Discussion of IA education

[Victor Lombardi <victor AT victorlombardi.com>]

This is getting a little clearer in my head through our discussion. 
Perhaps when we talk about this subject we should make a distinction 
among competencies, methodologies, and philosophy. A competency, for 
example, is being able to perform card sorts. A methodology is the how 
a competency is taught. A philosophy explains why certain methodologies 
and competencies are chosen.

For example, the Bauhaus was a radically different school of design. 
They embraced simplicity and mass production in their philosophy. It 
follows their methodology would embrace collaboration with industry. 
None of this excused a chair designer from understanding the properties 
of metal and wood or the graphic designer the limitations of the 
printing press, which are competencies.

So to get back to my original question, it seems everyone agrees we 
should "aim higher than conveying content and skills as something we 
could or should do as instructors of IA." And yet I don't think we have 
much agreement on the basic competencies required.

Victor Lombardi
---
victor AT victorlombardi.com
http://www.noisebetweenstations.com/

On Thursday, November 13, 2003, at 01:24 PM, Livia Labate wrote:

> ...

> I don't know if this little story is of any help, but I think teaching 
> IA
> has a lot to do with making people understand their value and what 
> they can
> achieve; just showing them how important they are to make things 
> happen, as
> IA is to make projects happen.