A synopsis of design research projects and case studies pursued during my MFA studies in Collaborative Design, with a focus on innovations in education.

1. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• !How!can!the!needs!of!teens!who!are!facing!sensitive!issues!be!addressed?!
• !Where!in!the!system!can!teens!seek!help!from!adults!that!they!trust?!
• !How!can!we!deliver!support!to!the!teens!who!need!it!most?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora,!Danielle!Olson,!Santigie!Fofana@Dura!
Participants:2
School!counselors,!principals,!youth!advocates,!parents,!students!at!public!and!private!elementary!
&!secondary!schools!in!Portland!
Research2Methods:2
We!scheduled!interviews!with!administrators,!counselors!and!parents!in!a!variety!of!educational!
settings!for!high!schoolers.!Santigie!&!Danielle!conducted!an!interactive!dialogue!with!youth!at!a!SE!
public!high!school.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
We!interviewed!one!high!school!principal,!three!counselors!and!a!handful!of!parents.!While!the!
scale!of!our!inquiry!was!limited,!our!conclusions!were!conFirmed!by!Santigie’s!breadth!of!
experience!as!a!youth!advocate!in!East!Portland.!2
Outcomes:!
• !Teens!who!are!stressed!and!confronting!challenging!issues!are!unlikely!to!seek!and!receive!
support!from!within!their!school.!!
• !Youth!advocates!who!provide!services!at!the!periphery!of!schools!are!in!a!better!position!to!help!
teens!in!need.!
• !We!proposed!a!solution!that!would!deliver!support!just!outside!the!jurisdiction!of!the!school.!

2. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• !What!is!the!most!effective!way!to!educate!the!public!on!the!functioning!of!a!building!that!produces!
its!own!energy!and!recycles!its!own!waste?!
• !How!can!a!building!communicate!the!values!and!functions!of!sustainable!living?!
Investigators:22
PNCA!MFA!Collaborative!Design!Students!in!Weiden+Kennedy!Lab!
Participants:2
An!in@house!team!of!stakeholders!involved!in!the!Oregon!Sustainability!Center!project,!including!
funders,!architects!and!engineers.!
Description2of2Process:!
• We!met!with!architects,!city!planners,!wastewater!treatment!specialists!and!the!marketing!team!
for!the!Oregon!Sustainability!Center!to!learn!about!the!functions!of!the!building.!
• Students!worked!in!small!teams!to!generate!concepts!and!a!presentation!that!would!set!the!tone!
for!the!proposed!Action!Center,!a!public!interactive!space!in!what!would!be!Portland’s!First!living!
high@rise!building.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
We!proposed!possible!approaches!and!design!concepts!for!the!Action!Center,!but!did!not!use!any!
research!methodologies!to!get!a!response!from!a!public!audience.!
Outcomes:!
• !New!technologies!and!innovative!approaches!to!building!in!the!21st!century!can!transform!our!
relationship!to!how!we!relate!to!the!environment.!!
• !Buildings!can!teach!us!directly!about!sustainability.!!

3. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• A!public!learning!lab!that!cultivates!a!vibrant!community!of!lifelong!learners!can!reinvigorate!a!
neighborhood.!
• How!can!emergent!design!principles!catalyze!social,!economic!and!environmental!well@being!on!
the!local!scale?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora,!Morgan!O’Hara,!Santigie!Fofana@Dura,!Emma!Conley,!David!Laubental,!Don!Harker!
Description2of2Process:!
• A!project!of!the!!Lab!course—Center!for!Tackling!Complex!Problems.!
• Our!team!generated!a!model!for!a!public!learning!lab!to!be!sited!at!!the!recently!closed!Marshall!
High!School!in!East!Portland.!2
Research2Methods:2
• Our!team!utilized!systems!thinking!processes,!combined!with!research!into!the!local!educational!
system!in!Portland!Public!Schools!to!generate!the!concept!for!the!project.!!
• Community!engagement!through!presentations,!attending!EPAP!meetings,!presenting!to!the!PPS!
administration.!
• A!collaborative!effort!with!ADX!to!present!the!concept!at!the!Good!Ideas!for!Cities!design!
competition,!2012.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
While!our!participation!in!the!project!concluded!at!the!end!of!the!term,!the!concept!has!continued!
to!live!on,!and!a!recent!iteration!of!the!project!is!being!considered!by!the!Mayor’s!ofFice!and!the!East!
Portland!Action!Plan!Committee.!We!had!plans!to!do!summer!community!engagement!work!to!
include!the!voices!of!community!members!in!the!process,!but!that!effort!did!not!happen.2
Outcomes:!
• New!visions!for!educational!structures!are!needed!to!build!strong!communities!of!learners!of!all!
ages.!!
• Closing!schools!tears!at!the!fabric!of!neighborhoods!and!communities.!!

4. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• How!can!the!creative!processes!used!by!mentors!and!teachers!in!Reggio!Emilia!early!learning!
schools!be!adapted!and!applied!to!higher!learning?!
• Is!an!emergent!approach!to!learning!an!effective!tool!for!teacher!training?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Description2of2Process:!
Throughout!Spring!term,!I!had!been!immersed!in!a!variety!of!learning!processes!that!informed!my!
thinking—my!internship!at!a!Reggio@inspired!early!learning!center,!my!participation!in!the!
Marshall!Commons!project,!which!had!an!emergent!theme!as!its!guiding!principle,!and!
participation!in!graduate!coursework!that!was!inconsistent!in!its!delivery!methods.!The!cognitive!
dissonance,!as!well!as!shared!principles,!informed!the!articulation!of!an!approach!to!teaching!and!
learning!!that!could!be!applied!and!delivered!in!a!higher!education!classroom.!2
Research2Methods:2
• Immersion!in!a!variety!of!learning!experiences.!!
• Documentation!of!Field!research.!!
• ReFlection!inspires!a!hypothesis.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
Sch2
Outcomes:!
• Successful!learning!methods!in!one!domain!can!be!creatively!applied!to!another.!!
• Early!learning!and!higher!learning!have!a!potential!meeting!ground!through!the!emergent!Field!of!
creative!thinking!and!shared!process.!!
• Higher!learning!can!glean!insight!from!the!research!provided!through!the!early!learning!model!of!
Reggio!Emilia!schools.!

5. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!is!the!role!of!the!teacher!in!the!learning!process?!
What!is!the!role!of!documentation!in!the!Reggio!approach?!
How!does!the!Reggio!approach!work!in!action?!!
How!does!an!educator!unlearn!their!current!approach!to!teaching!and!relearn!a!new!approach?!!
What!is!the!ideal!role!of!the!mentor!in!an!on@site,!real@time!context?!
What!is!emergent,!reciprocal!learning?!How!do!creative!processes,!shared!dialogue!and!documentation!
provide!fertile!ground!for!teaching!and!learning?!!
Do!pattern!languages!support!the!documentation!and!reFlection!process?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Lucy!Chaille,!Director/Mentor!at!Children’s!Creative!Center!in!Beaverton,!OR.!Ally,!lead!teacher!and!13!
children!ages!5@8!years.!
Description2of2Process:!
Over!a!period!of!approx.!6!weeks,!I!participated!in!the!morning!sessions!once/week!at!CCC.!I!prompted!an!
ongoing!exploration!of!the!outdoor!playscape!by!asking!the!question!“How!can!we!make!this!place!better?”!
We!mapped!the!outdoor!landscape,!I!documented!the!process!with!photography,!video!footage!and!
capturing!the!children’s!words!in!text.!2
Research2Methods:2
Immersive!experience.!I!had!ongoing!feedback!and!critical!dialogue!with!my!mentor!during!the!entire!
process.!!Integral!to!Lucy’s!teaching!styel,!critical!feedback!is!a!constant,!and!the!exchange!provides!intense,!
fertile!ground!for!learning!a!new!approach.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
Improving!teaching!methods!and!learning!new!ways!of!successfully!engaging!with!children!in!a!rich!learning!
process!is!an!ongoing!research!study!into!oneself,!the!learning!environment!and!the!idiosyncratic!nature!and!
gifts!of!each!child.!This!was!an!example!of!a!brief,!well@documented!step!in!the!process!for!me.2
Outcomes:!
• !ReFlecting!on!educational!environments!and!interactions!through!the!lens!of!design!ecology!provides!an!
insightful!approach!for!seeking!patterns!of!relationship!between!people!and!place.!
• Having!a!mentor!provide!feedback!in!real@time!is!invaluable!for!the!learning!process.!
• Documentation!of!the!learning!experience!is!a!valuable!tool!for!both!teacher!and!learner.!
• Learning!new!approaches!in!education!is!a!conscious!process!that!requires!a!willingness!to!‘not!know’!and!
to!step!into!new!territory—highly!recommended!and!very!worthwhile!qualities!to!embrace.!

6. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• !How!can!the!early!learning!programs!on!the!SOU!campus!be!invigorated?!
• !How!can!the!three!early!learning!programs!come!together!with!a!common!vision!for!the!future?!
• !How!can!the!early!learning!programs!support!one!another?!
• !Is!the!University!in!a!position!to!create!a!model!early!learning!lab!at!the!site!of!the!preschool?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Faculty!of!the!Early!Child!Development!program!in!the!School!of!Education,!teachers!of!the!
Community!Preschool!at!SOU,!Director!of!the!Schneider!Children’s!Center.!
Research2Methods:2
• !Individual!interviews!with!each!participant.!
• !Initial!4!hour!facilitation!session.!
• !Follow!up!2!hour!facilitation!session.!
• !Final!meeting!for!action!items!and!to!share!a!!presentation!synopsis.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
The!process!was!successful!initiating!some!preliminary!changes,!but!without!a!plan!to!continue!
meeting!and!collaborating,!the!three!groups!have!not!continued!to!offer!one!another!substantial!
support!or!to!move!towards!a!shared!vision.2
Outcomes:!
• !Communication!within!an!educational!institution!can!be!reinvigorated!through!facilitation.!!
• !Trust!can!be!built,!but!it!is!fragile!unless!supported!by!open!communication!and!a!shared!sense!of!
agency!and!voice.!!
• !A!new!shared!marketing!brochure!was!generated!that!explained!the!shared!philosophies!of!the!
early!learning!programs!and!described!the!two!early!learning!centers.!!
• !The!Community!Preschool!at!SOU!changed!it’s!name!and!updated!it’s!logo.!
• !The!Community!Preschool!expanded!its!offerings!by!creating!an!afternoon!program!for!preschool!
and!kindergarten!students.!

7. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!does!an!award@winning!school!kitchen!garden!project!look!like?!
How!was!this!successful!program!created!and!how!is!it!sustained?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Sara!Sullivan—Founder,!Director,!Parent!
Description2of2Process:!
I!met!Sara!at!the!Portland!Waldorf!School!Sustainability!workshop.!Her!presentation!about!the!
Abernethy!Elementary!School!garden!project!was!amazing,!and!I!went!to!the!school!for!a!site!visit,!
and!to!meet!with!her.!2
Research2Methods:2
Interview!and!site@visit.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
This!was!a!very!brief!visit,!but!gave!me!a!taste!of!what!is!possible.2
Outcomes:!
• Powerful,!energetic!and!dedicated!parents!can!make!worlds!happen!in!the!schools.!!
• Allocating!garden!and!classroom!space!for!learning!inspires!health!and!well@being!throughout!a!
school!and!community.!
• Hiring!a!designated!staff!person!to!teach!and!manage!the!garden!year@round!is!a!key!element!to!
the!success!of!garden!programs.!
• Having!a!cafeteria!staff!that!fully!integrates!the!garden!into!the!food!they!provide!is!a!key!
component!of!a!successful!kitchen!garden!school!project.!
• Funding!efforts!for!this!kind!of!project!need!to!go!beyond!the!limited!scope!of!the!school!
community!to!reach!a!broader!audience.!
• Quality!videos,!web!presence!and!brochures!contribute!to!the!success!of!this!program.!

8. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!does!immersive!outdoor!learning!for!young!children!look!and!feel!like?!
How!can!the!Gazebo!philosophy!inform!my!practice!of!teaching?!
How!does!a!design!ecology!perspective!inform!my!experience!of!Gazebo?!
What!is!the!magic!that!is!Gazebo?!What!are!the!components!that!make!this!school/place!magical?!
What!does!it!mean!for!a!school!to!be!an!integral!part!of!its!community?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Director!January!Handl,!teachers!Miriam!and!Jasmine!and!the!children!and!families!at!Gazebo!Park!School,!
summer!2012.!The!school!is!an!integral!part!of!the!Esalen!Institute!residential!community!and!retreat!center!
in!Big!Sur,!California.!
Description2of2Process:!
I!spent!3!months!as!an!intern!at!the!school,!participating!and!contributing!to!the!activities!of!the!school!Mon@
Fri!9:00!–!3:00.!I!spent!time!observing,!reading!about!the!history!and!philosophy!of!Gazebo,!and!taking!part!
in!the!daily!rituals!and!activities!in!the!park—raking,!gardening,!cleaning,!preparing!food!and!setting!out!
materials!for!play!and!exploration.!2
Research2Methods:2
Taking!an!anthropologist’s!viewpoint,!I!observed!and!documented!the!process!at!Gazebo!and!reFlected!on!
my!observations!through!written!entries!in!my!blog.!It!was!an!immersive!experience,!as!I!lived!on@site!in!the!
school/farm!house!and!participated!in!staff!meetings!and!gestalt!sessions.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
I!was!not!fully!included!in!all!aspects!of!the!school,!which!placed!me!as!an!outsider!to!many!of!the!
organizational!challenges!that!the!teachers!and!director!were!grappling!with.!!There!was!an!uneasy!tension!
for!me!as!a!full!participant!in!the!system!and!living!together!with!the!director!and!lead!teacher,!but!with!
unclear!limitations!and!boundaries!around!my!role!as!intern.!
Outcomes:!
• Child@centered,!free@range!play!in!a!natural,!outdoor!setting!provides!healthy!conditions!for!social/
emotional/physical!development.!!
• Schools!are!complex!systems!inFluenced!by!history,!community!context!and!management.!
• A!mixed@age!wild!&!alive!learning!environment!provides!an!ideal!setting!for!young!children,!particularly!in!
a!moderate!climate!zone!
• See!my!blog!entries!and!reFlections!on!my!Gazebo!experience:!www.sharondvora.com!

9. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
How!do!adults!and!children!interact!with!the!permanent!play!structures!in!the!park?!
How!do!issues!of!safety!impact!the!play!experience!for!adults!and!children?!
What!is!the!ideal!role!for!parents!involved!in!child’s!play?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Parents!and!children!in!the!playground!area!of!Lithia!Park!on!Sept.!15,!2012.!
Description2of2Process:!
I!spent!an!hour!in!the!playground!area!of!a!public!park!in!Ashland,!OR.!I!took!photographs!of!
children!and!parents!interacting!with!the!equipment!and!with!one!another.!!I!didn’t!ask!permission!
to!take!photographs,!but!was!unobtrusive!about!what!I!was!doing.!!After!an!hour,!I!did!speak!with!a!
couple!of!parents,!asking!them!about!their!approach!to!supervising!their!child’s!play!in!the!park,!
and!asking!permission!to!take!their!photos!with!their!child.2
Research2Methods:2
Anthropologist’s!lens.!Photographic!study!and!informal!interviews.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
This!was!a!very!brief!study,!but!has!great!potential!for!learning!about!playground!design!and!
interactions.!2
Outcomes:!
• Observing!parent/child!interactions!during!playtime!reveals!a!great!deal!of!information!about!
those!relationships.!!
• Facial!expression!during!play!is!a!strong!indicator!of!what!is!happening!for!the!child.!!
• Playgrounds!are!a!potentially!ripe!training!site!for!parent!education.!!
• Traditional!metal!play!structures!are!not!ideally!suited!for!child’s!play.!!

10. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
How!much!time!do!children!and!adults!spend!outdoors?!
Has!this!changed!over!the!past!few!decades?!
Do!adults!want!to!spend!more!time!outdoors?!
What!kinds!of!activities!draw!people!outdoors?!
How!much!time!are!we!spending!in!our!cars!and!in!front!of!a!screen?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
57!people!responded!to!my!Survey!Monkey!request.!
Description2of2Process:!
I!composed!a!brief!survey,!sent!it!out!to!friends!via!email!and!Facebook.!I!collected!the!data!and!
synthesized!the!results.2
Research2Methods:2
Survey.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
This!survey!was!much!too!general.!I!would!like!to!Fine@tune!the!survey!to!target!the!data!I’m!looking!
for!more!speciFically,!deliver!the!survey!to!an!audience!of!parents!and!elicit!more!participation.2
Outcomes:!
• People!of!all!ages!have!a!desire!to!spend!more!relaxed!time!outdoors.!!
• Many!adults!spend!5!or!more!hours!a!day!in!front!of!a!screen.!!

11. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!is!a!day!in!a!forest!preschool!like?!
How!does!the!inFluence!of!Waldorf!education!translate!into!an!outdoor!school!for!young!learners?!
How!is!this!outdoor!school!different!from!Gazebo!Park!School?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Christy,!lead!teacher,!her!assistant!and!5!children!ages!3@5!years.!
Description2of2Process:!
I!visited!Humming!Hive!Preschool!with!my!PNCA!cohort!(thanks!Jason!),!and!then!returned!as!a!
volunteer!on!two!Friday!mornings!from!8:45!–!12:45.!I!also!participated!as!the!Gnome!King!in!a!
lantern@lit!evening!celebration!for!all!of!the!families!and!children!of!the!school.!2
Research2Methods:2
Brief!immersive!experience.!Observing!and!reFlecting!through!my!blog.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
This!was!a!brief!immersion!into!the!culture!of!the!school.!I!hope!to!attend!many!more!sessions!at!
Humming!Hive,!as!there!is!a!great!deal!for!me!to!learn!about!Waldorf!methods!and!the!simplicity!of!
spending!time!in!the!forest!without!toys,!tools!or!materials.!2
Outcomes:!
• The!natural!forest!setting!combined!with!a!holistic!Waldorf!approach!to!teaching,!provide!peaceful!
conditions!for!healthy!growth!and!development!of!the!child’s!imagination.!
• The!practice!of!deep!simplicity—no!toys,!tools!or!books!are!brought!out!into!the!woods—is!in!
stark!contrast!to!Gazebo!children’s!interactions!with!materials,!structures!and!loose!parts.!

12. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!is!the!educational!experience!like!in!an!environmental!charter!school?!
How!is!this!public!charter!different!from!a!traditional!public!school?!
What!kind!of!environmental!education!curriculum!is!offered!at!Forest!Grove!Community!School?!
Goal:!receive!feedback!from!students!on!my!proposed!biomimicry!activity!cards.!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Teresa!Perrin,!Art!teacher!and!garden!coordinator!at!Forest!Grove!Community!School!and!a!handful!
of!!5th/6th!grade!students!
Description2of2Process:!
I!visited!the!art!classroom!and!spent!one!hour!with!a!small!group!of!5th/6th!graders!talking!
informally!about!the!local!wetlands!and!receiving!feedback!on!a!proposed!set!of!activities!about!
biomimicry!that!I!was!developing.!2
Research2Methods:2
Informal!dialogue!with!a!small!group!of!students,!set!in!their!learning!environment.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
My!site!visit!was!brief.!I’d!like!to!return!and!interview!the!founders!and!leaders/administrators!of!
the!school,!I!hope!to!set!up!a!volunteer!project!for!myself!this!Winter/Spring!term—coordinating!
activities!in!the!garden!and!facilitating!Field!visits!with!the!!1st!–!8th!grade!classes.2
Outcomes:!
• Public!charters!under!thriving!leadership!provide!great!alternatives!to!standard!public!school!
educational!settings.!!
• Food!gardens!and!earth@friendly!structures!are!an!integral!and!inspiring!component!of!a!healthy,!
sustainably!designed!learning!environment.!!
• Biomimicry!is!an!interesting!topic!for!5th/6th!graders.!There!was!great!interest!in!the!activities!I!
was!developing!
• This!small!school!is!a!community!where!you!can!readily!feel!a!part!of!things,!smiles!are!exchanged,!
relationships!between!teachers!and!students!develop!over!time!and!a!spirit!of!joy!pervades.!

13. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
What!are!current!methods!and!best!practices!for!reconnection!with!nature?!
What!is!involved!in!the!process!of!reconnecting!with!nature?!
What!does!the!Field!of!environmental/outdoor!education!share!with!the!emerging!domain!of!eco@
psychology?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Description2of2Process:!
I!arranged!and!facilitated!two!phone!interviews,!First!with!Michael!and!later!with!Sandra.!!
I!read!all!of!the!materials!presented!online!and!I!participated!in!the!First!two!weeks!of!an!online!
Eco500!course.!
Research2Methods:2
• Interview!with!Michael!Cohen,!founder!Project!Nature!Connect!
• Interview!with!Dr.!Sandra!Kolbl!Holman,!psychologist,!Akamai!University!
• In@depth!review!of!the!literature.!!
• Brief!participation!in!an!introductory!course:!Eco500.!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
This!study!took!an!in@depth!look!at!just!one!approach!to!addressing!nature@deFicit@disorder.!2
Outcomes:!
• Nature!deFicit!disorder!exists,!as!indicated!by!academic!research!and!programs!designed!to!
counter!people’s!loss!of!innate!ability!to!connect!with!nature.!!
• Online!communities!formed!to!create!this!natural!connection!are!both!a!symptom!of!and!a!solution!
for!the!problem.!
• Psychological!research!is!beginning!to!address!the!concerns!around!nature!disconnection!and!its!
impact!on!well@being!in!a!technology@drive!century.!!
• Connecting!with!nature!involves!direct!encounter,!participating!fully!with!our!53!senses!and!with!
the!earth!ecosystem.!!

14. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• How!can!a!product!be!designed!to!promote!a!sensory@based!encounter!with!nature?!
• How!do!the!qualities!of!textiles!and!the!materials!of!which!they!are!composed,!mediate!our!
sensory!encounter!with!the!natural!elements?!
• How!can!we!learn!from!nature!about!how!to!be!outdoors?!
• How!can!!we!design!a!soft!boundary!between!indoor!and!outdoor,!allowing!a!permeable!exchange!
that!provides!extreme!comfort?!!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Participants:2
Mentor!Sara!Huston!&!students!in!PNCA!Lab!course!in!Critical!Design!
Description2of2Process:!
Asking!the!question!‘What!if?’,!each!student!in!the!Lab!designed!a!product!or!system!of!objects!that!
disrupt!or!critically!comment!on!a!current!or!future!scenario.!We!each!proceeded!through!a!highly!
iterative!process!to!explore!our!domain!of!interest!and!generate!a!product!that!communicates!
directly.!The!Final!products!were!displayed!and!critiqued!by!an!outside!panel.2
Research2Methods:2
Research!into!new!technologies!in!textiles,!image!research!on!topics!such!as!simple!outdoor!
structures,!napping,!indigenous!garments!and!Japanese!fashion!designer!Issey!Miyake.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
The!iterative!research!and!design!process!may!continue!2
Outcomes:!
• Boundary!objects!can!serve!as!strong!catalysts!for!dialogue!around!the!issue!of!connecting!with!
nature.!!
• Fashion!and!architecture!are!potentially!ripe!domains!for!sparking!awareness!and!dialogue!on!
issues!of!technology,!sustainability!and!connection!to!nature,!as!well!as!provoking!cultural!shifts!in!
perspective!and!behavior!

15. Hypothesis/Questions/Goals:2
• What!is!my!direct!experience!of!a!place,!a!concept!or!an!encounter?!
• What!questions!are!elicited!by!my!encounters!with!the!world?!
• Why!do!some!experiences!touch!at!the!core!or!heart!of!learning!for!me?!
• How!can!I!unpack!my!encounters!and!my!observations!in!a!way!that!reveals!a!gem!of!learning?!
Investigators:22
Sharon!Dvora!
Description2of2Process:!
Writing!entries!for!the!blog!has!been!a!process!of!self@inquiry!and!written!reFlection!that!has!an!
audience!{mostly!friends!and!educators}.!Adding!that!element!of!intimate!readership!brings!an!
immediacy!to!the!process!that!feels!somewhat!like!an!important!conversation!or!a!small!reveal!of!
myself.!
Research2Methods:2
The!blog!is!an!informal!compilation!of!reFlections!gleaned!from!direct!experience!in!the!Field.!My!
practice!is!to!communicate!a!personal!viewpoint!or!propose!questions!that!are!at!the!heart!of!my!
inquiry!into!the!nature!of!learning!and!of!authentic!connection!with!the!world.!!
Nature/Limitations2of2Study:2
My!blog!has!been!predominantly!a!personal!reFlection!on!my!encounters!with!the!nature!of!
learning!{for!me}.!2
Outcomes:!
• The!blog!is!a!form!that!allows!me!to!experience!my!voice!in!the!Field!of!education!and!learning.!!
• It!provides!a!point!of!reference!for!my!take!on!things.!!
• It!supports!me!in!developing!and!articulating!my!viewpoint!and!line!of!inquiry.!