EPN

MAPD5000 Technology and Design Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Technology and Design
Study programme
Masterstudium i produktdesign – design for kompleksitet
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2021/2022
Curriculum
FALL 2021
Schedule
Course history

Introduction

Technologies play a distinctive role in everyday lives. Human - technology relations are multifaceted as they combine usability with the creation of new practices on an individual, organizational and societal level. The process of introduction of new technologies is not necessarily linear starting with scientific invention and design conception to the reception of a particular product by the market. This iterative process is characterized by ethical, sustainability, and material engineering issues, but above all, by the imprint on human behavior in the way that technologies augment or prohibit human actions. This course explores how design can be strategically used to merge the above mentioned factors for commercialization of emerging technologies. Admission to the master's program is necessary in order to attend this course.

Required preliminary courses

Admission to the Master's program.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

The student has achieved in-depth knowledge of:

  • using key concepts in philosophy of technology and design science methodology to implement emerging technologies.
  • reviewing technologies from the perspective of human health, wellbeing, and sustainable practices
  • anticipating and assessing technological impact on human actions
  • discerning key social and behavioral issues while designing technologies

Skills

The student is capable of:

  • independently contributing to multidisciplinary design projects within the area of technology and design
  • linking various fields of technology to health and wellbeing promoting innovation
  • demonstrating human-technology relations by aid of prototypes
  • applying design science principles in a technology related project
  • linking theory and methods attained in the master specialization with technology and design

General competence

The student can:

  • evaluate the ethical challenges of technologies and propose novel solutions
  • plan and conduct design process that include technological implementation and human factors in new design contexts.
  • propose holistic answers on achieving sustainable practices with technologies.

Content

  • reading and workshops connecting design, innovation, research and technology
  • prototyping within technologies such 3D print, internet of things, or virtual reality.
  • discussions concerning ethical situations that emerge by the application of technologies as part of design through postphenomenology, posthumanism, critical theory of technology, actor network theory, and salutogenic theories.
  • engagement and user experience facilitated by technology products and services
  • methods that comprise innovation and contemporary technologies for health and wellbeing

Teaching and learning methods

Combination of lectures, workshops and teamwork. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) approaches can be used in this course.

Combination of theory and practice (activities related to topic-matter).

The course includes presentations by student groups.

Course requirements

None.

Assessment

The evaluation is based on two parts, each contributing 50 % of the final grade:

1) Written assignment: As part of the turn in, the students student will turn in text individually or in groups, that discusses ethical views about design and technology for health

2) Group work presentations of self-initiated work based on the curriculum

Both examination 1. And 2. must be passed in the same semester in order to pass the course

Part 1) The exam result can be appealed.

Part 2) The exam result cannot be appealed.

Permitted exam materials and equipment

No restrictions.

Grading scale

A grading scale of A (highest) to F (lowest) where A to E is a pass grade and F is a fail grade.

Examiners

Part 1) One internal examiner.

Part 2) Two internal examiners. External examiners are used regurlarly.