Course Description

This seminar investigates creative DIY (do-it-yourself) cultures of hacking, tinkering, and inventive practices

from crafts and electronics to digital media production, networked design collaboration, and participatory

learning. We examine the pedagogical ideas of critical literacy by Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal; child-centered

experiential learning by Jean Piaget; psychology of play and imagination by Vygotsky; constructionist learning

by Seymour Papert; and participatory cultures by Henry Jenkins. Students then explore diverse DIY practices as

forms of cultural, political or subversive expression, including amateur/pirate radio, punk and rave subcultures,

mash-ups, as well as DIY design and open source programming.

We consider the nature of emerging networked DIY communities and maker/hacker spaces, and their role in

creating new forms of cultural production, participatory learning, and civic agency. As part of a semester-long

project combining theory and practice students are encouraged to investigate (and participate in) a specific

DIY community or maker space to develop critical reflection or propose new pedagogical concepts and design

platforms that support creative DIY cultures.

Course Requirements and Grading

The course is designed to allow students to excel individually and collaboratively in ways that are most

meaningful to their own learning goals. In that regard, students will be asked to specify their assessment

criteria and learning goals at the onset of the course, and will be evaluated in a peer-oriented manner

throughout the term. Below is a suggested grading scheme, which students can refine or weight according to

their own learning outcomes and interests. All activities specified below are required for all students.

1. Class participation including regular attendance and leading discussions on readings: 15%

2. Blogging about DIY initiatives on a weekly basis: 15%

3. Presenting a DIY case study or brief DIY workshop in class: 15%

4. Midterm paper or project proposal (5-7 pages): 15%

5. Final presentation in class and peer review: 15%

6. Final paper or project write-up (10-15 pages): 25%

The final submission maybe a critical paper or project in the form of a film, website or some other creative

media/design artifact devised individually or in a small team (with an accompanying write-up).

Students can hand in a personalized grading scheme by the 2nd week of class otherwise the default scheme

will be applied. The DIY case study, workshop or final projects may be conducted in teams of 2-3 if desired,

however both the midterm and final papers must be individually written. Regardless of grading it’s most

important that students are actively contributing and engaged with course topics both in and outside class.

All grades are final and are not subject to change. Incomplete or “I” grades are strongly discouraged. Please

note that failure to complete a major course assignment may result in the failure of the course as a whole.

Creative DIY Cultures (NMDS 5286A) – Fall 2011

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Online Access: The course will utilize Blackboard (blackboard.newschool.edu) to post relevant materials

including announcements, handouts, and readings. Students must also use a Word Press blogging platform to

write regular postings on DIY initiatives. User accounts will be provided to students after the first class session.

Participating in Local DIY Activities (Optional): Besides the weekly seminar sessions, we will also visit and

participate in several DIY initiatives and events at the New School and around the city throughout the term

(many of them suggested by students themselves). Participation in these suggested activities is optional

depending upon student schedules and availability, however they will provide invaluable opportunities for

greater immersion and learning in real-world settings that complement the seminars.