By: Jonathan Browning
Coming into Open Design+, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew it was about reimagining learning at Duke, but I had no idea what form that may take. I knew about open source, but only in relation to software. I knew there would be a lot of Zoom, which I thought I didn’t like. However, I soon realized I was framing the situation poorly. Rather than feeling uncertain by the openness of the project, I feel free. Rather than only thinking about open source software, I see it as a framework that prioritizes collaboration, community, and transparency; ideas that I am striving to better incorporate into who I am. And, rather than focusing on my preconceived notions of Zoom, I realized that what I saw as Zoom’s shortcomings may have been my own.
I am glad I gave Zoom another chance because, of everything that I’m excited about, I am most excited to collaborate with everyone in the program, because it’s clear they’re incredible individuals. Just from listening to their ideas, talking with them, and doing some design work with them – using methodologies that are new to me, yet feel familiar – I feel like I’ve grown as a person. Reimagining learning still sounds daunting, but it feels possible now that I know who I am surrounded by.
Though the specifics elude me, I believe reimagining learning means putting the person at the center of the learning process and ensuring there is equity across the process. I’ve always considered myself a realist, bordering on the pessimistic side but, with this group, I am firmly in the optimism camp. I hope that the experience I bring to the group helps us design something that puts Duke students first and gives them a greater sense of control over their learning.