

  Think of a name for your group that starts with your group letter. This is just for the fun of it and the purpose for easy identification.

  
  

  Blog

  Establish a simple blog for your group online. The platform can be chosen freely. Send a link to Arja.

  
  

  Meetings

  Your reading group will have three meetings during the course to discuss the provided literature together. Reserve two hours for each meeting. Think of spaces that would work best for having a conversation on what you’ve read. The liveliest discussions often occur in informal and cosy spaces: libraries, cafes, homes.

  
  

  Introductions + summaries

  For each meeting, both an introduction (600–1000 words) and a summary (any length) will be shared in the blog. The introductions are published 24 hours before the meeting and read by all group members before meeting. Summaries will be published before the following unpacking class.

  IMPORTANT: In all blog posts, always state clearly 

  - introduction or summary

  - the number/theme of the reading

  - your name and date of publication

  For example: Introduction, Reading III The (new) materiality of design) by Arja, 14 Sept 2021

  In addition to text, introductions and summaries may include images, illustrations, diagrams, video etc. 

  
  

  The course of a meeting

  - Before a meeting, all group members read the literature provided for this session AND write an introduction each.

  - 24 hours before the meeting, introductions are published in the blog and everyone reads them before the meeting.

  - In the meeting, everyone has all the provided literature at hand (on screen or on paper).

  - After the session, everyone will prepare an individual summary of the ideas they developed during the discussion, and publish it in the blog before the unpacking class.

  
  

  After the meetings

  In unpacking classes, prepare to tell about the work of your reading group to others. You do not need any presentation materials, but make sure you are prepared to share for example your most interesting findings, most burning questions, most difficult topics, etc. of your previous meeting.

  
  

  Doing your introduction

  - The introduction is to be published in the blog 24 hours before your meeting. 
  Important! Always state clearly: introduction or summary, the number/theme of the reading, your name and date of publication.

  - Already when reading, make notes of things that are interesting, exciting, difficult, problematic or otherwise notable.

  - When possible, get acquainted with information on the writers and the backgrounds of the texts. Make use of a dictionary to clarify words and concepts relevant to the text but unfamiliar to you.

  - The introduction should not be a synopsis of the texts. Instead, you should compile themes that interest you and your thoughts about them. You can bring forth questions, opinions, provocations, critical ideas and suggestions for topics of discussion. The point is that your introduction would raise and inspire discussion.

  - The introduction should be around 800–1000 words and can also include images/diagrams etc. You can use subheads.

  
  

  Doing your summary

  - The summary is to be published in the blog before the unpacking class. 
  Important! Always state clearly: introduction or summary, the number/theme of the reading, your name and date of publication.

  - When in the meeting, keep constant notes. Don’t rely on your memory: It’s useful to write down your thoughts immediately after the meeting. You can record the meeting if you want, but note that transcribing the audio is slow. 

  - The idea is to write down the gist of the discussion from your own point of view. What did you bring home from the discussion? Did you get answers to any of your questions, or even more questions? Did the discussion change the ideas you got from the text and how?

  - There is no assigned word count for the introduction. The main point is to write down and reflect on the most important findings you got out of the group discussion.