Foundation studies in Design education
Unique features of Design education
Design education is practice based, responding to the now with proper theoretical backing. This demands the designer to be constantly on their toes, learning all the time, being attentive to what is going on with total openness and flexibility. Design education and design as a profession demands creativity, sensitivity, empathy from the practitioner and this can be only achieved by a shift from the way one has been educated in the school. Design education demands the designer to have holistic over view- a balance between (1) art/ culture (2) science/ technology (3) finance, management and (4) humanities (anthropology, history, sociology, psychology) (5) communication (language and other means like computer etc) and holistic abilities -development of physical skills- making, drawing etc as well as intellectual abilities. Even more interesting is the need innovation/creativity on one hand and practicality on the other. Ability to observe, comprehend, articulate and communicate is very crucial for designers. Foundation program Regular education does not prepare the student to be an authentic and independent learner. Foundation program is specially designed to meet this demand. Design education demands fundamental shift from the way students have been studying in school. As the shift is fundamental and demands habits and attitudinal changes. The foundation program in general and orientation program in particular the foundation will be geared towards achieving this. In the process the students will also get a glimpse of various design streams and the particular skills each of them demands. Foundation program is the most important program in the making of a designer as foundation program helps the student to become a learner, one who creates knowledge instead of merely receiving knowledge. Design education demands abilities, attitudes, skills and qualities that have not been developed in the regular education and foundation program is required to meet this needs. Foundation program in design/architecture and early childhood education are similar in many ways. Both are about 'foundations' and need to be very sensitively handled and proper time should be allowed for formation and strengthening of aptitude, attitude and skills. This also demands not just time but also proper space- physical and psychological. Both are about childlike qualities. One is for retaining and the other is for regaining. In fact foundation studies are like a second birth and the womb needs to be sensitively handled. We mess up in both situations as the need for foundation is the proof that we haven't handled the 'early childhood education' well. Children are born to learn and our job is to ensure that their ability to learn is retained. But we teach, instruct, control, coerce, and test and mess it up. In fact we 'give' freedom and mess them up psychologically forever. The foundation will explore and open the door way for students the take interest in the 5 streams mentioned.( (1) art/ culture (2) science/ technology (3) finance, management and (4) humanities (anthropology, history, sociology, psychology) (5) communication (language and other means like computer etc))
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