Applied Design Program
Courses I have taught, developed, and created in higher education beginning in the Fall 2010
2011 to 2014
Program Coordinator of Interior Design:
The appointment responsibilities include:
Teaching an average of 15 - 18 hours per semester
Advising the local ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) Student Chapter for the shared campus of Pierpont Comm & Tech College and Fairmont State University
Advising and Recruiting students
Course Development: Assessment, Course Curriculum, Program Pedagogy & Methodology
Courses I have taught or presently teaching:
*Course Curriculum I developed and/or designed for LMS
Intro to Interior Design: Fall 2010-2016, 2019 - present
Intro to Fashion Design & Merchandising: Fall 2010 to 2012, Fall 2015-16, 2018 - present
Residential Design: 2010 to 2018 (course retired)
Design in Home Furnishings: Spring 2011 to present Course Site Link (title change for '19)
Kitchen & Bath Design: Spring 2011 to 2018 (course retired)
Contract Design: Spring 2011 to present
Visual Merchandising: Spring 2011-2014, 2018 - present
Apparel Design I: Spring 2011 and 2012, 2018 - present
Applied Design Practicum: 2010 - present
*Construction Design & Details: began Fall 2013 by Adjunct Architect and collaborator for course
*Design in Auto-cad (summer course offered 2011)
*Design in Social Media (began Spring 2015) Course Site Link Taught thru 2018
*Design Thinking (Spring 2016) Course Site Link Taught thru 2018
BIM in Interior Furnishings (Fall 2019), - present
Codes & Specs in Design (Fall 2019), - present
Advanced Contract Design (began Spring 2020)
Fashion Business (began Spring 2020)
2015 5 year Program Review (2009-2014)
Reflection and Summary of Successful Program Review with current data on the program: Courses, Assessments, Graduate Statistics, Current Updates
2020 5 year Program Review (2015 - 2020) to be approved in 2021, (2016-2021) approved in 2022 May BOG
Reflection and Summary of Successful Program Review with current data on the program: Courses, Assessments, Graduate Statistics, Current Updates
Advising and Course Development Pedegogy (open with carrot on the right)
My advising has developed over the last five years. From 2010 to 2013 I had students who primarily intended to complete a 2 + 2 with Pierpont and Fairmont State. When the agreement dissolved I experienced an added element to my advising practices. Students were seeking direction for not only education at a two-year school but also what options are there for continuing education in design.
Advising students also involve a time to build relationships that will benefit both the student, the course instructor, and a future employer. My students know that they have many forms of communication with me to assist them in any way to complete their degree. I also encourage them for extended conversations that identify the student's intent on employment.
I have come to realize the vital importance of the advisor to the student. This is a top priority in my goals for my professional practice. The past three years I email my students that appear on my upcoming advising list. The introductory email includes links online for instructions about registration, new course information, and dates to attend group orientations.
Created Program Site on Google Education Sites App:
While our institution has been rigorously working towards separation from the shared services with Fairmont State University (FSU) our program recognized the need to maintain consistency in communication and reassurance of stability to our students during these major changes and expansion to the institution. I created a site on Google Education Apps as a Learning Commons with Applied Design Program Information.
2 + 2 Articulation with WVU Davis College, Design Studies Program:
In the fall of 2012, our program was informed of the discontinuation of the 2+2 agreement with the School of Education at Fairmont State University. This agreement with Family & Consumer Sciences Program in the School of Education had been strong and proven with high enrollments plus retention. Due to the separation mentioned above the majority of 2+2 agreements were dissolved. Though we regret the end of this option for our students this strengthened our resolve in working on establishing an agreement with West Virginia University's Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design in the Design Studies Program. The agreement between our two institutions reflects one of the known pillars of the importance of the community college's relationship to our universities.
New Program Courses by R.Beach from 2013 - 2016:
Construction Design & Details: Co-created with Mrs. Bethany Van Gilder, Architect
Course developed by working on the breakdown of teaching our students the necessary understanding of construction documentation used in interior design projects. This course is placed in the model schedule for a first-year student to be introduced to this industry jargon while taking the additional courses: Intro to Interior Design and Design Concepts
Design in Social Media:
Course developed from the recognition of the importance that Social Media has in our industry. I invite you to please go to the site I created to manage this course.
Design Thinking: 4th-semester direct transfer course with WVU Design Studies Program
Course development summary
Course description:
This course establishes the value of design thinking, identifies the components of the design thinking process, and helps students develop proficiency by using the design thinking process in multiple contexts. Topics will include components of design thinking, including solution-based thinking, analysis versus synthesis, divergent thinking versus convergent thinking, and design thinking as a process for problem-solving.
APPD 2200 Design Thinking - Course Outline
Design Thinking Method
The Process
Description Of The Process
Four Rules To Design Thinking
Define the 6 steps in Design Thinking
The “wicked problem” in design
Research
Ideation
Prototype
Choose
Implement
Learn
Outcome Competencies / Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to
1. Identify the value and components of the design thinking process
2. Discuss and defend the value of design thinking as a critical component of all forward-thinking organizations
3. Demonstrate design thinking as a process for problem-solving
4. Practice solution-based thinking, analysis versus synthesis, divergent thinking versus convergent thinking in a variety of case studies
5. Apply design thinking in an interdisciplinary project that demonstrates the process across multiple disciplines
Sensory Design Professional Development Class:
Course development can be fully understood by going to the site I created.
Developing Standards for Online Delivery of Program Courses
The program is diligently framing delivery standards for the online courses that are in compliance as well as innovative and successful. Our goal is for consistency in appearance and delivery to provide the student with the optimal online course learning experience. Additionally, with the standards and platform in place, a qualified instructor can assume the responsibility of teaching any of the program courses.
Development of Social Media Guidelines for students
In 2011, while updating my syllabi for my courses I recognized the need to communicate to my students' guidelines for use of social media while a student in college and as a responsible adult. I researched other policies and guidelines provided by other institutions and merged them together to create my own for syllabi:
Developing Pedagogy of New Courses into Program
The applied design student should continue to build their education similar to the stages of a project:
The Foundation of Principles
Level 1 of History
Level 2 of Process
Level 3 of Thinking
Level 4 of Application
The four semesters for our student combines their growing understanding, knowledge, critical thinking and design thinking in conjunction with a steady application to projects. The pedagogy of the courses has been coordinated to provide our student with a well-rounded design education.
Development of General Design Project Rubric Template
Development of General Education Rubrics for Assessment in Program Courses
Pierpont Comm & Tech College has maintained a continuous improvement plan for the assessment of the general education of our students. The Applied Design Program responded by collaborating with our faculty to review and keep up to date our courses with specific general education components that when assessed provide measurement of the student's knowledge. The main categories of assessment are Critical Analysis, Written and Oral Communication, Quantitative Literacy, Technical Literacy, Professionalism, and Global Awareness. The example I am providing is our current program rubric to measure the student's technical skills within design projects.