MIXED TEACHING APPROACHES IN EMBODIED INTERACTION DESIGN CLASS

The paper describes the teaching and learning experience in a design studio dealing with Tangible and Embodied Interaction, a stance introduced by Paul Dourish to overcome the emergent physical-digital divide, since computers are shrinking and becoming ubiquitous in our everyday life. Technology enables objects to be autonomous in interacting with other objects and with people. Designers should be able to conceive new forms of interaction - mixing visual, physical, haptic, and auditory channels - comprehensible for humans and non-humans, allowing them to interact in different contexts. The course uses a mixed teaching approach, considering methods such as ex-cathedra lectures, workshops, flipped classrooms, project-based learning, practical activities, and peer-to-peer revision and discussion.