This blog represents the students’ thoughts and observations during the 2019 Design Abroad: Costa Rica course. It also serves as an archive of the project and work accomplished in collaboration with the local community. To learn more, read the following blog posts, starting at the beginning through to the final day’s post.
Author Archives: Sarah Tranum
Design Abroad: Costa Rica 2019 Exhibition
Students and faculty from the Design Abroad: Costa Rica course invite you to attend the Design Abroad Exhibition. The exhibition will be held November 19th to 29th in the Great Hall with an opening reception on November 19th, from 5PM to 7PM.
This exhibition features the work of students from across the FoD who participated in the Design Abroad course in May. Their individual projects are inspired by their experiences traveling and engaging in a comprehensive participatory design project with the El Cocal community in Costa Rica.
Welcome!
Welcome to the Design Abroad: Costa Rica Class of 2019!
Class of 2017 Blog
This blog represents the students’ thoughts and observations during the 2017 Design Abroad: India course. It also serves as an archive of the project and work accomplished in collaboration with the local community. To learn more, read the following blog posts, starting at the beginning through to the final day’s post.
Course Blog Assignments
One of your required tasks in this course is to post to the Design Abroad: India blog. One to two students will be assigned to post each day to the blog, reporting and reflecting on the activities you were involved in on that day. Each student will be responsible for three blog posts during the course. Students will write and upload, at minimum, a 200-word post. Along with thoughtfully written (and edited) text, you will choose and upload three photos that best represent the work and experience that day. For faster uploading, ensure you first re-save the photos as a smaller file size. Posts should be completed and uploaded by 9am the day following your assigned blog day.
Here is the blog assignment schedule over the next three weeks:
Mon 5/15
Alyssa
Tues 5/16
Jake
Wed 5/17
Maddy
Thurs 5/18
T’mikah
Fri 5/19
Megan
Sat 5/20
Genevieve
Sun 5/21
Liza
Mon 5/22
Michael
Tues 5/23
Melih
Wed 5/24
Alyssa
Thurs 5/25
Jake
Fri 5/26
T’mikah
Sat 5/27
Maddy
Sun 5/28
Megan
Liza
Mon 5/29
Genevieve
Melih
Tues 5/30
Michael
T’mikah
Wed 5/31
Alyssa
Megan
Thurs 6/1
Melih
Liza
Fri 6/2
Genevieve
Michael
Sat 6/3
Jake
Maddy
Welcome!
Welcome to the Design Abroad: India Class of 2017!
Class of 2014 Blog
This blog represents the students’ thoughts and observations during the 2014 Design Abroad: India course. It also serves as an archive of the project and work accomplished in collaboration with the local community. To learn more, read the following blog posts, starting at the beginning through to the final day’s post.
Class of 2015 Blog
This blog represents the students’ thoughts and observations during the 2015 Design Abroad: India course. It also serves as an archive of the project and work accomplished in collaboration with the local community. To learn more, read the following blog posts, starting at the beginning through to the final day’s post.
Class Blog Assignments
One of your required tasks in this course is to post to the Design Abroad: India blog. One to two students will be assigned to post each day to the blog, reporting and reflecting on the activities you were involved in on that day. Each student will be responsible for two blog posts during the course. Students will write and upload, at minimum, a 200-word post. Along with thoughtfully written (and edited) text, you will choose and upload 2-3 photos that best represent the work and experience that day. For faster uploading, ensure you first re-save the photos as a smaller file size. Posts should be completed and uploaded by 9am the day following your assigned blog day.
Here is the blog assignment schedule over the next three weeks:
Mon 5/11
Yinan
Tues 5/12
Christian
Wed 5/13
Kersti
Thurs 5/14
Rachel
Fri 5/15
Natassja
Sat 5/16
Melis
Sun 5/17
Deanna
Mon 5/18
Frances
Tues 5/19
Ali
Wed 5/20
Naya
Thurs 5/21
Ariel
Fri 5/22
Ambika
Sat 5/23
Bonita
Sun 5/24
Yinan
Mon 5/25
Christian
Frances
Tues 5/26
Kersti
Ali
Wed 5/27
Rachel
Naya
Thurs 5/28
Natassja
Ariel
Fri 5/29
Melis
Ambika
Sat 5/30
Deanna
Bonita
Welcome Class of 2015!
2014 Class – Student Bios
Please post your bios here. Each person should add theirs above the previous posted bio. Use the following format: (Copy and paste and repeat for all ten bios)
STUDENTS
Name:
Upload a photo of yourself
Major:
About Me:
Write 100-150 words about yourself and your design work and upload 1-3 photos of your work
_________________
Name:
Upload a photo of yourself
Major:
About Me:
Write 100-150 words about yourself and your design work and upload 1-3 photos of your work
_________________
Name:
Upload a photo of yourself
Major:
About Me:
Write 100-150 words about yourself and your design work and upload 1-3 photos of your work
_________________
The First Design Abroad: India Class
In May of 2023, nine OCAD University students traveled to India as part of the Design Abroad: India course. This diverse group of students came from both the Faculty of Design and the Faculty of Art and represented a cross section of disciplines, skill sets, and perspectives. This blog documents the projects these students undertook and the incredible work they did as they co-designed with two organizations over the three-week period of the course.
The students worked in two groups. One group co-designed with KESBO, a boys orphanage, and the other team collaborated with Sadhana, a human rights organization that works with residents living in slum areas. The KESBO team designed and built a new playspace with and for the boys who live and go to school at the orphanage. This playspace not only provides a safe place for the boys to have fun and interact with each other, but also offered the boys the opportunity to express their ideas and work together to see these ideas become real.
The Sadhana group worked with the founder of the organization, her staff, and the residents of the nearby community to develop a visual identity that would represent their goals and collective voice. This identity, used on letterhead, posters, flyers, etc., was also printed on textiles and worn as a means to unify Sadhana and the residents at meetings, rallies, press conferences and other events where they are working to have their rights upheld in order to improve the health, safety and governance of their community.
You can learn more about these projects by reading the following posts, which document the participatory design process, from start to finish. The blog also reflects the students’ thoughts and observations during the course and documents the creation of their final individual projects, which were completed after their return from India. These projects challenged the students to thoughtfully reflect upon their experience and how it has influenced them and their work as designers.