Designing for tomorrow : inspiring students to shape a better world

Abstract

This article focuses on a pedagogical practice implemented in an academic context with undergraduate Communication Design students at (university name to be added), since 2016. In the degree in Communication Design, we encourage students to participate in national and international competitions, allowing them to challenge with new briefs, stimulate their creativity, and compete with peers from other institutions and countries. One notable competition we participate in is the International Poster for Tomorrow, which focuses on social and environmental issues where our student’s work is often recognized. The paper is structured into four main parts: Introduction, Literature Review, Work Methodology, and Final Considerations. The creative process was done using the Design Thinking methodology (problem definition, project ideation, prototyping, and implementation). This pedagogical practice has proven to be valuable in several ways: (i) Firstly, it enables the integration of students in social projects and fosters an empathetic mindset beyond commercial considerations, addressing critical issues for a better world; (ii) recognition from previous years motivate new students; (iii) interdisciplinary approach helps students develop a broader range of skills that prepare them for future challenges in their design careers; (iv) it provides an excellent opportunity for the selected poster authors to have their work recognized, published, and disseminated; (v); it helps improve their portfolio. This article focuses on a pedagogical practice implemented in an academic context with undergraduate Communication Design students at (university name to be added), since 2016. In the degree in Communication Design, we encourage students to participate in national and international competitions, allowing them to challenge with new briefs, stimulate their creativity, and compete with peers from other institutions and countries. One notable competition we participate in is the International Poster for Tomorrow, which focuses on social and environmental issues where our student’s work is often recognized. The paper is structured into four main parts: Introduction, Literature Review, Work Methodology, and Final Considerations. The creative process was done using the Design Thinking methodology (problem definition, project ideation, prototyping, and implementation). This pedagogical practice has proven to be valuable in several ways: (i) Firstly, it enables the integration of students in social projects and fosters an empathetic mindset beyond commercial considerations, addressing critical issues for a better world; (ii) recognition from previous years motivate new students; (iii) interdisciplinary approach helps students develop a broader range of skills that prepare them for future challenges in their design careers; (iv) it provides an excellent opportunity for the selected poster authors to have their work recognized, published, and disseminated; (v); it helps improve their portfolio. Keywords: Pedagogical Practice, Design Education, Societal and Environmental Competition, Holistic Approach, Student Empowerment, Communication Design