Design Thinking: Promoting Diversity Through Global Immersion

Abstract

Students must experience diversity if they are to embrace it. This article describes the process of integrating a required global experience into two design units and recommends integration strategies for other family and consumer sciences programs. The global focus began in 2000 with Interior Design's participation in a Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grant. Semester student exchanges over 3 years were between Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The Interior Design and Fashion Design and Merchandising units then partnered with a Milan, Italy, design school for students to experience Italian culture, design, and language. Curricula were revised to allow for international semester programs, to enhance students' diversity sensitivity. Pedagogical considerations included philosophy identification, program design, and interdisciplinary collaborations.