A blog about design at the OU.
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Lurking and learning at eSTEeM
Today we have presented on the 6th eSTEeM Annual Conference some of the findings from our eSTEeM funded project on student progression in OpenDesignStudio. The bottom line is that you even though you might just ‘lurk’ online, you can learn and succeed in your studies. Simply viewing the work other design students have posted online will […]
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A Tale of Research in Smart Cities
The challenge to design the smartest cities has been embraced in most larger UK cities but less is known about how to evaluate and measure the “smartness” of each approach. Smart city programmes are springing up across UK cities, offering solutions for contemporary challenges facing cities associated with population and urbanisation pressures, and bringing opportunities […]
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Another tool for checking what you know
In addition to Gil’s great post on How to spot fake news, here’s another toolkit well worth investing in – the (bear with me) Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies poster, freely available in pdf here So, the next you read a newspaper piece or watch anyone debating or presenting anything, see if you play […]
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Places of worship, design, and communities
In the Empowering Design Practices project we have been working with groups of different faiths and denominations who look after historic buildings and who want to develop and ensure the sustainability of those buildings through co-design and community engagement. Places of worship have historically been functioning as centres of community life. But what is the […]
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OpenStudio at the Guardian HE Awards
Sadly OpenStudio didn’t win the Guardian University Award for Digital Innovation – but the winner and other runner up were more than deserving. In fact it’s great to see that all three runners up had more to do with embedded practice than simply showing off the next technology. That’s a healthy sign, in my humble […]
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How To Spot Fake News
By IFLA (edited by Gil Dekel). Critical thinking is a key skill in media and information literacy. Discussions about fake news has led to a new focus on media literacy. With Oxford Dictionaries announcement that post-truth is Word of the Year 2016, it seems that there is a need to educate and advocate for critical […]
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Design and Innovation: Past, Present and Future
A useful summary by Harriet Powney of Robin Roy’s paper for the Design Research Society’s 2016 conference and his book Consumer Product Innovation and Sustainable Design has been featured on the website of the OU’s IKD Research Centre & SRA in International Development and Inclusive Innovation. She writes: New products are never simply the result […]
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You Never Thought What The Real Value of Critical Thinking Is
Dr. Gil Dekel. What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase ‘critical thinking’? You may think of people who doubt everything? People that can’t stop asking arrogant questions which makes them very uncomfortable to be around? Now, put your preconceptions on hold for a second and see why critical thinking is something entirely […]
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Circular economies
I came across the following Greenpeace video which paints a bleak picture of the impact of the smart phone revolution over the past 10 years or so. The constant drive to own the latest and greatest smartphone is having a huge impact on resources and the environment, and this is unsustainable. The video suggests a solution […]
