DAAP prof puts new designs on community outreach

As University of Cincinnati students shift into learning remotely from their safe spaces, faculty are broadcasting lessons virtually from empty labs, classrooms or home offices.

To navigate these new virtual waters, many are seeking ways to deal with their frustrations and uncertainties by continuing to creatively express themselves.

“What better way to do that than through the arts and other creative outlets, especially now,” says Brigid O’Kane, associate professor of industrial design at UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). “People are experiencing a lot of emotion right now and it’s okay. Being aware of one’s emotions is important; it fosters thoughtful responses instead of careless reactions.”

Awareness is key and creative outlets are what she hopes will help channel those emotions constructively. 

“The last two days of classes at DAAP, after the University announced the suspension of face-to-face teaching were heart-wrenching,” she says. “There were air hugs from a safe distance and tears. It was so sad. One of my students had to fly back to India and she’ll finish out the semester online like everybody else.”

In some ways the online format offers a better experience for students, but O’Kane now knows, as many of her colleagues would agree, it takes a lot more work. Once you get past the learning curve and students are off and running, the online process of teaching will streamline itself.

“Nothing compares to the face-to-face or one-on-one teaching format,” she notes. “But, one of the true gifts of participating in any creative field of study is the ability to look for solutions and see the possibilities. Online classes are wonderful ways to connect and overcome obstacles instead of being blocked by them.”

While launching her DAAP design courses into cyberspace in the midst of the campuswide shutdown, O’Kane faces similar challenges as she helps transition off-campus classes to online learning at the Cincinnati-based nonprofit arts organization Manifest Drawing Center in Walnut Hills. 

“A number of courses at Manifest are using Zoom, which is a cross-platform application that’s great for allowing students and instructors to see and interact with each other in real time,” she says.

“Engaging in the arts at any age is like training our mind to see things from a different point of view. The drawing process is a catalyst for this unimpeded way of thinking,” O’Kane continues. “Today, we are experiencing an incredible amount of change. I’m hopeful that this is a catalyst for rethinking the way we normally do business so we can live and work in ways that are healthier, not only for ourselves but for the entire planet.

“We are still trying to understand our place in the world. This global pandemic is tragic. However, it is also challenging us to find balance as we develop creative solutions and evolve. This gives me hope.”

Featured image at top: UC design professor Brigid O'Kane teaches her Drawing as Mindfulness class on the Zoom cross-platform web program from her laptop at home. Photo/provided