Framing and Reframing: On Not Requiring Multiple Initial Design Ideas From Students

• In Event: 75.030 - Designing for Complex Reasoning in STEM

Abstract

This study reports on the design activities, specifically framing and reframing projects, carried out by students in a small studio course. Instructor observations and reflections form the data set. Students were observed to frame and reframe their designs repeatedly, stimulated to do so by questions from the instructor and their peers, and to voluntarily redo entire projects based on that reframing. The argument is made that students bring qualities to design education which can be drawn upon to encourage such performance without requiring them explicitly to generate multiple design concepts before selecting one to pursue.

Author

• Elizabeth Boling, Indiana University