Abstract
How might we reimagine sensemaking, traditionally applied to organizational systems, as a transformative tool for personal insight and growth in design education? This presentation introduces Sense of Place, a pedagogical framework that enables educators to design learning experiences that help students uncover connections between their formative environments and their evolving sense of self. A central element of this approach is the educator’s role in facilitating powerful feedback sessions which allows students to make the leap from experience to insight. By expanding on Kolb’s experiential learning theory, Sense of Place helps to align the student’s personal “why” with their professional goals. Grounded in humanistic geography, reflective practice, and narrative inquiry, this framework equips educators with tools such as visual mapping, storytelling workshops, and place-based analysis, supported by structured reflective feedback methods. These practices guide students through a process of self-discovery, helping them integrate personal experiences into their creative work with intentionality and emphasizes the interplay between place, identity, and practice.
Presenters
Emily TsiangAssociate Arts Professor, Program on Creativity and Innovation, NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, China
