Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

What happens when a design class is stripped of internet access and traditional research tools? Climate Issues and Activism is a three-week interdisciplinary summer intensive co-taught by professors of environmental politics and graphic design. One week is spent at a remote field campus with no internet, where students explore local climate issues and develop advocacy campaigns grounded in their field research. Rooted in Social Constructivism and Experiential Learning, the course emphasizes inquiry, discovery, and hands-on engagement. Students interact directly with their environment, using observation and shared exploration to generate knowledge. Without screens or passive entertainment, they rely on each other and their imaginations to ideate and create. Curriculum and tools were designed to support research and creative development without digital resources. Students used analog methods (pen, paper, and conversation) to conceptualize campaigns. One student reflected, “Being in the field and seeing what is happening first hand was super powerful.” Another noted, “I really enjoyed the ideation process with lots of different people. It made me think more broadly about the impact my outcome could have. It also strengthened my idea of what is an effective designed thing.” These immersive experiences fostered deep learning and collaboration, shifting students’ perceptions and behaviors. As Mezirow and other theorists suggest, learning is a social process. This course demonstrates how removing digital crutches can unlock transformative educational outcomes—especially when students are placed in direct contact with the issues they aim to address.