‘Design and Innovation’ learning

Design by its own nature is creative, collaborative, multidisciplinary and is inclusive of many other fields.

The methodology of how design is learnt by hands on experience can make a difference to the process of learning different subjects in schools.

Design process involves knowledge gathering, analysis, discovery, and conceptualisation resulting in a problem solving activity and this in turn leads to experiential learning.

Design can bring sensitivity and awareness to ‘Arts, Crafts, Culture and Environment’.

Design can help students develop values, attitudes, sensorial skills and critical thinking.

Design can make the students realize their creative and innovative potentials.

Design and Innovation can make a big difference to the expected growth of creative needs in our society.

Curriculum/Content:

Group 1 – Content

Philosophy Design thinking should be integrated into the school curriculum at different stages which enables students developing values, attitudes, sensorial skills and critical thinking. The intention is to offer avenues that are creative and innovative and integrate conventional fragmentation. At the earlier stages (class 1 to 5) design thinking could be integrated in all the curricular areas. This grows in

intensity as the understanding of the students increases and the ability to solve complex problems increases (class 6 to 10).

Goals and Objectives (class 6 to 10) Introduce basic design thinking and skills. To enable development of abilities needed to deal with unconventional situations that require creative, unique and multiple concepts. Develop sensitivity to the natural and manmade product and communication environments and relate the learning to real life situations. To emphasize a certain playfulness within the learning framework. To foster intuition, empathy and emotional faculty in the students.

‘Recommendations for introducing ‘Design and Innovation’ in schools 6

Contents Class 1 to 5: Observation of the immediate environment: body, clothing, food, class, school, home, family and society etc. Interpretation of the above points in visual, verbal and performing forms. Exposure through workshops, demonstrations, and visits to traditional art forms and vocations.

Contents Class 6 to 8: Observation and understanding elements of Nature and their interdependences. Visual and verbal narration and presentations using collages, story boards and other methods. Problem identification from immediate environment, experiencing and understanding the product and user relationships. How things are made: exposure to elementary concepts like parts of a products, components of a system etc. The complexity of this exposure will increase gradually as the students’ progress from class 6 to class 8. Introducing the concept of object and form affordances. Creation based on environmental principles.

Contents Class 9 to 10: Design Insight: Case studies, stories of innovators (Indian and foreign). History of design and industrialization. Landmark products and innovations. Design project.

‘Recommendations for introducing ‘Design and Innovation’ in schools