Interesting Fall Course: Design in the City: Case studies in merchandising and design thinking

Tired of being lectured to all the time?

Are you looking for an active learning class that encourages different perspectives and promotes creative thought?

Try F415, open to all students who will be at the Junior or Senior level next

fall with interests in community development, retail/merchandising, design with a positive impact and the urban fabric.

AMID-F415

Section #32384 - Design in the City: Case studies in merchandising and design thinking.

Fall 2012 - MW at 4-5:15
Mary Embry, Kevin Lair, Marleen Newman

During the first part of the semester, students will use the case study method, an active learning technique that employs relevant and engaging stories as a basis for discussion and evaluation of real life problems. Case studies are meant to bridge

“the gap between theory and practice and between the academy and the

workplace”

(Barkley, Cross, and Major 2005, p.182). While studying a variety of cases, students will hone their problem solving and research skills. As part of a rich interdiscipliunary group you will learn to identify a problem,often controversial, analyze and evaluate it and finally defend a position that suggests a strong and creative course of action leading to a potential solution. Relying on the expertise and talents of an interdisciplinary student group,

teams will work collaboratively using their individual talents and skills to research and solve problems facing special population groups within the context of the city, and as they relate to the retail environment within the context of design.

The second half of the course will be devoted to independent research and the completion of an original case study project. Interdisciplinary teams will develop a question

 

integrating a special population group to an

urban context

through a retail/merchandising link through design in the city.

This course is designed to support the integrated Spring course D476/R490,

the Columbus Studio, where students will further apply their case study work to an integrated design project. This multidisciplinary course can be taken by anyone and is a stand alone class that will challenge students to integrate design thinking as a foundation for innovative problem solving and creative work.

It is appropriate for all rising

seniors in Interior Design, Retail, Fashion Design, Communication and Culture, SPEA, Business, and ...