Pp. 68-99
This section of the book focuses on the attribute of Design.
Pink sites the idea of design as a combination of utility (L directed) and significance (R directed).
The example of CHAD (Charter High School for Architecture and Design – a tuition free Philadelphia public school) focused on how design is typically ignored in public education - and highlighted how a focus on design, in the case of CHAD and other such schools, is used (succesfully) as an alternative to the more traditional “left-brain” oriented public education system. The argument is that this design-centered approach encourages students to think holistically – cultivating the abilities to solve problems, understand others, and appreciate the world around them. The results are difficult to ignore - significantly higher attendance and graduation rates.
According to Pink, design, which in the past has often been reserved for the elite, has in recent years become democratized. Pink gives examples of famous designers’ products being available to the mass market at stores such as Target. He also points to the auto industry as an example of how design has become a selling point.
“The quickened metabolism of commerce,” Pink explains, has created new markets and innovations – giving consumers products they didn’t know they were missing. As an example, he describes, how over a relatively short time, cell phones have gone from being utilitarian (logical) to highly design focused (emotional) devices.
Pink describes the potential far reaching benefits of good design, such as in hospitals where natural light is prevalent. He also describes how poor design can have major consequences; he sites the controversial 2000 Presidential election in Florida (butterfly ballots = voter confusion = inaccurate election results).
In the Portfolio for Design, there are resources and ideas for readers to hone their sense of design.
Phones, cars, toilet brushes...it is crazy to think of all of the design elements around us on a daily basis that Pink mentioned again in this chapter which effect the decisions we make.
ReplyDeleteI liked the theory that "design is interdisciplinary" from the CHAD school in Philadelphia. It sounds like a successful institution building holistic students as you mentioned.
I remember the 2000 election and all of the confusion, but don't remember seeing the ballot. After reading the chapter and seeing the "butterfly ballot" I agree that the design here certainly made a difference in voter confusion and possibly the election results.
After reading this section, I thought of how many things we discard because of poor design or some of the craziest things that sell. The snuggie blanket comes to mind. Can you not just use a smaller blanket? Seems to me someone used creative design and marketing and probably have a whole lot more money because they addressed a problem that I didn't know existeds!
ReplyDeleteFinally figured out I have to be signed in to make my comments appear! Who knew! Design is a very interesting concept in schools. I think about our classrooms and the design of desks. I think each child should have a treadmill to walk on during anytime the teacher is giving instruction and only gets off if they have an activity to do. It would solve the problem of childhood obesity and I think I read some research that said people learn and/or remember more if the instruction is pared with movement. I say we write a grant and do an experiment..
ReplyDeleteJH...that is a good idea and actually more important than we think. How are our classrooms and classes set up. Are they even remotely helpful for learning? At our school we are doing more project based learning within the classes for a "design element". However, for the design in the class itself, I think treadmills are a good idea because the exercise gives both sides of the brain a chance to interact. I went to a seminar a few years ago and they were talking about brain gems and said that if we can get both sides to activate then the student will understand more and we can activate the sides by exercise. I also read a study that said students do better on tests if they can go for a 20 minute walk before hand.
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