Reflective practitioner or active practitioner?
The main goal of MOME’s one week long workshop titled “Reflective Robotics & Connectivity”, which was inherently a preview of the semester long KFI course, was to teach the students to be in a position of a reflective practitioner in digital object design and technology.
Both the Hungarian and the international students from the Danish Aalborg University came in with a wide range of knowledge in robotic programming and digital crafting so their approach was intended to face new challenges.
The philosophical term stems from Donald A. Schon specifically from his book called Reflective Practitioner where he explains further the professional’s critical attitude towards its own craft resulting in self-development.
According to Dr. Renata Dezso, who is one of the teachers of the course, during reflective work we embody a never ending attitude to learning and experimenting, where we constantly review our efforts while we create to improve our craft.
Working together in these complex networks of technology, material, students and knowledge in a specific laboratory-like environment, testing and prototyping, is not an easy ride. Even though it becomes a strenuous experience only finding microsolutions, it also helps the learning process by making us fail more so we can accummulate a wider range of knowledge.
The workshop used a decentralized, creative approach based on group work and group knowledge, thus demonstrating a multidisciplinary path to robotics and creating in general, emphasizing the fact that the robotic crafting is uncertain due to its great complexity. Furthermore the course sets us up to teamwork rather than working as individuals since the future holds a collaboration based method to knowledge and creating to keep up with the fast pace of technological development.