Creating a background of relatedness within cultural diversity

Design Culture is a pilot programme currently being developed within the traditions of Action research This programme has been created for new students to enable them to look at the variety of different ways in which design is practised in a variety of cultural contexts. The programme identifies the range of "cultures" within the group, and from this knowledge base issues of design and communication are explored, particularly about meaning attached to visual images, what is common what is different.

The original programme was based around creating a background of relatedness through the process of tutorial based discussion. The author chose to change this method to a visual strategy based on mind mapping. The demonstration will involve the audience being taken through the process as example and then in practise in order to generate the feeling of what it means to experience a 'background of relatedness'.

Introduction

The History
In 1996 I was a member of a team participating in a pilot programme run by my colleague Peter Efford within the School of Design at Curtin University.

The Context
Peter Efford coined the phrase 'background of relatedness' to describe the result of participating in the programme, whose aim was to make students from diverse backgrounds feel comfortable and supportive towards each other regardless of their background. A consequence of relatedness is being comfortable about dialogue. Dialogue drives communication and communication is crucial in the business of learning. Within group learning situations in the School of Design a significant portion revolves around increasing participants transferable skills: listening, being critical, speaking out, presenting, putting across ones point of view - a difficult task when communication is thwarted by diversity.

So, it is our experience that culturally diverse groups have diverse perceptions of themselves in relation to:

The Group
The Lecturer
What is expected of them
What they expect of the lecturer
Each Other

When I first began I followed the lesson plan of the pilot programme having faith in the good teaching judgement of my colleague. During my first pilot programme I admit to thinking: When am I and the students going to feel this relatedness?

There was of course no blinding revelation - there was more a peeling away of the barriers. My participation means that I now know what these barriers are and I believe that the result of my development of the initial project are equal to the pilot programme. The difference is that I have restated the problem within my own understanding. I no longer need the faith in my colleagues insightful practice. I have my own.

The Demonstration

The demonstration involves problem solving, creative thinking and a lecture style that includes a degree of self disclosure from the lecturer and high interactiveness from the participants. How I achieve this interactiveness in the midst of culturally driven diffidence the demonstration will reveal. How effective? This will be determined through the adventure of participation!

The only criteria that participants need possess is interest, enthusiasm, and the ability to draw a circle or two. (Bring pencil and paper)

The Dynamics
The atmosphere and energy of this demonstration is driven by one of the most basic problem solving techniques. When you have a problem to solve. Make the problem the solution.

The Problem
Devise a method for cutting across the cultural diversity of group members in order to communicate within the group.

The Solution
Communicate to each other about the problem: communicate the cultural diversity within the group.

The Method
Construct a group culture that includes the diversity.

The Result
A background of relatedness derived from the culture of the group.

The Evaluation
Whether you feel more 'together' with members of this group in comparison to your relationship with other members of other groups you attend within this conference!!

The Time
We have thirty minutes.