Tasks of a Designer and Educator

One of the imaginative bridges that came to mind when reading coursework related to interior design is the task of the interior designer to “analyze the client's needs, goals, and life and safety requirements” (Saltzman). This could definitely fit as a main objective of an educator. It is our task to analyze the student’s needs, their goals, as well as ensure they have a safe environment both physically and emotionally. This objective for an interior designer relates to more of a physical space, however, for an educator this could apply to areas including physical, but also apply in planning upcoming lessons, ensuring that students needs are being met, particularly if they may have a learning disability, and ensuring their is respect so that students are able to have a positive experience feeling welcome to participate. Creating a compelling experience for the student encompasses each of these elements.

Interior Design and the Classroom

It may seem that interior design elements and the classroom are far from being connected. As I read Susanka’s writings about making a house a home I could see many ways that these elements could be implemented into the classroom. Three design elements that Susanka discusses are space, light, and order.

Space includes examining how a room is laid out in regards to the activities that typically take place there. One problem that many have is to consider increasing space as the only solution for a room that is not functioning well. Susanka mentions many ways to utilize small spaces to improve functionality and create a positive experience such as dividing space into “discrete but visible areas” (Susanna, p. 8). Some of the other suggestions mentioned may be difficult to alter as an educator such as varying ceiling heights, but arranging space into specific areas is definitely possible and can improve the classroom environment.

Light is another important element that can affect the classroom atmosphere. Initially this may seem like a difficult element to alter as many classrooms are equipped with harsh lighting that is already in place, but there are other ways to alter lighting such as turning off the main lights and bringing in lamps. One of my favorite courses in high school was a creative writing course. My teacher would often turn off the lights and use alternate lighting to create a calming experience while we wrote poetry or other themed writings.

Order refers to alignment or how objects within the room are arranged. One idea for creating a classroom while considering order would be to use a grid to create symmetry or a pattern.

With all these elements together I can create a more thought out classroom environment which can create a positive atmosphere for more compelling classroom experiences.

Susanka, S. A new design language. Learn to describe the sense of "home." Excerpt from "Creating the Not So Big House."

Timing

One of the elements that I found was key to creating a compelling experience through film/video was timing. This could definitely bridge over into teaching. Scenes that were long and drawn out became dull and could cause a loss of attention, yet others required the longer scene to tell the story. There is a value to examining our timing as educators. Are we moving along at a pace that will keep the student intrigued or are we drawing it out too long. It can be hard to tell when in the middle of a lesson. This is where I could see videotaping the lesson being a good reflection tool. I believe there is a lot to learn from watching ourselves in action. During the film editing process the editor is allowed time to reflect upon video clips to decide what needs to be included and what could be cut. Educators could also improve upon lessons through watching their own footage and seeing if there is an area that needs more emphasis or an area that could be cut.

Imaginative Bridges Between Film and Teaching

An important lesson that educators can learn from film makers is the involvement of multiple senses to create a compelling experience. In Chapter 3 of The Preparation Before the Shooting, Rabiger mentions “participants describing past events or inner feelings make less impact than when we see them actually living through the experience itself.” How often are we taught through auditory explanation of what occurred historically rather than viewing or having a similar experience. It may call from more creativity in lesson planning, but there are many benefits that could come from creating more compelling experiences.

Another thought that came to mind as I read and contemplated what educators could gain from the film industry is the idea of suspense and interest. Film trailers take the highlights of an upcoming film and grab the viewers attention. They have experienced a small piece of what is to come and it is intended to leave them wanting more. It lead me to question “What could I do build suspense in my classroom?” or “Are my introductions to upcoming lessons leaving them wanting to learn more?”. Could we incorporate trailers as an attention grabber?

Rabiger, M. The preparation before the shooting. From Directing the Documentary. Chap3 (part 1).