Short answer
Designers should actively incorporate opportunities for 'being' – moments of deep engagement, reflection, and even ambiguity – into their creative processes to unlock deeper insights and foster more holistic solutions.
- Field
- Classic Design
- Source
- Academic Publication (2010)
- Method
- Qualitative Investigation
- Sample
- 8 participants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Integrating 'being' alongside 'understanding' and 'doing' in arts education cultivates a more profound and holistic form of knowledge acquisition. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2010 study published in Academic Publication. Using Qualitative investigation with 8 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should actively incorporate opportunities for 'being' – moments of deep engagement, reflection, and even ambiguity – into their creative processes to unlock deeper insights and foster more holistic solutions.
Holistic Arts Education Fosters Deeper Understanding Through Integrated Knowing
Integrating 'being' alongside 'understanding' and 'doing' in arts education cultivates a more profound and holistic form of knowledge acquisition.
Academic Publication · 2010
Key Findings
- 01The inter-connectedness of understanding, doing, and being leads to a deeper form of knowing.
- 02Integrating 'being' into arts education challenges the sole focus on measurable outcomes and assessment.
- 03Processes that challenge and support participants, like dramaturgy, can facilitate entry into 'unknown spaces' for learning.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should actively incorporate opportunities for 'being' – moments of deep engagement, reflection, and even ambiguity – into their creative processes to unlock deeper insights and foster more holistic solutions.
How to apply
When developing design briefs or facilitating workshops, include objectives that encourage exploration, reflection, and personal experience, rather than solely focusing on predefined deliverables.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design project allows for moments of 'being' – reflection, intuition, or deep immersion.
- 02Think about how you can assess or acknowledge the 'being' aspect of your design process, not just the final product.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Explores a less commonly discussed aspect of learning and knowing ('being').
- +Utilizes a qualitative approach to capture rich, in-depth insights.
Limitations
The qualitative nature of the study means findings are subjective and may not be universally applicable. The small sample size also limits broad conclusions.
Reliability & validity
Reliability may be limited due to the qualitative nature and small sample size. Validity is enhanced by the thematic analysis directly from participant data, but generalizability is a concern.
Think critically
To what extent can the concept of 'being' be objectively measured or assessed within a design project, and how might this challenge traditional evaluation frameworks?
Design Principles
"Holistic knowing is achieved through the balanced integration of understanding, doing, and being."
This research highlights that traditional educational models, often focused solely on measurable outcomes and explicit knowledge transfer ('understanding' and 'doing'), may overlook the crucial role of experiential and reflective states ('being'). By acknowledging and incorporating 'being', design practice can foster environments that lead to deeper insights, creative breakthroughs, and a more integrated approach to problem-solving.
What This Means for Your Design
Learning isn't just about knowing things and doing things; it's also about the experience and feeling of being fully engaged, which leads to a deeper understanding.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of reflective practice or experiential learning in your design process.
- 2.Use the concepts of 'understanding', 'doing', and 'being' to structure your analysis of your design project's development.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the value of a holistic approach to knowing, emphasizing the interconnectedness of 'understanding', 'doing', and 'being'. By integrating 'being'—the experiential and reflective dimension—into design processes, a deeper and more profound form of knowledge can be cultivated, moving beyond purely measurable outcomes to encompass realization and 'enlightenment'. This perspective suggests that design practice should intentionally foster environments that allow for emergent learning and personal engagement, challenging a sole focus on predefined objectives.
Source
Academic Publication
The Maori Arts in Education: The Importance of Being : How Maori Arts Education Contributes Towards a Holistic Approach of Knowing Based on the Inter-relatedness of Understanding, Doing, and Being
journal · 2010
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about holistic arts education fosters deeper understanding through integrated knowing?
- Designers should actively incorporate opportunities for 'being' – moments of deep engagement, reflection, and even ambiguity – into their creative processes to unlock deeper insights and foster more holistic solutions. Evidence: Academic Publication (2010).
- Why does "Holistic Arts Education Fosters Deeper Understanding Through Integrated Knowing" matter for design?
- This research highlights that traditional educational models, often focused solely on measurable outcomes and explicit knowledge transfer ('understanding' and 'doing'), may overlook the crucial role of experiential and reflective states ('being'). By acknowledging and incorporating 'being', design practice can foster environments that lead to deeper insights, creative breakthroughs, and a more integrated approach to problem-solving.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should actively incorporate opportunities for 'being' – moments of deep engagement, reflection, and even ambiguity – into their creative processes to unlock deeper insights and foster more holistic solutions.
- What were the main findings?
- The inter-connectedness of understanding, doing, and being leads to a deeper form of knowing.. Integrating 'being' into arts education challenges the sole focus on measurable outcomes and assessment.. Processes that challenge and support participants, like dramaturgy, can facilitate entry into 'unknown spaces' for learning.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative Investigation with 8 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2010 journal from Academic Publication.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing design briefs or facilitating workshops, include objectives that encourage exploration, reflection, and personal experience, rather than solely focusing on predefined deliverables.
- What are the limitations?
- The findings are specific to the context of Maori arts education and the particular professional development model studied, potentially limiting generalizability to other design domains.