When we were looking for design students to interview for the "Design Education" focus in our 01.23 issue, communication designer Sophia Weider wrote: "Hey, my bachelor's thesis was a teaching concept for independent work. So I started a course with alternative teaching methods and workshops at the HAW in Hamburg and wanted to rethink teaching. Does the topic fit the article?" It certainly does! Naturally, we wanted to take a closer look. And we were thrilled: Her thesis "Du brennst es" pursues the goal of promoting independent work, active making and self-responsibility of one's own projects.
Rethinking teaching
So Sophia Weider spent 19 weeks experimenting with teaching methods, creative techniques and workshops with students at HAW Hamburg. But how did she come up with this idea in the first place? "During my bachelor's degree, I asked myself what should actually be taught at universities these days," says Weider. "As an amateur in teaching, I set myself the task of rethinking teaching and offering alternative forms of teaching." She is particularly interested in the topic of passion - her indie magazine Ruhm & Ego (which we presented in issue 06.21 ) already demonstrated a certain penchant for this topic.
For the thesis, her aim was to transfer her intrinsic passion to teaching, she acquired knowledge transfer tactics and designed a lesson plan. "I used my advantages as an amateur and experimented with different teaching formats, such as speed dating, screencasts or automatic writing," says Weider. "Through a public channel on Instagram, a field trip to Amsterdam or presentations during class, I encouraged the students to work more independently." The grand finale of the course was a semester exhibition that the students designed together.
"You burn it" includes the aspect that every person is able to learn individually; Weider believes that a teaching concept should reflect this. "For this reason, listening is a rather unsuitable form of learning."
"Students should learn actively, self-directed and in real situations and demonstrate their own responsibility. This helps students to plan, shape and regulate their learning process independently."
Sophia Weider
Getting active
A self-taught lecturer who wants to ignite passion and convey new perspectives without frontal teaching and strict hierarchies - sounds pretty tempting. The lecturers at HAW were open to her approach and the teaching concept was developed in consultation with Professor Stefan Stefanescu and freelance lecturer Hanna Osen.
The result is a concept that has an infectious effect and aims to get people actively involved. Sophia Weider believes it is important not to close yourself off to the Internet and literature, which can be used to acquire knowledge independently at any time these days. "We don't need professors to teach us programs or tell us about the latest trends in the design industry. We can find all that out for ourselves. Chasing credit points is also not the solution to completing a degree," she says. What she wants instead: coaches, motivators, companions. "Those who keep me focused on my goals and motivate me to keep going, because I learn new things when I'm motivated."
Interdisciplinary & passionate
Fewer rules and more passion - this is how Weider would like to see university teaching in the future. "Design universities must have higher aspirations than just teaching the craft and software skills. A university must teach across disciplines, be curious, keen to experiment and a passionate place."
The portfolio of Sophia Weider
Her magazine Ruhm & Ego, which she publishes with Lucas Hesse
