*********
The Puppet Show: Collaboration and Community Engagement in
Design Foundations
What do rapping Vikings, fluffy sea monsters, and two chatty
mermaids from Jersey have to do with design foundations? They are a few of the unlikely
characters to unlock the concept of community engagement for freshmen at
Columbus College of Art and Design. Working in teams, these students created a
multi-act puppet show for patients and families at Nationwide Children’s
Hospital. Each team consisted of a production/budget manager, playwright,
marketing and communications representative, actors, and character/set
designers. The students selected their roles, allowing them to play to their
strengths. A comprehensive six-week production schedule kept teams on task, and
frequent in-progress critiques helped the overall class produce a cohesive
performance. (On their course evaluations, many students cited “teamwork” as
the most important lesson from the class.) Other learning objectives for this
assignment included utilizing 2-D, 3-D and 4-D design skills developed
throughout the year, managing all aspects of their production, documenting the
process, and tailoring their engagement to a unique audience. Instead of
creating artwork for themselves, their peers, or their instructor, these
students had to consider the needs and interests of a very different
“viewer.” The results were so
positive that Nationwide asked us to return again this year!
**********
I'm looking forward to seeing Durham and meeting all the conference attendees!
No comments:
Post a Comment