Exploring Journalistic Genres as a Reflective Inquiry into the History of Design

Abstract

 With the arrival of Generation Z in university classrooms, professors face the challenge of reinforcing the academic skills this cohort finds particularly difficult, such as writing long-form texts and thinking independently. This is especially true in design schools, where students tend to prefer studio-based learning—making it urgent to develop strategies that foster these competencies for the future of the field. This article explores both audio and written genres of opinion journalism as a means of encouraging design students to engage in critical inquiry. Operating on the assumption that students connect readily with media formats, we asked them to create columns and podcasts to learn about and reflect on the history of design. In doing so, students produced argumentative exercises that practiced formal writing, developed their own authorial voices, and engaged in both individual and group reflection on the role of design in past and present societies.