Amazon Interdisciplinary Field School
Course: ARTS 3000 / DESN 3000
Instructors: Lee Beavington, Farhad Dastur, Lucie Gagne, Ross Laird
One-sentence summary:
Field school students choose a topic for a semester-long project that they engage with, research/explore, and present on to the class.
Students have a major inquiry-based project that demonstrates their major learning for the course. The topic or question they explore is directly based upon, and informed by, their experience during the field school. Examples include sustainable design, portfolios, photography, and creative process. Some examples can be seen here.
Concise components of this process for students:
- Create a learning culture of mutual support and respect. Invite students to reflect on their passions, and on their journey as it unfolds.
- Have students come up with a topic or question to explore. They submit a proposal outlining the key steps, resources, and unanswered questions they have.
- Formative feedback is provided, preferably including a one-on-one session with each student.
- Students complete a final ‘product’ (which varies from something physical, to something digital, to a creative piece) which they present to the class.
- The final product, journal, and reflective paper are submitted.
