KMD 1001H: Theory and Methods in Knowledge Media Design

Next Offering: Fall 2024


Knowledge media design studies enhance human thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and learning including the examination of systems and methods incorporating digital, design, information management, and communications technologies. The course provides a foundation for other KMD courses and practices, demonstrating the use of relevant research methods, and including topics and issues in relation to knowledge media design, such as social justice, ethics, and implications of knowledge media and design; examples and applications of knowledge media and design; and examples and applications of design thinking and design justice.

By the end of the course, students will:

  • Develop the capacity required to better understand cross-disciplinary research terminology and assess research published in different fields, including academic, industry, artistic, activist, and government sources (shared with KMD1002)
  • Engage with the research work of KMD faculty and international colleagues (shared with KMD1002)
  • Develop research questions that build on critical appraisals of such research
  • Understand the steps required to iteratively explore definitions and understandings of “knowledge media,” “design-thinking”, “design justice”, and “research design” through the design and implementation of methods that incorporate collaborative and individual elements
  • Become more familiar with human-centred research methodologies, including ethnographies, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and user-centred design
  • Explore different means to communicate research design and execution processes, including academic publications, reports, and presentations
  • Provide a core shared experience for KMD Collaborative Specialization (CS) students (shared with KMD1002).