Andrew Whitcomb

D592 - Scotford
04.27.11

Design Education Needs Community Involvement

As the interplay between community, industry, and technology has become more sophisticated, we
have reconsidered the practices best suited to address the complex needs of contemporary society. e
problems facing our communities are not black and white—they require a specific kind of thinking that
can mange the evolving, interconnected, and open-ended nature of problems in the 21st century. As a
field, design inherently engages problems without definite solutions. Our practice demands the
conceptual thinking supported by the analysis, investigation, and research, to tackle ill-defined
problems. We, as designers, already operate in the gray areas that are seen as inherent to the problems of
the future. Yet there still remains a disconnect between our discipline and the economic and scientific
fields driving progress in our country and the world. What better place to begin crossing the boundaries
between disciplines and modes-of-thought than the modern university?

Colleges and universities contain vast stores of knowledge and resources that should be used to benefit
their surrounding communities. is is not a novel revelation. e intellectual and research capital of
universities has been linked to social good for centuries. Land-grant institutions in particular were
designed to disseminate the concepts and innovations developed in the academic setting to the general
public. While early land-grant universities focused mainly on research in fields such as agriculture,
science, and engineering, contemporary institutions need to expand their knowledge-base to provide a
broader range of services for public good. Supporting a greater number of fields and majors means there
are more opportunities than ever for universities to have a societal impact. e modern university must
be seen as a place where diverse skill sets come together to work on the wicked problems of our
globalized society.

To reach students who have become increasingly apathetic toward the idea of "earning" a college
degree, universities must provide curriculum that activates and captivates the hearts and imaginations
of its student body. Higher-education should not be seen merely as a means to an end. Yes, each student
has a right to pursue whatever course they see fit. But, universities—who have a responsibility to the
people and communities that support them—must combine student-learning and motivation with
their institutional mission. Building civic engagement directly into curriculum gives universities the
chance to provide more meaningful education to students while connecting to issues that will
inevitably face graduates when they enter the workplace. Requiring students to directly participate in
their communities pops the bubble between the insular academic environment and the operations of
the rest of the world.

Design programs housed within land-grant universities are perfectly situated to make connections
across disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Design is an interdisciplinary field. Collaboration does
not suffice as buzzword used to elevate our practice over other fields, but rather outreach to disparate
specialities must become a fundamental part of our design philosophy. Building this practice into the
education of the next generation of designers is the best chance we have to cross disciplinary
boundaries and gain legitimacy as a field. Curricula designed around civic engagement necessitates
relationships and strategies that bridge gaps between disciplines and institutions, while developing the
professional characteristics students will need when they enter the work force.

In addition to the knowledge students gain from professional experience, community-based education
encourages growth and development from faculty as well. Working with community stakeholders
requires faculty members stay in touch with the professional work environment. To foster fruitful
partnerships with organizations outside of the university, faculty must find valuable methods of
application for the theories and concepts they promote in the academic realm. Academics can no
longer afford to practice in isolation. e content and methodologies taught in universities can impart
conceptual or theoretical knowledge while providing real-world utility. In a time of constant flux and
growing disparity between cultures and societies throughout the globe, it is inexcusable for educators
to be disconnected from their surrounding environments. e time for positive change is now.
Universities have the resources to have a profound impact not only by advancing research and theory,
but by directly engaging the existing needs of their local communities