Design=Life

I was quite excited to delve into this week's readings when I saw that one of them dealt with design. I am a graphic designer by trade and am fortunate enough to be teaching graphic design in a technology high school. I absolutely love EVERYTHING design. I love graphic design and working to create attractive advertising and marketing materials. I also love set design, fashion design, interior design, wedding design, event design, and the list continues! While the reading for this week was focused on a different type of design- Design Principles of Mobile Learning- I was still very excited. Why? Because I have come to realize (and this passage helped me do so) that everything new and innovative in our world has come from some sort of design. The outlying principles are always the same. There is a problem or need that creates a purpose for a new design. Creation starts with design and mobile learning is no different. I came across this additional passage when reading this week that also dealt with the design of mobile learning. In education, design is still the center of innovation. I think we need to start really focusing on where our students need improvement and additional help, and from there DESIGN a way to use different avenues of mobile learning to assist with the predetermined problem(s). We have to read our students. What do they respond to, what do they like, what are they really calling out for and where do they need help? Then it is up to us to design a strategy to assist them. Whether it be through blogging, Diigo, podcasts, using mobile phones for photos and video, youtube, QR codes, online surveys, etc for feedback...the list continues. But it MUST. START. WITH. DESIGN!