Final Week Reflection

It has been a long journey. When someone is given several months to study a topic in depth, the actual learning takes place on many levels. I think this week was focused on experimental/activity-based learning about future design.

After thinking about our scenario as a possibly alternative future that focused on a educational change, we wanted to demonstrate the different flow of growth that would be evident in the society. To capture this experience, we created a character that took on the appearance of a perfect example of a student that does not exist in our current education system. A hardworking student who had great interest in farming. Currently it is rare to see a hardworking student to dream of becoming a farmer since the financial yield of that sector is not the best when compared to more tech-infused sectors. This student, Lio, is described in a setting where we can observe his behavior, emotions and thoughts. Through conversing with a parent and a friend, the student reveals his daily life and also hints at the structure of the society.

Sadly, I had an onsite interview on Friday so I wasn’t there with my team to present the sketch and therefore do not know much more than what they told me. I heard that there was free pizza in class so I am already really jealous. Except that, we met after class and discussed what happened in class and what we should submit for the final assignment.

I was happy to hear that they pulled off a Blackboard joke in the end of the sketch and made the class laugh/smile for a little bit. I think that this whole exercise was a good way to encapsulate an experimental future learning design. I enjoyed discussing the presence of the audience and how it would affect the sketch.

I could say that what I learned this week was more about delivering a thrilling experience and making sure the audience is a part of the sketch/presentation that is happening. This is a tool that is useful for many situations, especially when you have to deliver mundane content to an audience.

The example I gave on the paragraph above mostly explains this paragraph so I would like to conclude by saying that this class had taught me the principles of future thinking/design and constructing valuable futures that can help steer the society towards a beneficial future rather than a disastrous one. Understanding the thinking process in which such future is created was also a crucial element of the class. I think that a lot of things I’ve learnt this semester will help me throughout my life and career.

Thank you Peter & TA’s,

Deniz