Engaging in Intentional Communication in A Design Class (2024)
Robynne Raye
The DSJ learning objective:
- Engage in intentional communication with awareness of intent and impact. Explain different types of knowledge and how knowledge construction maintains power, privilege, and inequity.
Below is an in-class small team exercise. It asks students to think about the environmental impact of their material choice. Each student randomly gets a product that uses excessive plastic (and other materials). They are encouraged to think quickly about how they could reimagine products and packaging in our everyday lives:
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Zero Plastic Sprint
what does it mean to be a “Steward for the Planet”?
Working with a classmate or two, you will have 60 – 90 minutes to research, brainstorm and sketch new packaging ideas for an existing item that will be assigned to you at random.
+ Your goal is to figure out ways to use less material with a focus on eliminating any plastic (minimum 3 solutions)
+ Consider overall weight of materials in your quest to be environmentally responsible
+ Feel free to use the internet for research. If you find a good idea, build on it and make it better.
For the next Class, upload a PDF presentation with rough sketches onto Canvas (for each person in the group please). Be prepared to talk about your solutions as a group at that time.
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This team got a package of Claritin Allergy medication. They were tasked with removing as much plastic as possible, and to think about how a consumer would use this product (you are seeing 3 frames of the presentation)