Syllabus

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Note: A PDF version of the syllabus can be found at 
DCI691-Fall2023-Syllabus

DCI 691 – Education by Design (#93544)
Term 2023, Session C
August 17 – December 02, 2023

Website: deep-play.com (pwd: edbydesign)
Slack channel (once logged into ASU slace, search for
“2023Fall-T-DCI691-93544“).

Instructor Information
Lead Instructor: Punya Mishra
ASU Email: punya.mishra@asu.edu
Phone: +1 517.303.9567
Office Hours: By appointment
Office Location: Farmer 402P

Note: As in every designed artifact this syllabus has received input, direct and indirect, from a range of people. In particular I would call attention to students in CEP917 and DCI 580/780 at Michigan State University and Arizona State University respectively; Dr. Danah Henriksen, & Dr. Melissa War. All credit for anything that goes right goes to these individuals, any errors are mine and mine alone. 

Catalog Description

A small class emphasizing discussion, presentations by students, and written research papers.

Detailed Description

DCI 691 (Education by Design) is a course about design. Design as a way of thinking and as a process that values collaboration, context, and diverse perspectives. Design as an approach that generates creative solutions to complex (wicked) problems of practice, particularly in education. 

Design is both a noun and a verb, a product and a process. Design is central to the construction of any process or artifact—be it a website or a car; an ATM machine or educational policy. Design touches on many different disciplines—science, technology, engineering, education, psychology, sociology, organizational behavior, and art, to name a few. A multi-dimensional issue like design, particularly in education, requires a multifaceted approach. 

We will be exploring design through the lens of a framework we have been working on for the past few years. In fact most of the work on the framework happened in previous iterations of this course. This framework, The five spaces for design in education. In brief, we argue that it may be productive to think of the idea of design as playing out in 5 distinct educational spaces: artifacts, processes, experiences, systems and culture.

One of the key themes in this class is going to be exploring how each of these spaces will be changed by the advent of a new technology—namely generative AI.

As a class, we will do many different things this semester. We will read, discuss, analyze widely from research and theory. We will examine design practice, and build new conceptions… all in order to to explore the intertwined ideas of education and design.

Finally, we will together work on an exciting project that will focus on how generative AI will influence education in the future.

Education/Design is truly my favorite class to teach. I look forward to working together this semester.

Course Format

This class will be conducted as an in-person course, including but not limited to online discussions, and written and other assignments and projects.

Course Texts, Materials, and Resources

Required Course Text

There is no textbook for this course. All course content is located in, or is linked from, the course site (at deep-play.com (password: edbydesign)

Required Materials and Resources

Access to a computer with software for creating / editing text, audio/video may be needed for this class.

Provided Materials and Resources

ASU’s Course Materials are available via My ASU in the My Classes area. All ASU students have free access to this web resource, including the ASU Learning Management System.

• For help accessing the online course materials, including logging on, submitting work, troubleshooting, etc., please refer to My ASU Service Center or the Help link located within the Learning Management System.
• To monitor the status of campus networks and services, please visit the ASU System Health portal.
• My Apps provides free software tools, including free virus scan software, online applications, and information about discounted software for purchase.

If needed we may use Zoom for some meetings

Course Objectives

Understand the critical role played by design and design-based processes play in our lives (particularly in education).

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Student Learning Outcomes

Develop a deeper understanding of the role of design, design thinking, technological innovation both in educational contexts in specific and the world in general.

Become proficient in the process and application of designerly approaches to solving complex problems in education and beyond.

Develop an understanding of the spaces within which design functions in education.

Course Assignments

For a complete list of assignments and due dates please go to the Assignments page on this website.

Tentative Course Schedule

8/23	Introduction to “design” & the course
8/30	The idea of design (and design thinking)
9/06	Designerly ways of knowing
9/13	People & Things
9/20	Wickedness, Design & Dewey
9/27	Bias in design
10/04	Fall break
10/11	Aesthetics, Emotion & design
10/18	Roots of Innovation (social)
10/25	Design in Society
11/01	Design theory
11/08	Design thinking and its discontents
11/15	TBD
11/22	Thanksgiving week, no class
11/29	The truth of fact and the truth of feeling
12/5	Final submissions

Grading Procedures

Grades in part reflect your performance on assignments and adherence to deadlines. Talk to me if you have any questions. 

Course Expectations

Engagement.  I have very high expectations from each of you and hope you have high expectations from me and this course as well. On my side, I promise to try my best to make this course as useful and enriching as possible for each of you.

There will be times, however, when, for some reason or the other, I may not be able to meet your expectations. I trust that you will feel free to get in touch by email or phone to let me know. I promise to listen to your point of view and give it serious consideration. I may or may not choose to change what I do, but what I will do is let you know why I chose as we did.

I also have some expectations from you. I expect each of you to be prepared. I expect each of you to set aside some time in your lives for this course. Being prepared means having read and thought about assigned readings, group discussions, or having worked on projects. I expect you to read the required readings “thoughtfully” that is, read them with questions, ideas, and conjectures in mind.

I expect each of you to participate. There will be much variety in the activities we do – small group discussion, design sessions, readings, etc. The success or failure of each of these activities will depend in large part on your participation. I expect each of you will be able to contribute something to our discussions and will do so regularly. You are all smart, capable people and the topics, readings, and assignments are designed to engage your interest and experiences.

I expect each of you to come ready to learn from your peers. Classes work best when students view one another as knowledgeable and expect to learn as much from classmates as from the instructor. Also expect to challenge our ideas and those of your classmates (gently) and have yours challenged by us. We make no headway if we nod our heads politely but push neither the readings, others, nor ourselves to deeper understandings.

I expect each of you to be ready to be confused, irritated, and misunderstood, as well as appreciated, applauded, and surprised. The readings, discussions, and assignments should provoke a range of feelings and responses. Try to understand what makes you feel comfortable or uncomfortable, what you take for granted and what surprises you, what others understand or misunderstand about your ideas.

And finally, most importantly, I expect each of you to be ready to have fun. Learning happens best when it is fun. It is our hope that a lot of fun will happen in our interactions.

STUDENT SUCCESS

To be a successful student in this course, you must:

• check the course daily for announcements and messages;
• communicate regularly with your instructor and peers;
• create a personalized study and/or assignment schedule, allowing for adequate time to complete coursework;
• complete assignments by the due dates specified; and
• keep copies and backups of all work in process and work submitted.

The instructor in the course reserves the authority to require you to use supplementary services at ASU at no additional cost to maximize your chances of success in this course. See the University Academic Success Programs for more information.

Resources and Accessibility

The Resources page on the course site contains information on how to access various support options for students, including writing guides, contacting the writing center, career mentoring, etc. The Accessibility page shares details about accessibility features, the importance of equal technology opportunities, and accessibility statements for tools used in the course.

GRADING PROCEDURES

Attendance and Participation

You are expected to attend every class. That said, life happens, so let me know if you cannot make a particular class meeting and we will work out how you can meet/complete course requirements.

Late and Missing Assignments

Students must submit assignments by the due dates indicated in the course schedule (Arizona time). If you have any concerns in meeting these deadlines let me know in advance.

Collaborative Work

You must independently complete all assignments, tests, activities, etc., unless specifically stated otherwise. In situations where collaboration is part of the assignment, the expectations will be clearly stated in the assignment overview. In all collaborative efforts, you must work only within your assigned group, and you must include the names of all individuals who worked on the submitted assignment. These two minimum requirements for collaborative assignments must be met or the work will not be accepted.

PROGRAM AND COURSE POLICIES

Technology Requirements and Skills

This course requires access to a computer or device with:

• Internet access, preferably with a high-speed connection
• A web browser (For the best experience, use Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari. Internet Explorer is not recommended.)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)
• Adobe Flash Player (free)
• Microsoft Office, or the ability to work with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents
• Speaker, microphone (optional), and webcam (optional)
• Access to technology to create and upload videos for assessment and feedback
• Access to your ASU email account via My ASU
• Access to Google Drive via My Drive via My ASU, where you can create and share Google documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and more.

Technology Backup

It is the student’s responsibility to have a backup procedure for course assignments.

Email

ASU email is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and staff. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your ASU email account. Students are expected to read and act upon email in a timely fashion, within 24 hours where possible. Students bear the responsibility of missed messages and should check their ASU-assigned email regularly. Should you choose to set up email forwarding to a personal or other email account, any links to course materials must be accessed through your official ASU email account to ensure authorization. You can confirm your ASU email and forwarding address by going to My ASU, clicking on the Profile tab, and selecting ASU Email Forwarding.

Drop and Add Dates/Withdrawals

This course follows a compressed schedule and may be part of a sequenced program, therefore, there is a limited timeline to drop or add the course. Please refer to the ASU Academic Calendar for relevant deadlines, and consult with your academic advisor in the Office of Student Services on how to proceed. If you are considering a withdrawal, review the following ASU policies: Withdrawal from Classes, Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal, and Grade of Incomplete.

Grade Appeals

The official ASU grade record resides in My ASU, not on the course site. At the culmination of each course, you should verify your current student record and final course grades through My ASU. If you see a discrepancy between the grade posted on the course site and in My ASU, please notify your instructor immediately so that the discrepancy can be addressed in your official record.

The professional responsibility for assigning grades is vested in the instructor of the course and requires the careful application of professional judgment. A student wishing to appeal a grade must first meet with the instructor who assigned the grade to try to resolve the dispute. The process for grade appeals is set forth in the Grade Appeal Policy and Process.

Course/Instructor Evaluation

Course/instructor evaluations are conducted online during the 14 days prior to the last official day of classes each session. Watch for an email to your official ASU email address, with “ASU Course/Instructor Evaluation” in the subject heading. Please be certain to complete the evaluation for your assigned instructor/academic associate.

Completion of the evaluation is not required for you to pass this class and will not affect your grade, but your cooperation and participation in this process is important and appreciated. The evaluations are used to:

• help faculty improve their instruction;
• help administrators evaluate instructional quality;
• ensure high standards of teaching; and
• ultimately improve instruction and student learning over time.

Responses to the course/instructor evaluation are anonymous and will not be returned to your instructor until after grades have been submitted.

Copyright Notice

Copyright law may protect some course materials available through the Learning Management System. This material is only for the use of students enrolled in the specific course(s) and must be used in accordance with the United States Copyright Act, Title 17 of the U.S. Code. Protected materials on the course site may not be retained on the student’s computer or other electronic storage device for longer than the duration of the specific class for which they are assigned, nor further disseminated by the student to any other persons. Furthermore, a student must refrain from uploading to any course site, discussion board, or website used by the course instructor or other course forum, material that is not the student’s original work, unless first complying with all applicable copyright laws; faculty members reserve the right to delete materials on the grounds of suspected copyright infringement.

UNIVERSITY/MARY LOU FULTON TEACHERS COLLEGE POLICIES

Student Conduct

Student Conduct and Professional Behavior

Appropriate behavior is defined by the instructor and includes all in-person and electronic communication in the course. It is expected that students exhibit professional behavior in all settings, including clinical placements and working with other students. If at any time a student’s behavior does not meet the standards delineated in the class syllabus, Mary Lou Fulton Satisfactory Academic Progress and Professional Conduct Policy, or university policies, the instructor may refer the student for academic probation or to the ASU Dean of Students.

Handling Disruptive, Threatening, or Violent Individuals

Students, faculty, staff, and other individuals do not have an unqualified right of access to university grounds, property, or services. Interfering with the peaceful conduct of university-related business or activities or remaining on campus grounds after a request to leave may be considered a crime.

All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening conduct by an ASU student (whether on- or off-campus) must be reported to the ASU Police Department (ASU PD) and the Office of the Dean of Students. If either office determines that the behavior poses or has posed a serious threat to personal safety or to the welfare of the campus, the student will not be permitted to return to campus or reside in any ASU residence hall until an appropriate threat assessment has been completed and, if necessary, conditions for return are imposed. ASU PD, the Office of the Dean of Students, and other appropriate offices will coordinate the assessment in light of the relevant circumstances. For further information, please visit ASU’s policy on Handling Disruptive, Threatening, or Violent Individuals.

Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is defined as the reuse of one’s identical or nearly identical section or subsection of work without prior permission granted by the course professor of record and any coauthor with whom a prior work may have been written, and without explicit acknowledgement (e.g., a citation of the original work). Self-plagiarism is strictly prohibited and will be treated as a violation of the university’s Student Academic Integrity Policy. Please see the Academic Integrity/Plagiarism section for more information.

Academic Integrity/Plagiarism

Students are expected to act with honesty and adhere to the university’s Student Academic Integrity Policy. Failure to do so may result in sanctions, such as grade penalties, suspension, or expulsion from the university. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, such actions as cheating; plagiarizing; fabricating or falsifying information; or assisting with such activities.

Harassment

ASU policy prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, and other protected veteran status. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employees or expulsion of students.

If you feel that another student is harassing you based on any of the factors above, contact the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities:

• Online Students: Student Services Building, Room 263, 480-965-6547;
• Downtown Phoenix: Post Office, Room 243, 602-496-0670;
• Polytechnic: Administration Building, Room 102, 480-727-5269;
• Tempe: Student Services Building, Room 263, 480-965-6547;
• West: University Center Building, Room 301, 602-543-8152.

If you feel that an ASU employee is harassing you based on any of the factors above, contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at 480-965-5057.

For further information, please visit ASU’s policy on Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation.

Title IX

Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Both Title IX and university policy make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who believes he or she has been subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been harassed on the basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at Sexual Violence Awareness and Response.

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information shared regarding alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating violence. ASU Counseling Services is available if you wish to discuss any concerns confidentially and privately.

Electronic Communication

Acceptable use of university computers, Internet, and electronic communications can be found in the Student Code of Conduct and in the university’s Computer, Internet, and Electronic Communications Information Management Policy.

Accommodations

Disability Accommodations for Students

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is committed to student success and ensures an inclusive learning environment for all students. Students with disabilities or disabling health conditions who need accommodations are required to document their condition with the Student Accessibility and Inclusive Learning Services (SAILS). Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College encourages admitted students with disabilities or disabling health conditions who believe that they may need an accommodation to register with SAILS prior to enrolling in the program. That way, all reasonable accommodations can be in place at the beginning of the program. Students who are registered with SAILS will be key participants in establishing reasonable and appropriate accommodations with course instructors.

Religious Accommodations for Students

Students who need to be absent from class due to the observance of a religious holiday or participate in required religious functions must notify the faculty member in writing as far in advance of the holiday/obligation as possible. Students will need to identify the specific holiday or obligatory function to the faculty member. Students will not be penalized for missing class due to religious obligations/holiday observance. The student should contact the class instructor to make arrangements for making up tests/assignments within a reasonable time. For further information, please visit ASU’s policy on Accommodation for Religious Practices.

Military Personnel Statement

A student who is a member of the National Guard, Reserve, or other U.S. Armed Forces branch and is unable to complete classes because of military activation may request complete or partial administrative unrestricted withdrawals or incompletes, depending on the timing of the activation. For further information, please visit ASU’s policy on Military Activation of Students.

Missed Classes Due to University-Sanctioned Activities

Students who participate in university-sanctioned activities that require coursework or due dates to be missed should be given alternative due dates considerate of their time away. Instructors should attempt to provide opportunities for alternative due dates, either before or after the absence from class participation, in accordance with any academic unit or college requirements which may apply. Absence from class participation due to university-sanctioned activities does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the coursework required during the period of the absence. The student should inform the class instructor early in the session of any required absences and make arrangements for alternative due dates within a reasonable time. Additionally, the specific activity program coordinator should, as early as possible, provide the college-designated individual with the schedule of any student who may be absent from class participation because of a university-sanctioned activity. For further information, please visit ASU’s policy on Missed Classes Due to University-Sanctioned Activities.

UNIVERSITY SERVICES

Tutoring

Tutoring is available on all ASU campuses and online for a variety of courses in small groups on a walk-in/drop-in basis. Appointments are only necessary for mentoring and writing.

Writing Center

The Writing Center, located on all ASU campuses and online, offers free tutoring for all enrolled students. Appointments are also available. All writers, including undergraduate and graduate students, can benefit from visiting the Writing Center to:

• explore, plan, and develop ideas;
• organize and structure a paper;
• integrate and cite sources; and
• write, revise, edit, and proofread.

Student Purchases

Discounted pricing for students purchasing select technology items may be available through the ASU Bookstore or online. Visit the ASU Bookstore, and select Store News & Offers.

Hardware and Software Support

ASU Technology Studio provides support to students on all four campuses for hardware, software, operating systems, security, networking, etc.

This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor and/or college. Every effort will be made to avoid changes to the syllabus or course schedule, but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make modifications necessary. If so, changes will be communicated via ASU email and/or the course site.   Continued enrollment in this course assumes that you have read and understand the information outlined in the syllabus.