In October, the Design Educators Community hosted a seminar on “Rethinking Design Education” as part of the AIGA GAIN Conference in NYC.

Liz Danzico, chair of the M.F.A. in Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts, started the seminar off with a hands-on workshop that explored evolving models for design education. Working in groups, participants considered, “What will impact tomorrow’s education?” The resulting discussion ranged from “affordable, accessible education,” to “co-creation,” to “the design educator as a curator of experience.”

Danzico’s workshop was followed by a panel of design educators moderated by Haakon Faste.

Each panel participant presented their perspective on the future of design education and then posed a question to the panel:

“What is your Material?” 
Allan Chochinov, Partner of Core 77; Chair of the MFA in Products of Design, School of Visual Arts

How can participatory design play out in the classroom?
Helen Armstrong, Graduate Director of Experience Design, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Miami University

“How can educators make collaborative work not simply active, but reflective, and with career-long values?”
Laurie Churchman, Principal at Designlore, Adjunct Faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art and Philadelphia University.

Cameron Tonkinwise, Associate Professor and Director of Design Studies, the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University

“What’s the future of Interaction Design… and how do we teach it?”
Haakon Faste, Assistant Professor Interaction Design, California College of the Arts