Scholarship 2017-2018
Student Work Featured through Exhibit/Media
International Federation of Architects/Designers (IFI) Featured | June 2017
2016 International Charette (culturalSYNERGY) | Biomimetic Living Spaces
Featured by the IFI on their website and social media
NY11+ Exhibit | April 4 2017, NYC
2016 Multi-Story/Multi-Purpose Design: Deaf Space Projects
Community Design Center Rochester Exhibit | March 7-15 2017
2016 Multi-Story/Multi-Purpose Design: Deaf Space Projects
Publications
Hyperspace: A First-Week Experience
Author: Heidi E. Schlegel, NCIDQ IIDA IDEC
IDEC Innovative Teaching Ideas 2018 | Innovative Teaching Ideas Submission | Teaching Ideas Collection | Resource Library http://www.idec.org/ | Publication Date September 2018
Cyber Charettes: A Global Human Centered Design Perspective
Co-Authors: Heidi E. Schlegel, NCIDQ IDEC IIDA
Rim Fathallah, Chair, Interior Design, Dar Al Hekma University, Jeddah SA
IDEC Innovative Teaching Ideas 2017 | Innovative Teaching Ideas Submission | Teaching Ideas Collection | Resource Library http://www.idec.org/ | Publication Date August 2017
Webinar:
Making Your Home Work for You: Design Strategies for Aging in Place | 2017
Tiger Webinars | Invited Alumni Presenter | https://www.rit.edu/alumni/node/85649
Conference Presentations
International Design Charettes for Intercultural Discourse and Collaboration
Co-Authors: Rim Fathallah, Doctoral Student, University of Toronto &
Heidi E Schlegel, NCIDQ IDEC IIDA
World Design Summit | Design for Participation Presentation | Palais des Congres | Montreal Canada | October 2017
We live in an interconnected global village. However, despite this depiction, there is a rift within the international community. This potential interconnection is impeded by governmental stratagems. The 2016 Brexit and U.S. elections illustrate how national policies have a global impact fostering intercultural barriers. Can design education become a critical agent in shaping a culturally sensitive global mindset allowing a discourse favorable towards peace-building?
Our project investigates how design collaborations through international cyber studio projects in undergraduate programs can nurture values of global citizenship. Human dimension serves as the foundation of intercultural dialogues in a collaborative design project requiring students to recognize the needs of the “other”. Students work together to identify differences in cultural viewpoints and develop a global design perspective.
In May 2016, two universities in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. initiated an annual cyber design charrette bringing students from around the globe together. The initial application focused on Middle-East/U.S. relations. The second application in 2017 additionally included European and Central American Universities. In the past two years, 122 students representing 12 nationalities participated in this endeavor to expand global understanding.
Students were assigned a broadly formatted design task on an unfamiliar topic: an intentional barrier to overcome. Left deliberately vague, the program encourages a variety of interpretations with emphasis on process over product, driving students to collaboratively develop communication methods, context, content, and outcome. Supporting self-directed learning, teams had to explore means to overcome the given barriers with outcomes respectful to participating cultures. Through the project format, students were compelled to bridge intercultural barriers extending beyond traditional design studio collaborations.
In-process student interviews and post project surveys supported the evaluation of student experiences. Stereotypes were overcome with a realization that the “other” is not that different from the “self”.
“I was concerned about cultural barriers, but I was excited for the opportunity to work with students internationally […] My mind was changed after we first skyped […]. I realized we were not that different and that it would not be that challenging to communicate […].” - student 2016
“... people have different ideas and opinions. And it’s ok that they may be different from my own.” - student 2017
The value of global citizenship and peace education has been extensively explored in existing literature. UNESCO endeavors highlight the continued value of international interactions. Using informational and communication technology to connect international classrooms is not uncharted territory. Initiatives such as iEARN or “Taking it Global” all aim at promoting online collaborative work. Most endeavors remain in the context of K-12 classrooms, within the country’s geographical borders. Implementing pedagogies which trespass geographic borders and create an inclusive dialogue in higher education is required to reinforce these K-12 foundations.
The design discipline can play a pivotal role in breaking intercultural barriers, enriching global communication and tolerance. Looking inwardly and outwardly, design collaborations allow students to develop a culturally sensitive global mindset.
An International Charrette to Cultivate Multicultural Collaboration: The Design Process through the Taxonomy of Significant Learning
Co-Authors: Rim Fathallah, Program Chair Interior Design, Dar Al Hekma University, Jeddah SA
Heidi E. Schlegel, Professor Interior Design, RIT, Rochester NY
International Conference on Design Principles and Practices | Design Education Presentation | Institute Without Boundaries at George Brown College | Toronto Canada | March 2017
PEER REVIEWED
Abstract:
With a proliferation of multinational interior design firms and the increased shift of interior design organizations such as ASID and CIDA towards globalization, design educators must evaluate how best to prepare students for the commonality of international and intercultural collaboration within structures that support the process of significant learning. Such inherent applications train students to not only collaborate internationally on ideas and issues but also develop skills to value and be inspired by culturally diverse opinions.
This presentation will review a four-day charrette in response to the IFI’s World Interiors Day through a collaboration of three undergraduate interior design programs from universities in the US and the Gulf Region. Forty-four students with varied skill sets, ethnicities and cultures, including the deaf and hard of hearing were teamed in groups of four with members from at least two universities.
With faculty serving as mentors only, brief instruction was given on teaming, communication methods and a broadly formatted topic was assigned: “Create a biomimetic living environment respecting the culture of all participating parties.” Left intentionally vague, the program encouraged a variety of interpretations with emphasis on process over product. Students developed context and content. Projects were required to have higher levels of biomimetic thinking, cultural sensitivity, express sustainable concepts and elicit a sense of place with goals supported through evidence based design. The final artifact, a poster, had to be expressive of the goals and intent of the design without verbal enhancement.
Learning objectives focused on significant learning through the six-part-taxonomy of Fink. Students were required to exhibit creative critical thinking and develop self-directed learning and inquiry skills. They developed in-depth knowledge on concepts of biomimetic thinking through a self-directed process. Human dimension and social connectivity through learning about self and others were an integral part of the experience. Developing communication methodologies and collaborating with differing educational backgrounds at extreme distance created a great challenge to the students.
This experience supported several CIDA 2017 standards with particular emphasis on global context,
communication and the value of risk taking. In-process student interviews and post project feedback surveys supported the evaluation of student experiences and successful learning outcomes. Initially, students had concerns about communication at both the cultural and technical levels; they were missing an inherent aspect of communication including body language. Eventually stereotypes were overcome with a realization that the other is not all that different from the self. Some teams even developed a personal social connection beyond the project.
The value of experience in international collaboration within the educational environment sets the stage for successful application within the global professional setting. Such ventures polish communication, time management, fast paced creativity and cultural sensitivity. The specific topic on biomimicry was valuable to expand knowledge on a current trend in sustainability. Pedagogically, the integration of the highest levels of Fink’s taxonomy ensured a significant learning experience and all students expressed interest in taking part again in such endeavors.
International Design Collaboration: Building Blocks for a Renewed Global Village
Co-Authors: Heidi E . Schlegel, NCIDQ IDEC
Rim Fathallah, Doctoral Student, University of Toronto
IDEC | Interior Design Educators Mid-West Regional Conference | Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Globalism & Multiculturalism | Lexington KY | November 1-2 2018
In August 2017, violent protests in Charlottesville VA, brought the topic of radical racism back to the forefront of our national dialogue. Internationally, the 2016 Brexit vote and US elections were driven by dialogues that supported racial, religious and xenophobic fears. The United Nations has stated that xenophobia and racism are increasing globally: “We still live in a world where we witness politicians and leaders using hateful and divisive rhetoric to divide instead of unite societies”. (Anastasia Crickley, Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination).1 It is clear that despite the global village depiction, a growing rift exists within our national and international communities.
College campuses, microcosms of society at large, are litmus tests for the impacts of these tumultuous political times. On many college campuses racial radicalism and anti-semitism is on the increase putting our communities at risk of further violent outbreaks .
Can design education become a critical agent in shaping a culturally sensitive global mindset in our student citizens allowing a discourse favorable towards building a global community? Our project investigates how design collaborations through international cyber studio projects in undergraduate programs can nurture values of citizenship within a global community and understanding of our differences. Human dimension serves as the foundation of intercultural dialogues in a collaborative design project requiring students to recognize the needs of the “other”. Students work together to identify similarities and differences in cultural viewpoints, developing a global design perspective resulting in a final collaboratively determined outcome.
In May 2016, faculty in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. initiated an annual cyber design charette bringing students from around the globe together. The initial implementation focused on Middle-East/U.S. relations, in following years European and Central American Universities were included. 122 students representing 12 nationalities from sophomore to graduate level have participated in this endeavor to expand global understanding.
Intermixed teams of students were assigned a broadly formatted design task on an unfamiliar topic: an intentional barrier to overcome. Left deliberately vague, the program encouraged a variety of interpretations with emphasis on process over product, driving students to collaboratively develop communication methods, context, content, and outcome. Supporting self-directed learning, teams had to explore means to overcome the given barriers with outcomes respectful to participating cultures. Through the project format and topic, students were compelled to bridge intercultural barriers, and create personal connection, extending beyond traditional design studio collaborations.
In-process student interviews and post project surveys supported the evaluation of student experiences. Stereotypes were overcome with a realization that the “other” is not that different from the “self”.
“I was concerned about cultural barriers, but I was excited for the opportunity to work with students internationally […] My mind was changed after we first skyped […]. I realized we were not that different and that it would not be that challenging to communicate […].” - student 2016
“... people have different ideas and opinions. And it’s ok that they may be different from my own.” - student 2017
The design discipline can play a pivotal role in breaking intercultural barriers, enriching global communication, community and tolerance. Looking inwardly and outwardly, design collaborations allow students to develop a culturally sensitive global mindset with the potential to revitalize and support a healthy and productive global village.