VIRTUAL New Schools of Thought

Abstract

Design is a priori a multidisciplinary pursuit. The invention of significant form and content by the designer cannot take place in the absence of historical, technical, social, and philosophical awareness. Furthermore, design requires attention to the relationship of parts to the whole; a relationship which reflects shifts in our attention from objects of experience to qualities of experience. Charting the occurrence and nature of these shifts is at the root of individual design approach, as this is the task of every scholar of design. Facilitating this learning is one aim of every instructor of design.

Mix and match as a relational pedagogy (Beziehungsgeflecht) investigates the unbounded design world that allows for a search for one’s uniqueness in the exploration of how new design forms and tools are being developed, produced, and marketed. It builds on the conceptual thinking which happens through brainstorming, doodling, mind mapping and free association. These tools of questioning and generating require experimentation and risk-taking in seeking answers to the daily application of design inventions. This relies on a willingness to be open-minded to naturally achieve the greatest possible self-determination. An example of this is capturing the accidents and mistakes that occur during the design process and studying them to figure out what happened so you can fashion something new and unimagined.

This article describes the mix and match, as well as the use of alternative teaching and learning approaches which students learn to broaden students design and architectural repertoire to include more creative, collaborative, intuitive and flexible skills.