DESIGN 233 Design and the Natural Environment - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Contemporary designers and local organisations are challenged to develop both disruptive and responsible design approaches that have only positive impacts on the natural environment. Students will engage in case study research before designing candidate solutions and criteria for measuring the local and global impact of design interventions.

Course Overview

The transition towards sustainable societies requires radical, systemic innovation, and designers are increasingly becoming key change-making leaders within this field. This course will provide students with fundamental theory, frameworks and methods that relate the field of Design with the fields of Sustainability, Conservation and Social Innovation.

The course comprises an overview of the ways that Design can promote and work towards the regeneration of our natural environment through collaborative, systemic and radical innovation. This approach starts with strategies for implementing designs that minimise harm to the environment (ecodesign) and expands to include the development of systemic solutions that regenerate biodiversity and reinvent people’s relationship to nature (Design for Conservation and Sustainability). In line with the Maori traditional principle of Kaitiakitanga, this course will elaborate on the use of Design as a transition path towards new models of wellbeing based on the respect and understanding of our position as a species that is part of a complex ecosystem. By proposing new ways of relating to our land and our community that acknowledge the limits of our planet, the role of biodiversity and the value of resilience, Design can positively help us find solutions to complex (wicked) problems.

Students will consolidate their learnings by working on a real Design for Conservation project, finding candidate solutions for relevant local environmental issues that impact a variety of stakeholders.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: DESIGN 100, 101

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Develop and demonstrate critical thinking towards the nature of global, systemic/wicked problems. (Capability 1.3, 2.1, 6.1 and 6.3)
Identify, articulate and apply best practice methods for analysing case studies from local and global contexts. (Capability 1.3, 2.4, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
Effectively engage and communicate with a group of diverse stakeholders involved in a project context. (Capability 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 5.5)
Understand and apply different design models for developing design solutions in the fields of environmental sustainability and conservation. (Capability 1.1, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3 and 6.3)
Ability to collaborate within an interdisciplinary group. (Capability 3.2, 4.2, 4.3, 5.3 and 6.2)
Demonstrate an appreciation of Maori and Pasifika traditions and principles that apply to the natural environment. (Capability 5.5, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Case study analysis	30%	Individual Coursework
Candidate solution	30%	Group & Individual Coursework
Impact report	40%	Group & Individual Coursework
3 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3	4	5	6
Case study analysis
Candidate solution
Impact report

Teaching & Learning Methods

This Design Studio course will be delivered over 12 weeks, with 3 hours of contact each week. While the main topics will be delivered by the course coordinator and co-teacher, several invited guest lecturers will collaborate in the delivery of specific topics of their expertise.

Each studio session will involve a combination of presentations and activities that will vary depending on the specific theme. During the first weeks, classes will be mainly theoretical and exercises will have the objective of consolidating theory and acquiring the adequate mindset and framework for a sensitive approach to a conservation problematic and effective subsequent group work. Students will be individually evaluated at this stage through a case study presentation focused on storytelling for change.

Students are expected to attend every week as each session has been designed to equip students with the necessary skills to complete all assessment activities to receive a passing grade. A thoughtful and active engagement in group work and feedback sessions will contribute to achieving a higher than a passing grade.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, over 12 weeks, students will be expected to dedicate at least 1 hour of online engagement in materials published on Canvas before each class, attend the 3 hour studio session on-site (or on-line, if scheduled and announced on Canvas), 1 hour of preparatory and reflective reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including studios to complete components of the course.
Lectures and other learning activities (including tutorials) will be available as recordings for remote students.
The course might include live online events including group discussions and tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for all the assignment presentations.

Learning Resources

A laptop is mandatory for lectures and tutorials. This will allow students to individually engage in research, design and development activities.

An A4 sketch pad and drawing materials are essential tools for designers. It is good practice to be able to quickly record ideas through writing and sketching as well as collecting and pasting items found that are relevant or inspiring.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

We have taken it into account feedback from last semester and will implement these changes, focusing on :

- Clarifying assessment criteria and providing them earlier on in the semester;

- Ensuring students have access to all learning materials readily as well as access to all digital tools required.

- Adjusting the duration of each studio according to the delivery method (in-class vs online);

- Creating more opportunities to look deeper into examples of sustainable initiatives and draw learnings from them; Wether local, indigenous, western and/or international examples.

- Provide a methodology to effectively build working groups of students with complementary skill sets.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

In the event of unexpected disruption

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement
Capability 5:	Independence and Integrity
Capability 6:	Social and Environmental Responsibilities

DESIGN 233 : Design and the Natural Environment

Creative Arts and Industries

2021 Semester Two (1215) (15 POINTS)