Design Group Meetings

Some photographs to document how busy all of us were in preparation for submitting our Wiki assignment. It was very crucial that all of us were present at the meetings as it helped all of us to develop our ideas further. Discussing any possible problems with the group always made it easier to find new solutions and underline hidden problems too. Overall, I consider it a successful method of learning.

Education and Design

Natalia Mazur

Jewellery and Metal Work Design


Education is the process of learning new information, experiences and emotions concerning all aspects of our lives. It starts from the initial moment we are born and lasts all throughout our entire existence. Painter (2009) emphasises:

“During a considerable period in his life, man is helpless and ignorant; he is without the strength and knowledge necessary to maintain an independent existence. It is this fact, that renders education a necessity.”

Education is an ongoing process all living creatures take part in; no one can escape it as it is a natural progression in understanding of the World that we live in, the society we are part of and the greater philosophy behind life in general. Education is one of the most basic human rights. It is a compulsory part of growing up and it is essential in forming our personalities, characters, skills, values and knowledge.

The history of education stars at the very beginning of our civilisation and it is continued, transformed and adapted to the changing times regularly. It is corresponding with all major historical events and it is shaped by the ongoing expansion of the society. Starting in the ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome education has made its way into our day to day lives and created numerous chapters, several for each country and continent depending on their level of development. Gordon and Szreter (1989) highlight:

“Educational history presents numerous points of contact with the whole current of the history of humanity and human interests, and necessarily develops a broad outlook.”

In the preliterate civilisations education was passed on verbally or through mural paintings. It was passed on from one generation to the other but soon after that, this system was classified as insufficient and a new way of sharing information was created – writing. Along with this development, new ways of teaching emerged and education was transferred into specific institutions in the ancient times. Unfortunately, it was only accessible to the rich members of the society who believed that solely boys should be educated, discriminating girls and taking away their chance of gaining a better understanding of the World. This approach changed drastically after the Reformation period during the European Renaissance as Gordon (2009) brings to our attention:

"The call for a universal education and literacy are two fundamental effects of this period on education as we know it today."

From then on education was recommended for both sexes, although the differentiation between female and male students was still appallingly visible. Furthermore, education was practically fully coordinated by the clergy and sponsored by the churches which often did not result in the best outcomes for the poorest students. Following that many European governments started founding of basic and primary education as it was believed that literacy and general knowledge helped in creating a new kind of citizen with full respect for the state’s laws.


In the present times education is one of the most fundamental pillars our society is based on. It is essential for all individuals to further their education to the best of their abilities in order to enhance the development of our culture. Education could be divided into separate institutions where it takes place at: Primary, Secondary and Higher/Further. Each one of these subdivides into more specific groups which are very different from one another at many levels.




The connection between education and design is indisputable and it is almost impossible to think of one without mentioning the other. Education shapes and influences design development and all the same design helps to form new teaching/learning methods and makes us imagine innovative ways of approaching educational techniques. The most important aspects of these disciplines combined are developing new, exciting and effective techniques in teaching design and other subjects at different levels of education. Eastman (2001) makes a very important point:

“The need for innovative designers has never been stronger. Industrial organisations and institutions of higher education alike recognise that as society advances design problems increase in complexity”.

The links between the two specialities are growing stronger minute by minute as the latest researches prove the effectiveness of design techniques applied in education. A valuable example to illustrate this is the use of visual techniques such as art and colour therapy, which originated from design related fields, into the teaching methods of special needs pupils in primary and secondary educational institutions. Rubin (1999) states:

“I am convinced that it is the synergistic potency of the combination of art with therapy which accounts for the extremely rapid growth of this still-young field.”

Another important part of the union of education and design is the use of new technologies in primary and secondary institutions. The relationship between new designs and the ways of teaching traditional subjects is ever changing which opens many possibilities for new designer to enhance the learning experience of often bored and unhappy students. Mixing new technologies can transform learning into an unforgettable experience and maximise the teaching results for both educators and pupils. Moreover, there is a vast amount of inspiration of be found in the actual process of learning design and teaching design. It is a very innovative and controversial subject which could potentially suggest an alternative approach toward educating in general as Eastman (2001) implies:

“Strong links are yet to be forged between pedagogical theory regarding design learning and the science of design itself.”

Design has the potential to change the facade of education for good; it has the means to employ fresh, ‘outside the box’ ideas to all types of education: primary, secondary and higher. Looking into educational systems from a creative thinking perspective enables designers to generate solutions for existing as well as potential teaching problems. Educators and designers working together have the potential of improving the two disciplines by sharing their experiences and developing innovative explanations into the existing programme. A collaboration of education and design could be the future to a more efficient, exiting and valuable teaching and learning experience.

References:



Gordon A. M., Browne K. W., (2007) Beginnings & Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood `


Gordon P., Szreter R., (1989), History of Education: The Making of a Discipline, Oxon, Routledge



Eastman, C. M., McCracken, W. M., Newstetter, W. C., (2001), Design Knowing and Learning: Cognition in Design Education, Oxford, Elsevier Health Sciences



Franklin, Verzelius, Newton, (2009), A History of Education, Danvers, General Books LLC



Rubin, J. A., (1999), Art therapy: An Introduction, Lillington, Psychology Press

Mind Map, Design Studies 3rd Year

Bibliography

Bibliography :

Banksy, (2005), Wall and Piece, London, Random House

Coles J., (1997), World Beads, London, Ryland Peters & Small

Morris, D., (1999), Body Guards, Shaftesbury, Element Books Limited

Palmer, R., (2008), Street Art Chile, London, Eight Books Limited

Sataloff, J., (1975), The Pleasure of Jewellery and Gemstones, London, Octopus Books



Websites:

www.banksy.co.uk

www.picturesonwalls.com

www.space-invaders.com

www.bleklerat.fr

www.faile.net

www.dface.co.uk

www.wikipedia.com

www.protectiveamulets.com

www.luckymojo.com

www.atlantisring.com

www.kabalatalisman.com

www.circleraphael.co.uk

www.thaibuddhaamulets.blogspot.com

www.symbols.net

Essay 2

The project brief I would like to reconsider in connection to the secondary research methods developed in Design Studies in semester two is Stone Setting. This project did not simply require us to learn a selection of new jewellery skills, it had another level which encouraged research into the ideas of luck and superstition which interest me greatly. I focused on the aspect of body guards, objects that are considered to have protective powers over the owner or that simply bring good fortune to the wearer.

In my secondary research I looked at a number of books related to the subject. I discovered how wide the field of projective amulets and charms is and was astonished at the fact that almost everyone one I asked had some sort of an object that they considered lucky. Even the least superstitious people I have ever met turned out to be in possession of a sentimental piece of jewellery or some other small item that was either worn or carried or just kept safe. Another research technique I used to complete that project was simply surfing the Internet. I came across many on-line “societies” devoted to popularising a certain ancient symbol or an image that assumingly has some kind of protective abilities. In fact, many of the websites I came across had alternative versions in a language different to English which made me realise that there is quite a few objects that are considered to be lucky globally. This made me wonder even further, whether it would be possible to classify or maybe even rank those objects to create a list of the top body guards of our times. Nevertheless, after thorough consideration and lengthy discussions with my classmates I came to the conclusion that since the people of every single culture, religion and country believe that different objects bring luck, it would be rather impossible to state for certain which one is the Worlds most popular. However, using the techniques of secondary research I have practiced this semester I could quite easily find out that is the number one British protective amulet.

Out of all the methods we studied this semester interviewing seems to be the most striking idea. The groups of people I would interview would have to be divided accordingly to their age, sex and occupation. Lets say, I wanted to ask my university friends the same set of questions about their lucky objects. Most of the interviewees would therefore be round about the same age of 19 to 25, mostly female, British and students. That would give me an idea if the younger generation is superstitious and why is that. Then I could contrast that with the same set of questions being asked to the older generation of over 70 years of age. The outcome would reveal if anything has changed in our understanding and beliefs in superstition over the 50 years diving the two groups. For example, some of the questions I would include are: “in your opinion, what does superstition mean? And do you consider yourself to be superstitious and why?”, “what is your lucky object and how did you get it?”, “ if your lucky object is not wearable but could be redesigned to be, what form would you prefer to wear it in? (ring, necklace, brooch, bracelet etc…)”. Moreover, I would keep truck of the colours of the objects mentioned so that by the end of the interview process I would have a clear idea of the colours that seem to be repeating and therefore are considered luckiest. The results of this form of primary research would enable me to design a full collection of lucky objects that would be universal to all ages. I would know what materials, symbols, textures and colours to use in order to achieve the best outcome and satisfy the majority of the customers.

Another technique I could potentially use in order to enhance my project is observation. I could make up a collection out of all the objects that I discovered to be protective in my secondary research and expose my interviewees to it. I could ask them to pick, present and explain which one of the objects has the most “powers” and why. Next, I would ask them to place it somewhere on their body to give me an idea of how to incorporate it into a piece of wearable jewellery. This experiment and the interviews could also the conducted on a group that is exactly the same as the first one just of a different nationality. By that I would find out how big the cultural differences are when it comes to this subject and I would be able to see if a national luck charm could be named for each country. Even in the case if I was commissioned to design and make a one-off piece of jewellery of a client I could employ both of the techniques discussed above to gain a better understanding of their taste. This proves how vital methods such as observation and interview are when it comes to designing something as personal as a piece of jewellery.

In my opinion, using Design Studies techniques in my everyday work in studio is highly beneficial. To be more specific, I cannot imagine not using those tools because I do it all the time, even without thinking about it. It is our subconscious way of making sense of any situation we are in, in the Design environment. Primary research happens all around us, it is just that we need to pay more attention to it and make more of an effort to link it to secondary research. Those two types of researches when interconnected form the perfect combination to success. We just have to remember to look into insignificant details we would normally miss, as sometimes they can tell us more then just mechanical reading. So from now on, I promise to look and ask, not from just reading. I am sure it will be worth it.

Essay 1

In the first semester of the current academic year, in Design Studies, I have looked at a subject that I felt was of importance to me, a design student, but also to the general public. I studied the ways in which graffiti affects the behavioural patterns of certain groups in the society and I repeatedly asked: “is it art or is it just a form vandalism?”. The books, videos and websites I found highlighted the cultural importance of graffiti and enabled me to understand the history of it more deeply. In conclusion to my secondary research I have not stated any correct answers, the question remains open for a full and thorough discussion. My intention is to demonstrate the sea of opportunities in relation to primary research of this subject. I am going to present many possible ways of finding out the true opinions about street art and the global attitude forwards this discipline.

In the secondary research I managed to gather some crucial information about the origins and meaning of street art. I have looked at many books and photo albums that illustrated the subject. Furthermore, I have discovered many interesting websites for and against graffiti, from artist’s portfolios and blogs to government directed campaigns to fight it. I looked at different graffiti movements and at the ways they were formed. Also I tried to tackle the issue of political street art, it’s consequences and the thinking behind it. I discovered the key personas in street art such as Os Gemeos and Nunca and I have refreshed my knowledge of the legends we all know like Banksy and Blek Le Rat. All of those sources provided me with valuable academic knowledge however, apart from websites with comments on them I did not come across too many personal opinions of what people generally think of the practice of graffiti and what are the key ideas associated with it.

As an Art School student, I realise that my opinions quite often differ from the unspoken rules and regulations that we are all almost forced to obey to fit into the society. This mostly affects my perception of street art which means so much more to me then just a form vandalism. It is one of the purest forms of art and it ties in closely with the ideas of mysticism and shamanism. To explain that, I must refer to the earliest examples of drawings in the caves of Lascaux in 1500-1000 BC. Somehow, I can feel a connection between those two and this makes me respect that form of expressing one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions greatly. However, as far as parts of my secondary research proved not everyone thinks in that way. Commonly graffiti is hated and exterminated and it’s authors alienated from the public discussions and called criminals. To find out what specific groups of our society really think of graffiti I would have to conduct a series of experiments. Hopefully, after studying the results my understanding of this form of art would improve.

The first method I would employ is interviews. I would make sure I ask the same set of questions on the subject of street art to people of all ages to check if the perception of graffiti changes accordingly. The groups would divide as follow 5-15, 15- 25, 25-35, 35-45, 45-55, 55-65, 65>. Next, I would compare my results, find out what group is the most open, positive and informed on the subject and which one is the least interested, most negative and stereotypical. Then, I would go on to the second stage of the experiment and make up a serious of photographs and images into a slide show and project it to both groups. I would record their reactions, thoughts and feelings via a more in depth and specific discussion. I would question their first ever experiences with graffiti, ask them how they felt about it back then and compare it with their current opinion. I would contrast those opinions with one’s of the other group and try to engage the two to start a debate. The whole session would be filmed so that I could easily go back to it and study it further. Certainly, by this stage my knowledge would be big enough to enable me to notice the smallest changes of attitude forwards the subject and I could see it either to the two groups was influenced by the other one. Finally, I would repeat the initial interview to examine if the answers remained the same.

The second method I could potentially use is observation. Just observing people looking at a graffiti mural would hardly give me enough information to conclude on their true attitude towards it. I would have to go a step further and provide the public with a more interesting and slightly controversial showcase. How about filming or recording the on lookers reactions to someone actually performing the art of graffiti, out in the open, on the streets, illegally. It is fascinating to me to imagine what kind of actions would be observed then. Would anyone try to stop the artist? Would the police be called immediately? Or maybe some people would actually enjoy the spectacle and want to take pictures and meet the artist? Finally, would anyone dare to join the artist and physically participate in the performance? The questions above seem to be eager to be answered and I wish to think that one day I will see the answers with my own eyes. Those answers would enable me to address the issue of treating street art as a crime and would help to change the face of graffiti, in defeating the stereotype. With the knowledge gathered in primary research a group of designers could come up with a program to educate the least informed groups of the society about the deeper meaning and purpose of street art. Though that graffiti would be seen on a whole new level and would not be dismissed completely or simply categorised as a crime. In addition, possibly more legal opportunities of taking part in this form of art would be created by the government so that there would be no need in performing graffiti illegally in the first place.

In my conclusion, I would like to highlight the importance of primary research. Furthermore, I need to stress that it is the primary research that is highly enjoyable to me as it allows interaction with the public or the client. It is a very active form to gathering information and it could be used in many different ways. To myself as a designer in progress primary research is priceless. Believing that our role as designers is to improve the human condition it is the staring point on the journey to the future.

The Deeper Meaning.

So just to be clear:

J = Male, a student of Computing, 20 years of age.
B = Male, a student of Engineering, 22 years of age.
S = Female, a student of Jewellery Design, 19 years of age.
C = Female, a student of Jewellery Design, 20 years of age.

After asking four students of contrasting disciplines and sexes a serious of 8 questions, I have discovered nothing out of ordinary. The interview proves that some of the common perceptions were true in these cases.

Yes, boys are messier then girls.
Yes, girls care about their living space dramatically more then boys.

No, boys don't seem to be attached to objects as emotionally as girls.
No, you should never expect a boy to use more words then the absolute minimum.

(The points above only apply to the 4 people I interviewed.)

The interviews show a great deal about the personalities of the 4 students. They enable anyone to write their own story of their lives. Furthermore, they would give me as a designer an amazing opportunity to study the likes and dislikes of my customers and come up with the ultimate product that would satisfy all their needs.

It is clear to me that each one of them is "into", how much importance (or how little) the pay to certain details and what is and what is not to their taste. Obviously, if I was to design and produce a piece of jewellery for one of them, more thorough research would be required. I would have to ask questions that are more specific and direct. Although, I would definitely stick to the set of questions i have already use, as in my opinion nothing tells you a better story of the person then their own house/room.

In conclusion, I have discovered an invaluable tool of an interview and I am not going to hesitate to use it. This assignment proved to me how important it is to ask the right questions at the right time and push interviewees to give fuller and more informative answers. The more you ask, the more and better your ideas are going to be.